Shoreham and Blackdown (10-17 March 2023)

Friday 10 March. As it was a cold, damp and thoroughly miserable morning I dropped Megan off in Shoreham and continued on to Shoreham Fort with Cookie  where we saw one of the Purple Sandpipers and 2 Rock Pipits. Back home, with the weather improving late morning, I walked down to the Adur Saltings. There at high tide (just over 6m), I saw the drake Wigeon, 26 Teal, single Great Crested Grebe (my fist at this site?), Lapwing and Curlew, c40 Common Snipe (the tide not being high enough to reveal them all), 37 Redshank, the Greenshank and 2 Reed Buntings. Late afternoon Cookie and I saw the parakeets fly in and land near their roost tree.

Lord Derby's Parakeet 

Ring-necked Parakeet

                                          

Saturday 11 March. I seawatched from Widewater from 06:55-09:20. Despite the wind being from the SE it was disappointing. Flying east or on the sea were a drake Common Scoter, Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher, 12 Turnstones, 4 Kittiwakes, 4 distant auks, 5 Red-throated Divers and 14 Gannets. I went on to meet Megan and Cookie at Harbour Way and we walked back to the Adur Ferry Bridge and along the boardwalk to the Fort. Half way back while watching a male Stonechat fly behind a bus I was pleasantly surprised that it and a female-plumaged Black Redstart flew out the other side, the latter landing on a garden wall. Just a single Turnstone was seen at the Harbour although the tide was only half way in. A brief look for the parakeets before dusk was unsuccessful, Cookie was keen to get back for her tea!

Black Redstart from Shoreham Boardwalk

Sunday 12 March. Megan and I took Cookie to Devils Dyke on a blustery morning with few birds in evidence. Late afternoon both Lord Derby's and Ring-necked Parakeets were feeding next to their roost tree.

Monday 13 March. Our usual walk around the Adur at low tide and in strong winds produced  36 Turnstone, 6 Dunlin, 150 Black-headed, 4 adult Mediterranean, 200 Common, 500+ Herring and 30 Great and 18 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Skylarks over the airfield and a Chiffchaff, probably a new arrival, moving north through the Adur Rec pines. Late afternoon both Lord Derby's and Ring-necked Parakeets were near their roost tree.

gulls on the Adur

Mediterranean Gull on the Adur

it is not often that the windsock is almost horizontal

Tuesday 14 March.I took Cookie to Widewater for a seawatch and wander on the beach. Passage was non-existent with a single adult Mediterranean Gull flying west. Five Teal were feeding on the lagoon, another adult Mediterranean Gull and 2 Linnets at Harbour Way Shoreham Fort and a Great Crested Grebe on the sea off the harbour mouth.

Wednesday 15 March. I spent most of the morning at Widewater, being joined by Megan and Cookie in a walk along to the far end of Lancing Beach Green. I then took Cookie to Shoreham Fort and Harbour Way and in the afternoon returned to Widewater. An interesting mix of species although not the hoped for Wheatear, several of which were seen at Goring and elsewhere. Twelve Brent and 2 Canada Geese and 2 Red-throated Divers flew west while seawatching, 3 Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, 6 Teal were on the lagoon with a Little Ringed Plover and a Dunlin feeding on the muddy seaward edge. A flock of about 100 Black-headed Gulls at Harbour Way included 3 with colour rings. Back home an Adur Birding WhatsApp message had me cycling back to Widewater where I saw 3 Chiffchaffs and one of two Firecrests in tamarisks beside the car park.

Little Ringed Plover at Widewater

with Dunlin

it had a very discrete/faded ring on its left leg, so discrete that I didn't notice it at the time

Black-headed Gull T5PE at Harbour Way. It was ringed when adult at Koronowo, Kujawsko-Awsko-Pomorskie, POLAND (25km N of Bydgoszcz) in May 2017 and has been seen by the River Adur in December 2018, February & December 2019 and January 2020

Black-headed Gull 2SDR at Harbour Way. I believe this to be a bird ringed by the North Thames Ringing Group so most likely at Pitsea or Rainham. It was ringed as adult at Pitsea in June 2013 but was much more interesting than I was expecting as it was then seen at Getlini Rubbish Dump, Stopinu, near Rumbula, Riga, LATVIA in April 2016, but nothing since.

Black-headed Gull EE8S at Harbour Way. This is most likely a Dutch ringed bird. It was a Dutch bird, ringed as a 3CY at Griend May 2016 and seen there in April 2019 and June 2020

Chiffchaff at Widewater

Firecrest at Widewater

Thursday 16 March. David Buckingham took me over to Blackdown. It was generally quite cold with little song and not much flying around but seeing the Great Grey Shrike soon after arriving was a very pleasant surprise. It was initially very distant on the far side of the main valley but we walked around to look back at it and had closer views, nice through a telescope but still a bit distant for photography. During the morning I also saw Red Kite, 5 Buzzards, Raven, Coal Tit, 2 Wood Larks, Dartford Warbler, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Stonechats, 5 Linnets and Siskin. A worthwhile visit made more enjoyable with good company. Late afternoon both Lord Derby's and Ring-necked Parakeets were near their roost tree.

Great Grey Shrike at Blackdown

Friday 17 March. A Chiffchaff was singing from our front garden as I went out at 06:20 but any hopes it might have heralded an arrival were dashed at Widewater where an hour's early seawatch only produced a male Red-breasted Merganser flying west and 2 Great Crested Grebe on the sea. I gave up with the drizzle intensifying and went to look at the lagoon. The Little Ringed Plover was still present just west of the causeway but despite spending 40 minutes trying, including sliding down the bank to get closer, I was unable to read it's ring. It looked to be a very faded red ring with two characters on it although the poor light and drizzle didn't help. Looking on the cr-birding web-site suggested it might be from a long running Dutch project. A brief look in the tamarisks for the nearby Firecrest was unsuccessful and with the rain heavier I returned home to take Megan into town. Cookie and I continued on to Shoreham Fort. I was hoping for a Wheatear and a promising looking chat popped up onto the Fort as I was walking around its perimeter. It was a male Stonechat but my disappointment didn't last long as I soon realised there were at least 5 Wheatears on the flat area between the Fort and the West Arm. They were very mobile and hard to keep track of disappearing over the brow onto the beach. Two flew over to the East Arm and it appeared all the others had disappeared but I then followed one around the fort which returned to the beach where 7-8 had appeared. I approached but then couldn't find any! Assuming the two which flew east didn't return, which seems likely, there would have been a minimum of 10 birds present. Also around the West Arm were 2 Rock Pipits, one or both probably Scandinavian (littoralis). A second calendar year Mediterranean Gull was on the mud at Harbour Way.

Little Ringed Plover still at Widewater

Scandinavian Rock Pipit coming into summer plumage - suggested by its greyish head, beginnings of white supercilium, clean underparts with limited streaking and a buffy throat and breast 

the other Rock Pipit had heavier streaking below but a more pronounced supercilium and white edge to the outer tail feathers. It would be interesting to see what it looks like in two weeks time

the first Wheatear of the year is always rather special, although this female at Shoreham Fort is probably wondering what it let itself in for

this male didn't look any happier

Mediterranean Gull at Harbour Way

Slowly edging towards spring around Shoreham (02-09 March 2023)

Thursday 02 March. I took Cookie up to the Beeding Hill car park and we walked our not so regular circuit along the Monarch Way, up to Truleigh Hill and back along the top of Room Bottom (where there had been some extensive scrub clearance on the lower slopes since our last visit). We saw 26 species including 2 Stock Doves, Red Kite, 2 Buzzards, Peregrine, Raven, 15 Skylarks, 33 Redwings, 9 Stonechats, 2 Meadow Pipits, 35 Linnets, a Goldfinch and 9 Reed Buntings. It is a nice walk with some great views but the birds are often a bit disappointing, especially in winter.

Reed Buntings near Truleigh Hill

                             
Friday 03 March. A high tide visit to Shoreham Fort produced a Great Crested Grebe and 5 Turnstones while 35 Goldfinches were seen near the Library.

Saturday 04 March. After a visit to Lancing Ring was cut short to return home for the delivery of a parcel Megan, Cookie and I walked a short circuit around the Adur (Old Toll-Norfolk Bridges) seeing a drake Wigeon, a single Grey and 4 Ringed Plover and 32 Dunlin.

Sunday 05 March. We returned to Lancing Ring and walked around Steepdown which was being ploughed. An estimated 1200 gulls were following the plough. Most were Black-headed (c1000) and Common (c200) but included 12 Mediterranean Gulls (11 summer adults and a second-winter). Also seen were a Kestrel, 9 Skylarks, 2 Goldfinches and 5 Corn Buntings.

ploughing at Steepdown

Mediterranean Gull at Steepdown

Monday 06 March. Megan, Cookie and I walked the short circuit around the Adur (Old Toll-Norfolk Bridges) seeing 30 Lapwing, both Grey Plover and 4 Skylarks while later the Curlew was seen from Town Quay.

Tuesday 07 March. I took Cookie to Shoreham Fort on an incoming tide and was pleasantly surprised to see both Purple Sandpipers. Initially below the wooden jetty the flew to the rough concrete base of the West Arm before being pushed back onto the top of the wooden jetty. Also seen were 2 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Turnstones and a Meadow and 2 Rock Pipits. With tide almost fully in we stopped at the Adur Saltings on the way home and saw presumably Saturday's drake Wigeon, 20+ Teal, Little Grebe, Curlew, 50+ Common Snipe, 42 Redshank, the Greenshank and a male Reed Bunting. Approaching dusk both female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets were feeding above the Sullington Way bus stop, next to their roost tree.

Purple Sandpiper having a good shake

                             

Wigeon on the Adur Saltings

Greenshank with Redshank on the Adur Saltings

Wednesday 08 March. Megan and I took Cookie to Southwick Canal where House Sparrow was the best/virtually only bird seen. At dusk both female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets were in their roost tree although I only saw the latter.

Thursday 09 March. My first seawatch of the spring, at Widewater (07:40-09:25 in a light SE with poor/moderate visibility) produced 2 Sandwich Terns and 2 Gannets east, a flock of 32-33 Brent Geese west, a summer adult Mediterranean Gull north over the beach and a winter Red-throated Diver on the sea. I met Megan and Cookie and we walked the short circuit around the Adur seeing 12 Lapwing, a Ringed Plover, the Curlew, 5 Dunlin, 5 Skylarks, 2 Meadow Pipits and 2 Reed Buntings as the tide raced in. Late afternoon both female Lord Derby's and male Ring-necked Parakeets were feeding next to their roost tree.

Lord Derby's and Ring-necked Parakeet above the Sullington Way bus stop

female Lord Derby's Parakeet

male Ring-necked Parakeet

the female could look quite menacing at times

courtship behaviour

although the male still looked a bit wary

Hard going around Shoreham (24 February-01 March)

Wednesday 01 March. I took Cookie to Dacre Gardens and we walked down the Adur as far as Church Farm and back. We saw 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Red Kites, 6 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, Peregrine, 3 Stonechats, Grey Wagtail and Chaffinch. No sign of any Common Sandpipers on the river, again. At dusk both the Lord Derby's and her consort Ring-necked Parakeets were feeding next to their roost tree.

Mediterranean Gull near Dacre Gardens

Tuesday 28 February. I took Cookie to Tottington Woods, the closest reliable-ish Nuthatches and Treecreepers to home that I know of although my previous visit this year had been unsuccessful. We walked around for a couple of hours seeing Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, 2 Treecreepers, 20 Redwing and eventually 2 Nuthatches (not helped by being unable to tell which direction birds are calling from). Just before dusk, while walking Cookie, both Lord Derby's and Ring-necked Parakeets were feeding next to their roost tree.

Treecreeper in Tottington Woods

                             

Nuthatch in Tottington Woods

Monday 27 February. Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill where we saw a distant Peregrine, Song Thrush and 8 Linnets.

Sunday 26 February. A walk around the Adur with Megan and Cookie produced 5 Teal, 32 Lapwing, 2 Grey Plover, 60 Great and 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Meadow Pipit. The Great Black-backs included a new one with a Norwegian colour-ring easing South Norway ahead of Le Havre 23-22 for the area with most colour-ringed GBbGs I've seen on the Adur.

Norwegian Great Black-backed Gull J02AP on the Adur. It was ringed as a chick in June 2020 at Sandeskjæra, Arendal, Aust-Agder, NORWAY and has subsequently been seen at Outreau "bassin de la liane", Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE in January and February 2021 and at Felixstowe Ferry, Suffolk that November.

Cookie resting after our walk

Saturday 25 February. Megan and I took Cookie to Widewater and walked along the beach to the Perch in Lancing. Four Teal were on Widewater, 20 Turnstone and 70 Dunlin flew along the beach and a single Great Crested Grebe was seen on the sea. 

Friday 24 February. A walk around the Adur with Cookie produced 8 Teal, Little Grebe, 35 Lapwing, 2 Grey Plover, 20 Dunlin, 48 Great Black-backed and 300 Herring Gulls. The latter including a North Thames bird, X6NT.

North Thames Herring Gull X6NT on the Adur. One I'd seen on the Adur before, it was ringed as first-winter at Pitsea landfill in March 2015 and has been seen on the Adur that November, at Beddingham in January 2016 and on the Adur again in May 2018, November 2019 and January 2020