Tuesday 27th August 2024: Autumn Migration in Sussex

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Flushed with the success of Barn Owls last night, we set out on foot to return to New Monks Farm country park, hoping for Whinchat or Wheatear which had been reported, and for whom the habitat looked good. We walked along the river, where we counted an impressive tally of 103 Ringed Plovers, accompanied by a few Dunlin, although these numbers are just a shadow of the thousands that used to frequent the estuary in days gone by. A total of 31 Redshank were also gathered, busily feeding on the far bank in front of the airport.

At the park, we encountered the usual charms of Goldfinches and small flocks of Linnets which were very mobile, together with the ubiquitous Kestrel, seen on every visit to this site, which is obviously providing an excellent food supply. At the pond by the roundabout, a Grey Heron was flushed and quickly disappeared into dense reedbed vegetation. Several Moorhen frequented various ditches and pools, plus a single Coot swam in a pool viewable from one of the bridges. A highlight here was a gathering of around fifty House Martins dipping down to the pond to feed, their noisy chattering filling the air as they circled overhead. Nearby I had a brief view of a Whinchat which alighted on a post, but with Tim lingering behind as usual, it had disappeared before he caught up with me.

House Martins

After returning home for lunch, we set out again in the afternoon, parking at Beeding Hill and walking the Monarchs Way triangle via Truleigh Hill. Scouring the fencelines, we soon encountered around half a dozen Wheatears and gratifyingly, a couple of Whinchat, our main target for the day. In the nearby bushes, around a dozen Linnets flitted, then a single Yellowhammer perched atop a tree. A Common Redstart, which teased us with its bursts of flight from the centre of one bush to the next, remained fairly elusive, but occasionally showed a flash of red tail as it moved through the dense cover. 

It was great to explore these local migration hotspots, walking in warm and pleasant conditions in glorious sunshine, with a gentle, cooling breeze. A pleasing day.

Whinchat

Yellowhammer



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