8th January 2021: River Adur to Beeding area

 Another day, another walk for our local daily exercise. Heading along the river from home, we again picked up a smattering of Grey Plover and Redshanks and a small mixed flock of Dunlin (5) and Ringed Plover (34). There were also plenty of Lapwing unusually resting all along the riverbank, as they are normally gathered close together in a single area.

A female Blackcap was our first of the year, foraging in a tree by the old Tollbridge. Further upstream, an exceptionally large number of Redwing were actively feeding on berries along the river bank bushes and in  the shrubs and trees lining the cycle path. There must have been hundreds of these birds, their rufous underwings and creamy striped heads showing well in the sunshine and giving a gentle ‘tseeip’ as they flew. By contrast we only managed 2 Fieldfare, larger than the Redwing with beautiful purple-grey and chestnut markings and a golden brown streaked breast. Both are very attractive winter thrushes. 

There were plenty of Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits about as well as the regular tits and a few Chaffinches. We were surprised to flush a Snipe from a ditch, emitting a short call as it zigzagged away out of sight. At the disused Cement works, two Peregrine surveyed the landscape from the top of the chimney. We returned on the far side of the river, but failed to add any further species of interest.