Around Shoreham (14-18 December)

Friday 18 December. I took Cookie to the Adur for the (early) morning low tide. We saw 110 Lapwings, 60 Great Black-backed, 500 Herring, a first-winter Yellow-legged and 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Two colour-ringed gulls were seen - a new Norwegian Great Black-back and a returning North Thames Herring. To be continued.

Norwegian colour-ringed Great Black-backed Gull on the Adur

J7UE was ringed as chick on Valløyholmen, Mandal, Vest-Agder, Norway in July 2006 and has been seen at various sites in Vest-Agder in June 2011, May 2013, June 2014, August 2015, July 2019 and July 2020 but this is the first report away from Norway

North Thames Herring Gull Z9HT on the Adur. It was ringed as a first-year at Rainham in Nobvember 2013, seen at Beddingham in May 2014, on the Adur in April 2016, April and December 2017 and Southwick in August 2020

the Lesser Black-backed Gull appeared to be ringed above the knee, the only scheme I could find that does this is a Dutch one but it rings on the left leg. The ring being unreadable to me 

first-winter Yellow-legged Gull on the Adur

Thursday 17 December. Megan and I took cookie to Lancing Ring and Steepdown. We saw 32 Sky Larks, 8 Redwings, 18 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinches, a Greenfinch, 3 Linnets and 19 Corn Buntings. On the way home a Sparrowhawk flew over the A27 by the Adur fly-over.

Corn Bunting on Steepdown

Wednesday 16 December. I seawatched from behind a hut at Widewater from 08:30-10:00 sheltering as best I could from the strong SSE wind. I saw Mute Swan (1 pair + 1 youngster on the lagoon), Common Scoter (1W), Red-breasted Merganser (1E), Brent Goose (115E in 6 flocks), Great Crested Grebe (2 o/s), Turnstone (9 o/b), Sanderling (3 o/b), Kittiwake (11E:1W), auk sp. (1E:15W), Guillemot (1E), Razorbill (2E:1W:1 o/b), Red-throated Diver (2E:2W) and Gannet (20E:2W). A quick look at Shoreham Fort produced nothing, waves splashing up onto the wooden jetty were probably preventing waders roosting there. I spent the hour before high tide overlooking the Adur Saltings. It was a big tide that came rushing in flooding most of the saltings and pushing some of the waders off. I saw 2 Mute Swans, 51 Teal, 50+ Lapwings, Grey Plover, 2 Curlew, 34 Common Snipe, 49 Redshank, Greenshank and Reed Bunting. 

Greenshank on the Adur Saltings

Greenshank and Common Snipe

Common Snipe on the Adur Saltings

giving decent views on a high tide

Curlew and Grey Plover on the Adur Saltings

the second Curlew

Tuesday 15 December. I took Cookie up to Beeding Hill and we spent 2.5 hours walking the 'triangle', east along Monarchs Way, north up to Truleigh Hill and back via Room Bottom/Beeding Quarry. My expectations were low at this time of year so an adult male Hen Harrier flying east almost over my head half-way up to Truleigh Hill was a brilliant surprise. Unfortunately it was gone all too quickly as it dipped over into the next valley and was lost to view before my camera would focus on it. The valley was mostly hidden and 10-15 minutes of scanning failed to produce another sighting. Other birds seen on our walk were 2 Kestrels, 700 Jackdaws, 2 Ravens, 48 Sky Larks, 2 Fieldfares, 4 Redwings, 3 Stonechats, 28 Meadow Pipits, a male Bullfinch, a single Linnet, just 4 Goldfinches, 19 Corn Buntings and 7 Yellowhammers.

bath time - Corn Buntings on Beeding Hill

male Stonechat on Beeding Hill

Yellowhammers at Truleigh Hill

Ravens at Beeding Hill

Monday 14 December. Megan and I took Cookie up to Mill Hill mid morning and along Southwick Canal in the afternoon. The former was virtually birdless with 2 Grey Wagtails and 4 Greenfinches at the latter.

Caspian Gulls in the Cuckmere (13 December)

Sunday 13 December. Strong southerly winds and a big high tide seemed good conditions for another visit to the Cuckmere to look for Caspian Gulls in the lower Cuckmere, particularly  having been disappointed with my efforts a few days earlier. I arrived at 10:45 to find two flocks of large roosting gulls, one of about 800 birds in the middle of the water meadows level with Chyngton Farm and the other about half the size opposite Harry's Bush but nearer the river. I stayed to 14:15, mostly with the larger, closer flock. I estimated there being 800+ Great Black-backed, 200+ Herring and 200+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls present. The Herrings included at least four I was confident were argentatus. There were at least 12 Yellow-legged Gulls, mostly adults but single first and second-winters too. I saw at least 6 and possibly 9 Caspian Gulls. At least three and possibly five were first-winters, one probably two second-winters, a third-winter/near adult and an adult so I guess pretty much a full-house. Some only appeared in the tightly packed flock briefly, either flying off, sitting out of sight or being stood in front of. All were more distant than I would have liked as can be seen from the images below. The strong wind was from the SSE and it was hard to find shelter while a few heavy showers didn't help either. My umbrella blew out of my hand and into a hawthorn bush while I was walking between the flocks (the distant one was mostly GBbGs and didn't warrant much attention) and the handle broke while I was extracting it. Despite all this it was a satisfying visit.

a first-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere

digiscoped images do not really picked up plumage (DSLR images later are more true to life)

to far away for me to hear it call

a small bird, presumably a female

sky pointing

switching to DSLR gives better colours

expecting to fly

the underwing one always hopes for

it flew back round but I then lost it

another first-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere

this was a large bird, presumably a male

showing a strikingly whitish underwing

and a bit of leg

a different larger first-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere seen an hour earlier

the same or a similarly large first-winter Caspian Gull seen briefly in a different part of the flock fifteen minutes later

another Caspian Gull appeared then promptly vanished

I wasn't sure if it was a first or second-winter Caspian Gull (the bill looked pale based) and if the former whether one of those above 

second-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere

identified mainly on head and bill shape and mantle colour

presumed third-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere. Identified by bullet-hole eye and head and bill shape. Aged by brownish tinges on greater coverts. I never saw anymore of it 

adult Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere. Sleeping Herring Gull to its left

identified by mantle colour, extensive white on underside of p10, small dark eye and washed -out bill

its legs looked long and pale too

I thought this (centre bird) was a small first or second-winter Caspian Gull but wasn't certain

it flew and was presumably a second-winter

this second-winter had me puzzled, was it Caspian or Yellow-legged?

structurally it looked good for Caspian but something about it felt a bit off

another puzzler, was it an adult Caspian or did the dark around the eye suggest Herring?

argentatus Herring Gull (front right) and three adult Yellow-legged Gulls (one with head turned away and two sleeping) in the Cuckmere

the same birds as above with different heads turned

close up of the standing adult Yellow-legged Gull

adult and first-winter Yellow-legged Gulls in the Cuckmere

second-winter and adult Yellow-legged Gulls in the Cuckmere

Saturday 12 December. Megan, Nessa, Cookie and I went to Shoreham Fort and walked into town and back along the boardwalk. A single Purple Sandpiper on the wooden jetty at high tide was the only notable sighting. At low tide I took Cookie to the Adur where in fading light I saw 108 Lapwings, 2 Grey Plover and very few gulls.

Pied Wagtail on Shoreham Beach