Wednesday 27 May 2009

Red Kite

Tuesday 26th May - A Red Kite near Chanctonbury Ring - always a great bird to see but increasingly regular in Sussex these days.

Friday 8 May 2009

Dotterel

Wednesday 6th May - The 3 Dotterel first found yesterday afternoon were still showing fairly well in a bare field on the N side of the South Downs Way between Chantry Hill and Kithurst Hill mid morning. Also 2 Buzzards, a pair of Red-legged Partridge, a singing Corn Bunting and 3 Brown Hares.

Survey work at Knepp earlier in the day turned up a few surprises including a pair of Mandarins along the stream in Alder Copse, a pair of Hobbies (the first I've seen on the estate) and a singing Wood Lark over a stubble field a couple of miles to the north of last year's site. Also Cuckoo, Nightingale, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Bullfinch etc.

Tuesday 5th May - An evening walk round Pulborough Brooks turned into quite an eventful one with a police helicopter circling overhead looking for a man reported to be 'suicidal and full of drink'. It was hardly a surprise with all the noise that the reserve was quiet except for 2 male Shoveler, a male Pintail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Warbler and Nuthatch. Even the Nightingales were stubbornly quiet though eventually three put on a fine vocal performance, one singing its head off despite 13 people standing only a few yards away! We then headed for the Rising Sun where the big screen confirmed that Arsenal were on their way out of the Champions League losing 3 - 1 to Man Utd.


Saturday 2nd May - My first Swift of the year over Phoenix Way and a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk over Upper Shoreham Road. A couple of circular walks later in the day, the first to see the Early Spider Orchids at Castle Hill and the second near Adversane taking in North Wood and the Wey and Arun Canal. No birds of note at Castle Hill, a pair of Lapwings and a Cuckoo by the Arun.

Friday 1st May - A sea fret over Friston Forest made walking the butterfly transect a waste of time though compensation was on hand in the form of a singing male Wood Warbler along the north edge of the Forest next to Lullington Heath. Always a nice bird to see especially as I didn't catch up with one in 2008.