Window to Wildlife

 We enjoyed a small group outing to The Burgh this morning, with a notable sighting on our way up to the downs of a field of cows with Cattle Egret at their feet. Our view was obscured by vegetation but we could see there were at least 15 birds present. From the downs, we noted a large flock in the air over the field, and on our return several hours later we were able to pull in and count 31 birds. Their behaviour is interesting to observe as they follow the moving cattle, at times so close to their feet you think they may be trampled on. We recently counted over 40 birds at Pagham Harbour where they are now established breeders. These may well have been the same birds, however, it was good to see them in the field with cattle rather than on the marsh at the harbour. This is a familiar sight on the continent and I guess as the UK population increases it will become increasingly common over here too, but for now it was an enjoyable spectacle. Cattle Egrets The Burgh itself offered i...

 Shoreham was thrilled to have some rather special visitors today, which were seen by many locals and caused quite a stir as they circled around the town and over the river throughout the day. The White Stork Project is based at the Knepp estate near Horsham and a reintroduction programme has been ongoing for some years now. This is quite controversial, with some conservationists arguing the birds were never resident in the UK and that there are other species, such as Turtle Dove, that should be supported to thrive rather than introducing species. (It has to be said that Knepp is also a stronghold of Turtle Doves and Nightingales, both species in sharp decline). Last week saw 37 birds, mostly bred at Cotswold Water Park, released as part of this scheme. Whatever the merits or otherwise of the project, they are certainly magnificent birds to see and we spent several hours by the river this morning enjoying a fabulous display. The birds initially landed on the airport field but were ...

It was good to meet up with Andy and some fellow SDOS members for our annual visit to Oare marshes, primarily in search of the Bonaparte's gull which has been visiting the reserve every summer since 2013. This is one of my favourite nature reserves, in a beautiful setting with a sense of wide open skies creating a peaceful atmosphere. There are good paths around an open flood pool area and hides overlooking the river Swale.  Across the road a network of scrub and pasture is interspersed with ditches and a wider creek, giving a nice variety of habitats. The area was historically used for gunpowder production and we had a vey interesting talk on the subject at a recent Sdos meeting - a huge explosion basically put an end to the industry at this location! We arrived fairly early, around 8.30 and scanned the berry-laden bushes, finding Common Whitethroat, Linnets, Blue Tit and Goldfinches feeding. The air was pleasantly warm and the scene was very autumnal, despite only being mid Augus...

 As a former teacher, I can never get my head round the summer holidays actually being classed as autumn in birdwatching terms, but this is the month when migration movements really take off. Now is the time to get out there and search for any missing summer migrants before they disappear to warmer climes, and it's already too late for Cuckoo. This is also a good time to pick up some more unusual species that pass through the country en route from northerly breeding sites, or have somehow been blown off course and ended up in completely the wrong place. Pagham is a good location for this, being coastal, and so on 5th August we found ourselves headed in search of a Squacco Heron which had arrived while we were busy with grandparenting duties the previous week.  We sauntered along North Wall checking White's Creek and Breech Pool for waders, but there were no unusual species found. We finally arrived at the end of the rife where the heron had been regularly seen, to be told it ...

 Another repeat from last year, exploring the incredibly scenic river Webburn at Ponsworthy. Fortunately the path was substantially drier than last year and the walk was quite magical. A scented sea of azure bluebells flowed across the open woodland floor as the river bubbled and flowed along its way and an abundance of birds sung lustily from the branches. Beautiful Bluebells River Webburn at Ponsworthy Our key target bird here was the Dipper and it didn’t take long to spot one dashing upstream and out of sight. We continued cautiously on and Andy soon alerted us to a young bird, characteristically bobbing on a mossy rock in the middle of the river. It slowly hopped away, using the rocks as stepping stones, An adult soon appeared, it’s mouth stuffed full with insects, and looked somewhat bemused, possibly at the absence of its young offspring, before it too disappeared, perhaps alerted by a begging call.  Juvenile Dipper A magnificent male Yellow Wagtail in spectacular breedi...

 We packed a lot into today, starting with an early morning walk on foot from our accommodation. Although getting out of bed early is a bit of an effort, the atmosphere out on the moors in early morning light, full of birdsong is quite magical. The sky was clear and the sun soon warmed. A Tree Pipit singing drew us out onto a moorland path and we were soon able to locate the bird perched in a small tree, executing occasional pirouettes in pursuit of an insect, before resettling to the exact same spot. We crept gradually closer and managed some excellent views before it flew off, although a bird like this is really all about the song! A Buzzard perched in a nearby tree, watching us as we retraced our steps back to the road, where bushes and trees were overhanging from a nearby garden. This was a favoured location for tits and finches, and a Nuthatch with a nest in the telegraph pole was noteworthy. Heading back to the accommodation for a late breakfast, we stumbled across a pair of ...

 We headed off the moor to Berry Head near Brixham in search of some sea birds for Andy. Living by the sea we obviously have plenty of opportunities to observe many seabirds offshore from the coast, but Andy was in need of a few ticks in this category. From the car park we walked through some scrubby vegetation and noted a few common species such as Chiffchaff and Whitethroat. Hirundines were chattering overhead and it was just a short walk to a viewpoint over the cliffs, carpeted in stunning wild flowers. We set up the scopes and looked down to the turquoise sea below, where we were soon able to pick out clusters of Guillemots and a few Razorbills bobbing on the water.  Berry Head Guillemots Andy picked out a Shag, with a thin, yellow bill and glossy back and a couple of Kittiwakes and a few Fulmars swooped across the sea. All new ticks for him, so a worthwhile morning.  Shag Next we headed towards Labrador Bay. Unfortunately the weather was beginning to deteriorate, so ...