Window to Wildlife

 At last some sunshine! We set out mid afternoon for a pleasant stroll along the South Downs Way at Chantry Hill, and enjoyed a fine spectacle of farmland birds. A pair of Rooks were feeding in the grass as we arrived, and three Red Kites soared overhead. These were a constant presence throughout our walk, although it was unclear if we were seeing the same birds repeatedly or there were just lots of them! A pair of Ravens also passed over the fields. We had not gone far before I spotted a suspicious looking lump at the edge of a field, which I thought might be a partridge. We edged closer, and it became apparent there were three birds huddled here, and eventually we managed to get to a position where we could determine they were Grey Partridge. Later on the walk we found the more commonly seen Red-legged Partridge too, and the calls of the Greys rang out as the sun began to drop and they became more visible in late afternoon. Grey Partridge Corn Buntings were plentiful, with over t...

 We started our day walking up the Monkton track at West Dean. A  Greenfinch serenaded us as we walked up the hill, although it took us some time to actually locate the bird. An assortment of regular passerines were found around the lower bushes, and we were soon passing beside the fields, and from this section of the track we could scan the distant coniferous treetops. It didn’t take us long to find two Goshawks soaring here, powerful birds with long tails, and notably different in structure than the Buzzards also riding the thermals nearby.  We continued to the first gateway, where we paused to scan the deciduous trees across the field. A group of Redwings flew across to settle in a tree, and a couple of Mistle Thrush also passed through. A Raven perched in a tree, cronking quietly, later seen in flight with its partner. Three Red Kites also flew lazily across the valley, occasionally dipping a wingtip and twitching a rudder-like forked tail to manoeuvre. A number of sm...

 We were  anticipating the rain would ease this afternoon, but in the event a sea fret was hanging over us, so although the rain ceased, it never really brightened. We therefore decided to drive down to Shoreham Harbour, in the hope of finally bagging a Purple Sandpiper for the year! When we arrived the tide was still very high, and we were not optimistic. A few Turnstones were active on the beach and harbour arm, before perching on the jetty, but there was no sign of any Purple Sandpipers. A large bird was spotted diving in the water here, and on close inspection we discovered this was a juvenile Shag rather than a Cormorant, which are more frequently seen here. The slimmer bill and steep forehead were visible despite the weather, and it gave a characteristic leap as it dived beneath the waves in search of food. Shag, juvenile We strolled along to the end of the harbour arm, looking out into the mist over choppy seas, with a rolling fishing boat leaving the harbour, and the a...

 After some household chores, we had a late morning start as we set out for a farmland walk, hoping to target some common species which I had not yet seen in W. Sussex this year. With the wearyingly damp and gloomy conditions we’ve experienced of late, the birds were neither abundant nor singing well. However, we gradually gathered some of the regular finches and tits as we progressed along the muddy track, and noted a Red Kite drift over and a Sparrowhawk disappear low across the field. As we approached the gate, we were surprised to find the Cirl Bunting singing in the exact same spot where we had encountered it two years ago. This was a very pleasing and unexpected find, although we were aware the bird had overwintered in the locality. A Green Woodpecker undulating across the field with a flash of yellow rump was also a welcome sight , as we had heard plenty this year, but  not managed to see one until today. Cirl Bunting (from previous visit) As we continued on we could he...

 With an Sdos outing coming up in the next few weeks and work ongoing around the boardwalk, we decided to do a ‘recce’ visit to Warnham reserve. The weather started fine, but mizzle gradually drifted in, reducing visibility. Nevertheless we had an enjoyable morning with a couple of new annual ticks as an added bonus. Looking out over the pool, there were small flocks of Tufted Duck and Pochard, with an interesting hybrid Pochard looking rather striking. A single Great-crested Grebe swam at the back of the lake together with a few Coots. A Lesser Black- backed Gull loafed amongst the usual species. Continuing on to Bullfinch Hide, the sound of twittering Siskins as we approached was unmistakeable. There were good numbers in the treetops, as well as birds making use of the feeders and gathering seed from the ground. A lovely Bullfinch came to the feeders too, together with regular finches and tits, Nuthatch and a nice male Reed Bunting, transitioning into breeding plumage. Bullfinch ...

 Today we headed across to Pagham Harbour again, this time with our granddaughter in tow, eager to try out her new scope, gifted by the Shropshire Ornithological Society, after her recent talk on her first year of birdwatching. We started at Church Norton, on a rising tide, arriving a little later than hoped due to me forgetting my binoculars and having to go back for them! There were lots of birds on view, making use of the rapidly depleting spits of land. Grey Plovers were joined by Knot and Dunlin in tight flocks, and we just had time to scan a line showing very well before the rising tide pushed them off to a more distant point. On Tern Island, a group of Redshank and Oystercatchers were joined by three Bar-tailed Godwits. A Curlew, Greenshank and a small group of Shelduck were feeding at the margins of the saltmarsh nearby, and a few Pintail, Wigeon and Teal were seen here too. We moved on to Sidlesham, eating lunch overlooking the feeders at the visitors centre, where regular...