December 2020: Slow birding progress

 Well, as the year goes on and with another lockdown limiting our birding opportunities, it has proved increasingly difficult to add to our birdlist. I have managed to increase my annual total each year since we started keeping a list in 2010, but with the restrictions on travel, this year has been challenging and I still potentially need three more birds to reach last year’s total.

Since October we have managed to find a distant Hawfinch at West Dean woods, which showed well in the scope but was way too distant for a photo. Then last week, with a cold snap hitting the continent there was an influx of geese into the south east, including White-fronted geese by the River Adur and both White-fronts and Bean Geese in the Cuckmere Valley. A late afternoon dash to E. Sussex provided a useful tick, having failed to locate any Bean geese in Norfolk this year.

This week we have had a late flurry of interest. On Monday it was over to Pagham for a Richard’s Pipit, a lifer for us. This was not easy to locate in the long grass, but seemed to be hanging out with a pair of Stonechats which were much more showy. the face markings were distinctive and it was quite a large pipit with a very upright, thrush like stance.  The photo is courtesy of Bernie Forbes.

Richard’sPipit

Then yesterday, we walked across to Widewater where there are often some interesting birds on the sea at this time of year. The sea was lovely and calm, and we were quickly able to locate a Guillemot bobbing on the surface, then a female Common Scoter sporting white cheeks and a short, upright tail, enabling us to identify this sea duck. Razorbills and Great-crested Grebes formed small rafts on the water, but the highlight for us and a new annual tick was a relatively close Red-throated Diver, with its telltale uplifted bill and white throat easily identifiable in the scopes.

Red-throated Diver

I have two further recent sightings up my sleeve, which I have not yet counted on my annual list as the views were quite unsatisfactory. The first of these was a Rustic Bunting, seen at Thursley Common in Surrey. This would be another lifer, and is not that dissimilar to a Reed Bunting in appearance. To make things more difficult it was cohorting with a small flock of these.  Although I had very clear views of the white wing bars, which are a distinguishing feature, I would have liked a better view of the head and overall bird, which I only managed as fleeting glimpses. The other bird I am reluctant to tick is a Merlin, seen in flight on two occasions, but again distant and unsatisfactory views, where other than the ‘jizz’ I could not discern any plumage features. Obviously I will be adding these to my list if necessary come 31st December...!

With regularly seen birds such as Eider, Water Pipit, or Great Grey Shrike still missing this year, there are certainly possibilities to be had if the current lockdown rules are relaxed, enabling us to travel out of area, or if we experience a cold spell that brings winter gulls or wildfowl towards Sussex. I’m dreaming of a white Christmas...!