23rd August: Sue’s Sussex BirdingTour Day 1
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 identify these as Cattle Egret, another addition to the list. More birds were seen on the island in the middle of the harbour, roosting with a group of Little Egrets. Along the wall we tracked a Wheatear, moving ahead of us on the rocky ledge, flashing the telltale white rump each time it moved. As we approached Breach Pool on the other side of the footpath we noted Gadwall and Coot in the channel and spotted a lovely juvenile Sedge Warbler in a shrub, another new tick. A Reed Warbler also appeared alongside, allowing a great comparative view. In the pool we had excellent sustained views of another Kingfisher, always a delight to watch, and an adult and ‘humbug’ juvenile Great Crested Grebe.
In the afternoon we called in at the Burgh, parking at Peppering Triangle. Looking from the gate over the valley, we quickly spotted a Red Kite, which gradually drifted across and over our heads, showing its wonderful rufous forked tail and distinctive wing pattern. As we returned to the car, we spotted another raptor racing over, a Hobby and another new tick for our guest.
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