3rd-6th January 2025: Early January local birding

 We took an afternoon walk to Kithurst Hill, parking at Chantry Lane. Sadly the birds were few and far between - we were perhaps a little late in the day, but the views were lovely and the low sun gave the landscape a beautiful golden glow. There were a good number of Red Kite present, and a Kestrel tracking along the path. Several Linnets flitted over the stubble, together with a smattering of Goldfinches, and the showiest bird of the walk was the Robin, popping up in bushes everywhere. A Grey Partridge was heard, but refused to come out and show itself.

Red Kite

On 4th January we explored another patch of downland farmland, taking a circular route from Mile Oak farm towards Truleigh Hill. Here we found a sizeable flock of farmland birds foraging on mixed wild flower seeds. Skylarks flashed their white-edged wings over the stubble, and Chaffinches and Linnets alighted in the hedgerow trees and bushes, giving decent views, although not particularly close. A slap up brunch at Mile Oak farm rounded the trip off nicely!

On 5th, a wet and windy start prevented any birdwatching in the early part of the day, but by mid afternoon the rain had stopped, although the wind persisted, and we ventured out for a stomp round the river, spotting a flyover Oystercatcher and just making out the contours of the overwintering Curlew in fading light to add to our annual list. 

Then on 6th January, my last birding day before heading to Shropshire for family duties, we walked over to Widewater, noting the resident wintering Greenshank in the channel parallel to the Shoreham road, then locating a few clusters of roosting Ringed Plover and Dunlin on the beach at high tide.

Ringed Plover

Without straying far from home, we had gathered a reasonable tally of 75 species in our first week of the year, and enjoyed some fine walks, snatching our opportunities between some inclement weather.