Window to Wildlife

 Yesterday we headed off to Thorney Island in search of a Pallid Harrier which has been around for a few days. We arrived to reports that it had just been flying but had now settled on the ground in a distant field with cattle. We waited for around half an hour but there was no sign of the bird reappearing, so we set off to walk around the island, a distance of seven miles, n a scorching hot day and with a scope on my back! The island was exceptionally quiet, with a high tide gradually falling. On previous visits we have seen plenty of waders, but for much of the walk there were just a few Little Egrets, some gulls and distant Curlew. Midway we stopped at a bench and noted around 20 plus seals hauled up on the mudbanks in the Emsworth channel. We continued on our way, feeling tied and disheartened, when suddenly I saw a bird fly up from the ground and alight on a bush. I put my bins up and was astonished to find a Red-backed Shrike, an infrequent species in modern times, although h...

 Today we walked the South West Coast Path from Lulworth Cove to Kimmeridge - a magnificent but gruelling stretch of coastline. We were rewarded for our efforts by the fortuitous appearance of a Pectoral Sandpiper on the beach at Kimmeridge yesterday evening, which astonishingly, given the number of people on the beach, was still present when we completed our walk late afternoon today. We chatted to a photographer who had been there since 8am, and he seems to have been responsible for actively keeping people and dogs away from the bird.  The attached photo is of poor quality, but it was taken with just a mobile phone as we had no camera or scope with us. This gives an indication of how close this lovely little wader allowed us to get.  This was the 200th species of bird we have seen this year, and a fitting bird for such a milestone. Considering the constraints of lockdown, we are very pleased with this result. Our total to beat from last year is 216, so we are a long way...

 On Friday I met up with the Sussex birders Jenny, Tim, Sue and Kevin at Oare Marshes in Kent. Following the appalling visibility at Ditchling Beacon yesterday it was a relief to see much improved conditions today which allowed the chance for decent views and photo opportunities.  We began at the slipway by the river where we saw a couple of curlew sandpipers feeding. The photographers amongst us began edging closer to the birds 10 metres or so at a time until we were probably about 30 to 40 metres away and they still did not appear to be concerned with us as they carried on feeding.  After we had finished taking our photos we walked back up the slipway and started our circuit of the reserve.  I was very grateful to Kevin who lent me his spare camera battery when I realised that my battery had no charge left and so he enabled me to continue taking photos for the rest of the day. We had a brief look for the Bonaparte's gull which was somewhere on the beach amongst the...

 A very exciting find for us this morning! A small party of three Dotterel were reported yesterday evening on Ditchling Beacon and we had arranged to meet Sue M up there at 8 o’clock this morning. At 7.10 a message on the local WhatsApp group indicated there was no sign of the birds, but having already made arrangements, and with a gloriously sunny morning we headed across anyway. There were plenty of Wheatear around and the views in the morning light were magnificent. Sue showed us where the birds had been located yesterday and we scanned the field carefully, but were only able to locate a family of Red-legged Partridge. We were meeting friends at 10, so parted company with Sue and started back to the car. We paused to admire a couple of Wheatear which posed beautifully on nearby posts. Then in the next field I scanned the muddy ridges and could just make out a clump that looked like a bird. We set up the scopes and Tim was able to make out a pale stripe on the head. We had manage...

 The weather was not so good today with high winds and rain, so we stayed local, venturing out in a gap in the showers around lunchtime, at low tide. From Norfolk Bridge, there were good numbers of waders feeding on the muddy margins of the river, with Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstones all busy. Moving on, we found some Lapwing hunkered down amongst the saltmarsh together with some Redshank. At the Flood Arch we found another two species for Sue, a Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel. Feeling somewhat battered by the winds, we retraced our steps towards home. As we crossed the bridge, I noticed some small, horizontal looking gulls resting on the mudflats. On checking through the telescope, these turned out to be Sandwich Terns, another new bird for Sue.

 Today we headed east to Seaford where we met up with Sue Miles in search of migrant birds. Our target bird was a Pied Flycatcher, and we managed brief views of one of these at Harry’s Bush area. In addition we had some excellent views of several Common Redstarts which were flitting around the lower branches and up and down from the ground in behaviour typical for this species. From here we continued down the slope towards the Cuckmere meanders, where we found good numbers of Whinchat at close range and some bright Yellow Wagtails dancing around the cattle - two more ticks for Sue. Walking up through Hope Gap we discovered a lovely Spotted Flycatcher which obligingly perched on the top of a bush for some time and behind us a Stoat paused on the path and stared, before disappearing into the undergrowth. Before returning home we stopped on the seafront at the base of Seaford Head, hoping for Kittiwakes, but unfortunately the colony was now empty, with birds presumable having already ...

 A visit from sister Sue to boost her annual list started at Pagham Harbour, where we met at the visitor centre car park and walked the tramway and looked out over Ferry Pool. We were pleased to glimpse a Kingfisher here, which flashed past in a turquoise shimmer.  There was little else  to be seen, so we quickly moved on to Church Norton, where we found a Spotted Flycatcher and Common Redstart behind the hide, both new birds for Sue, and had excellent views of Swallows twittering above our heads As they perched in a tree. The tide was low, and looking across to Tern Island we were unable to locate any terns, where we had seen good numbers the previous week at mid tide. However, Ringed Plover and Grey Plover in summer plumage were two more for Sue’s list And there were plenty of Dunlin moving about. Next we headed to Halseys’s Farm and walked across the fields towards North Wall. Some white egrets were in the tree, and when we looked through the telescopes we were able to...