Widewater

Routine fare at Widewater this morning, a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, a Kingfisher by the tamarisk island, 2 Meadow Pipits and a pair of Stonechats being the only birds of note. A quick look out to sea produced 8 Brent Geese and a Merganser flying east and a single auk west though the combination of a choppy sea, the low sun and a cold southeasterly wind did not encourage me to linger.

In the afternoon I stopped at Hove Lagoon and scoped through the gulls that were present, my efforts being rewarded with a 1st winter (2nd cal year) Yellow-legged Gull. Both Peregrines were roosting on the power station chimney at dusk though there was no sign of the Iceland Gull.

Waxwings

An early morning text message from Nick Ellis to say that the Waxwings were still at Windmill Hill convinced me that it was time to make another visit over there. This time the birds (20) were on view when I got there, sitting in the top of an ash tree and calling almost continuously. Unfortunately a couple of photographers were rather too near the bushes so that the birds never came down to feed before they finally flew off eastwards. Torn between standing around in a pub car park or moving on elsewhere, I decided to go to Newhaven Harbour where, perhaps unsurprisingly, there was no sign of the injured Glaucous Gull. Ten Fulmars on one short stretch of cliff and 4 Rock Pipits were the only birds of note. Brighton Marina looked like being a waste of time until I reached the far end of the east arm where there was a juv Shag resting with Cormorants on one of the pontoons, 9 roosting Purple Sandpipers and a splendid adult Little Gull patrolling close to the seaward side of the arm. By the time I reached Southwick Beach the tide was up so there was no sign of the Iceland Gull. It had however been seen earlier.

Iceland Gull

Wednesday 28th January - The 1st winter (2nd cal year) Iceland Gull found yesterday afternoon on Hove Lagoon was showing down to a few feet in the pouring rain this morning on the beach at Carats Cafe with a large mob of Herring Gulls.

Tuesday 27th January - An attempt to have a look round the area before today's walk in the Arun Valley was curtailed by dense fog which made birding all but impossible. By the time I got to Burpham the fog had started to clear revealing that there were no Bewick's Swans on the adjacent watermeadows. A pair of Mistle Thrushes was on the cricket pitch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees by the car park. With much of the valley flooded and fog lingering to the north, it was decided to head for Swanbourne Lake instead. A party of Long-tailed Tits in the trees between the road and the trout farm held a Goldcrest and a Firecrest and also a Treecreeper (which I missed). Also an agitated pair of Mistle Thrushes in the same area. On the lake were the usual waterbirds including some very close views of Mandarins (6+), male Shoveler, Little Grebe, a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls and both Black-headed and Common Gulls perched in the trees on the island.

Next up was Amberley Castle where yesterday's 27 Bewick's Swans had fallen to three (all adults) which posed nicely on the flood water. Also 6+ Meadow Pipits. Then on to The Burgh where 3 Buzzards were up together and a Barn Owl flew out of the barn. Birding here was quite slow though we did eventually see ca. 30 Grey Partridge (including coveys of 8 and 10), 2 Red-legged Partridge, a couple more Buzzards (one a strikingly pale individual eating something in a field), 3 Kestrels, a Barn Owl perched on a fence post, several Sky Larks, a Reed Bunting and 3 Corn Buntings. Also 2 Brown Hares.

Adur Valley

Torn between a trip over to Windmill Hill for the Waxwings or some local birding, I eventually opted for the latter. The flooded Beeding Brooks was my first destination where a few bits and pieces included 6 Pintail, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, a Peregrine that flew up and perched on one of the pylons, Snipe, ca. 15 Sky Larks (one in full song), ca. 10 Meadow Pipits, ca. 20 Redwings and half a dozen or so Fieldfares. A quick stop at the cement works produced 2 Common Sandpipers on the west bank of the river while at Shoreham Harbour there were 6 Purple Sandpipers roosting with ca. 50 Turnstone at high tide on the inner west arm. Also a Great Crested Grebe and a Guillemot on the sea there. At Widewater, the Black Redstart perched on the fence at the end of the car park before flying off west below the cycle path. Also a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, 9 Little Grebes and a pair of Stonechats but surprisingly no Little Egrets. Up on Beeding Hill the 3 Tree Sparrows flew up from the dung heap, did their best to conceal themselves in a small bush, but eventually gave good views. A Buzzard and a Kestrel there and a mixed flock of Corn Buntings and Yellowhammers.

Glaucous Gull

Atrocious weather today (driving rain and strong winds) led to the postponement of the planned walk at West Dean Woods. Gareth and I went over to Newhaven instead to look for the Glaucous Gull. No sign so we went to the Tidemills and took the dogs for a walk out to the beach though this was rapidly curtailed by the stinging rain coming straight in off the sea. We then went back to the West Beach car park where the 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was perched on a post by the river mouth. Later we saw it on the sea in the harbour. Also a pair of Fulmars on the cliffs.

Our Big Garden Birdwatch produced 11 species: Wood Pigeon - 5, Wren - 1, Dunnock -1, Robin - 1, Blackbird - 4, Blue Tit - 2, Great Tit - 2, Starling - 4, Greenfinch - 1, Goldfinch - 2 (the first for several months) and House Sparrow - 2.

Rugby

Watched Harlequins beat the Scarlets 29 - 24. Had a quick unsuccessful look for Egyptian Geese in Bushy Park on the way to the game. A Ring-necked Parakeet flew over as we parked the car near Twickenham Green and later we saw another five pass noisily overhead. A Buzzard flew over the A23 north of Gatwick at dusk on the way home.

Dungeness

Friday 23rd January - A day out at Dungeness with Nick Ellis and the ecology team from Capita Symonds. First stop was Jury's Gap where a quick look at the sea failed to produce the King Eider or indeed anything else of note. We then headed for Dungeness and the Hanson ARC hide where the usual wildfowl (Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck) and good numbers of Lapwing were present, also 3 female Goldeneye, a female Marsh Harrier and at least 4 adult argentatus Herring Gulls. By the time we reached the Visitor Centre the rain and wind had set in making birding unpleasant though at least we had the hides to shelter in. From the Makepeace hide were 3 Goosanders (an imm male and 2 females) which showed well before flying off. Bird of the day was an excellent Bittern which flew out of the reeds near Scott hide and made laboured headway into the strong wind before dropping down out of sight. The 2 female Red-crested Pochard flew in and landed on the water in front of Christmas Dell hide and a redhead Smew was on New Excavations on the way back to the Visitor Centre.

A herd of about 80 Bewick's Swans and 10+ Corn Buntings were near Midley Cottages followed by an excellent lunch in the Woolpack. In the afternoon we went to Brede High Woods which was almost birdless except for a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Bullfinch (heard). Our final stop at the Horseshoe Inn, Windmill Hill failed to produce the Waxwings (they had been seen an hour earlier) though we did see a Great Spotted Woodpecker perched on top of a telegraph post.