Monday, 20th May: Another lovely spring day; fine, sunny and dry, but with a moderate NE breeze force 4 just keeping the temperature down along the coast - though warm in sheltered spots.
Elmer Rocks: The month is rolling on and visible seabird passage in any normal year would naturally be slowing down quite a bit by now - except that it's barely even started in my little world! There wasn't much to record this morning either, my highlight being a migratory flock of Turnstones with 2 Dunlin amongst them, which all stopped off briefly to re-fuel, before continuing their long journey, whilst a few Swallows arriving hinted that it's not yet all over.......
Gannet - 3E, 5W
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 3E, 2W
Oystercatcher - 6 on rock island groynes
Turnstone - 12E, stopped off along the beach for a while
Dunlin - 2E, as above
Swallow - 4N
Green Woodpecker - 2 (pair) on set-aside behind beach
Greenfinch - 4 (2 pairs)
Chiffchaff - 3
Whitethroat - 4 (on territory in bushes, between the Kiosk and Poole Place)
Blackcap - 3
Dunlin (right of centre) feeding with Turnstones, Elmer beach
Sunday, 19th May: After a rather chilly start in a moderate W/NW breeze, a fine, sunny and pleasantly warm day as the wind backed to a light SSW.
Barnham Brooks: An early start today revealed a small influx of waders and wildfowl, plus two rival Cuckoos calling. A total of 10 Shoveler were located, consisting of 2 obvious pairs and 6 other drakes, together with 3 Tufted Ducks, a single Teal, 10 Mallard and 18 Gadwall, whilst 2 Egyptian Geese and 2 Canada Geese were also present. However, also of interest were two presumably feral geese, (non-birders and those less interested might like to move on from this goose bit now!).....one clearly looking like a good candidate for a Barnacle, whilst the other appeared to be a small-type Canada/Cackling Goose; however closer scrutiny revealed it to probably be a hybrid Canada/Barnacle and who knows what else).
Apart from the regular Lapwings and Redshanks, other waders included a Greenshank, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers and a single Dunlin. The regular warblers were all in good voice this morning and a pair of Buzzards and a Kestrel were also noted.
(above) hybrid-type Canada Goose (top bird) with Barnacle Goose, (below) Tufted Ducks flying over Shovelers and (bottom) Dunlin with Ringed Plover
Saturday, 18th May: A grey, mainly cloudy and calm morning with a gentle W/NW breeze, accompanied by occasional periods of light spitty rain.
Elmer Rocks: Once again the sea was all but dead for bird migration, the only hints being a flock of 16 Turnstones that flew W then E, accompanied by 8 Sanderlings, whilst 2 Great Crested Grebes were still offshore. However, in the incongruous setting of a bramble bush at the back of the beach, a newly arrived Reed Warbler was singing stridently. The usual Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs were still present, plus a Blackcap and 4 Linnets.
A walk behind Poole Place and just onto the edge of the Climping area then produced my bird of the morning, in the form of a Red-legged Partridge! What was probably a pair appeared along a farm track, but one quickly disappeared into the field margin, whilst the second bird remained to look at me awhile, showing itself well before also disappearing. This species is not at all common on the patch nowadays (rather like its cousin the Grey Partridge) and is probably declining, so it was a welcome year-tick!
Red-legged Partridge, Climping. So, I didn't have my camera available when I needed it! The above is my fairly pathetic attempt to at least get some sort of image on my mobile phone, so please make allowances!
Friday, 17th May: A pleasant morning of sunshine with light cloud in just a light S/SE breeze and feeling quite warm at times.
Lidsey WTW and area: Around the WTW, a Grey Wagtail and a couple of Swallows were feeding, whilst 3 Cetti's Warblers and a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were singing. The flooded fields behind the works are still very wet, but held little of interest bar a few Little Egrets, a pair of Gadwall and 2 Lapwings well hidden in the vegetation, and nearby were a pair of Little Grebes.
Moving to the wider Lidsey area where there are still plenty of floods, a Little Ringed Plover was found, followed by a pair of Egyptian Geese, 8 Canada Geese and c.12 Mallard. The hedgerows and rifes held the expected Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, plus Whitethroats and Blackcaps, at least 2 pairs of Greenfinch and a Yellowhammer.
Greenfinch at Lidsey
Barnham Brooks: Two Cuckoos were heard early on (D.Boon), but the main interest this morning was a small selection of waders, consisting of Oystercatcher (2), Lapwing, Redshank (4), Little Ringed Plover (1), Ringed Plover (3) and Dunlin (1). Apart from the regular warblers, other species included Buzzard, Kestrel, Gadwall (4) and Shelduck (15+).
Oystercatchers at Barnham Brooks, and (below, photos by D Boon) Cuckoo and Redshanks
Thursday, 16th May: A grey and calm morning, initially dry, but soon becoming
damp with intermittent light drizzly rain and a light variable breeze, then heavier
rain by late morning.
Elmer Rocks (0720-1020hrs): The rain didn’t hold off as long as predicted, but it
was another generally quiet sea-watch, with a few flocks of Common Scoter (62E,
3W), some Gannets (10E, 5W) and several Sandwich Terns (5E) being the only real
movement. At least 2 Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, whilst 7 Oystercatchers
were feeding around the rocks and beach. Four singing Whitethroats were heard proclaiming
their territory along bushes and hedgerows behind the beach (from the Kiosk to Poole
Place), plus 2 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap.
Bilsham farm: An evening visit found a Common Sandpiper on the reservoir and 2 Oystercatchers also briefly popped in, whilst the only wildfowl were 3 Tufted Ducks and several Mallard, including the female with the well-grown brood. Around the area were 2 Buzzards, the usual warblers and a pair of Reed Buntings, plus 2 Lapwings and 2 Yellowhammers.
Wednesday, 15th May: A generally bright, warm and sunny day, with high white cloud and a fresh SE wind force 4 again taking the edge off the temperature along the coast.
A day full of personal commitments restricted my available birding time, but did allow a fairly brief visit to Barnham Brooks this morning. Highlights were 2 Avocets and 3 Grey Plover on the floods (2 of the latter in splendid summer plumage), plus 4 Redshank, a Little Ringed Plover and several Lapwings, whilst a pair of Gadwall and a much-reduced flock of Shelduck were also noted.
Avocets amongst vegetation at Barnham Brooks - and surprisingly difficult to view at times
Also Grey Plovers on the Brooks - with two in delightful summer plumage - and (below) a Lapwing
Tuesday, 14th May: After heavy overnight rain, a cool, grey and chilly start, eventually brightening up to give some hazy sunshine in a fresh SSE wind force 3-4/5.
Elmer Rocks: An unavoidably late start for me this morning, where visible movement offshore was again minimal in the extreme. A few Gannets were drifting through (both E & W) and several close Sandwich Terns went E, whilst up 4 Great Crested Grebes were also present. A Red-throated Diver offshore was probably bird of the morning, but it appeared to be rather heavily oiled, although still diving frequently and presumably able to feed. Just behind the beach, a Little Egret was feeding in the set-aside area, whilst 4 Whitethroats were also located.
Great Crested Grebe on the sea and Little Egret in the set-aside corner, just behind the beach at Elmer
Monday, 13th May: A decidedly cool, grey and overcast morning, with some murky light drizzle at times, before slowly clearing, with a few breaks in the cloud allowing some brightness. Wind WSW 2-3, backing SSE 4 later.
Of interest: yesterday afternoon, I got a text from my teenage non-birder grandson, who was with his mates at a playing field in the Eastergate/Westergate area (near the Wilkes head pub for those that know it!) "What's this bird, grandad?" he enquired, forwarding a phone camera shot. Expecting something mundane, I was most surprised to see what appears to be a Violet Turaco (a West African species and presumed escape). However, this is likely to be the bird that has roamed West Sussex for a number of years, popping up from time to time, so it must be getting on a bit now! (This location is just outside the boundaries of the 5Km patch, but included for interest,)
Violet Turaco, Eastergate area (photo: Josh Bishop)
Elmer Rocks: More of the same, with little at all moving offshore, an hour and a half producing just a few Gannets, 2 Little Egrets, 5 Oystercatchers and half a dozen Sandwich Terns W. The usual warblers were along the hedgerows and the only highlights were a Wheatear on the beach which soon headed inland, and a couple of Swallows N from the sea.
Bilsham Farm: A Common Sandpiper was on the reservoir this morning, along with a pair of Canada Geese and several Mallard. There were also at least 20 Swifts feeding above, together with about 6 House Martins and 4 Swallows.
Swifts and Common Sandpiper at Bilsham farm reservoir this morning
Sunday, 12th May: Early cloud soon giving way to another warm and sunny day, with a light to moderate E/NE breeze force 3-4 just taking the edge off the temperature along the coast.
Elmer Rocks (0715-0900hrs): I started my day with a sea-watch again but soon realised it was another dreadfully slow session, producing just a few Gannets (4E, 1W), a flock of Common Scoter (14E) and a handful of Sandwich Terns (8E). I was pleased to be joined for a while by Bola Akinola, my counterpart who covers mainly the Climping Gap area...so at least we could have a gold old grumble together about the general lack of birds this spring! Then just as I was leaving a Coal Tit was heard singing from the pine trees at Poole Place.
Barnham Brooks: A Wood Sandpiper was again present this morning, though often very elusive amongst thick vegetation, whilst the regular Redshanks and Lapwings were more easily seen. Wildfowl numbers have now dropped somewhat, but did include 4 Pochard (3 males and a female) and a pair of Gadwall.
Pair of Gadwall (above) on Barnham Brooks, and (below) male and female Pochards
Saturday, 11th May: Another fine, sunny, warm and dry day, after a hazy start, with a fairly light breeze, NE-SE 2-3.
Elmer Rocks: I had less than an hour available this morning for a sea-watch, before needing to leave to do a monthly WeBS count elsewhere. In that time I logged just 3 Gannets offshore, a Common Scoter E and 3 Sandwich Terns W, but then a Red Kite suddenly appeared over the rock islands, being harassed by a Carrion Crow, before gaining height and drifting off generally eastwards. There seems to have been a bit of an influx of these Kites along the Sussex coast during the last few days, with multiple sightings at a number of locations. Whether this involves continental birds, or just UK birds dispersing, is not clear - but my hunch is that the former is most likely.
Red Kite at Elmer Rocks
Shripney: A brief visit at around lunchtime found the water levels reducing, but although there were plenty of muddy edges, no waders were present bar a single Lapwing. At least 15 Little Egrets found it to their liking however, with birds feeding all around, whilst above several Swifts and a couple of Buzzards were present. A Lesser Whitethroat was singing from the hedges, as was a Yellowhammer, and other warblers included Whitethroat, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler.
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