Saturday, 10th August: Starting mainly bright and sunny, with a fresh W/SW breeze 3-4, then becoming overcast with dark clouds and the risk of a shower, before eventually becoming brighter again with the wind increasing to a blustery SW 4-5.
When news came in that a long-staying but often elusive rarity - a Semi-palmated Sandpiper* - was still present this morning at Pagham Harbour and actually showing quite well, I decided it was time for me to make an effort and I was soon on my way, leaving the local patch. The bird decided to go missing for a while and was absent when I arrived, but fortunately I didn't have to wait too long before it re-appeared. An excellent start and such things add to the excitement of birding.
(*For the non-birders amongst us, yes it is a funny name for this small American wading bird, which is a rarity in the UK and is named after the partial webbing between two of it's toes! Look it up on Google. Its scientific name is Calidris pusilla)
Lidsey area: Back to the patch after the earlier excitement, but there wasn't too much of interest late morning and the hedgerows around the WTW (sewage works) were strangely quiet. On the nearby reservoir area were 13 Tufted Ducks, three Gadwall, 10 Mallard and 12 Little Grebes, whilst two Swallows were probably a local pair.
Bilsham farm: On the reservoir were a Common Sandpiper, two Little Grebes and a Great Crested Grebe, whilst Coot numbers had increased to 58 and a Little Egret was oddly right in amongst a posse of roosting gulls on the reservoir bank. At least 20 Sand Martins also passed through the area.
Little Egret in amongst a mixed gull flock at Bilsham farm
Friday, 9th August: A damp start after overnight rain, with heavy grey cloud, but soon clearing to become mainly sunny and bright in a fresh breeze, W 4-5.
Climping beach: It was a long low tide this morning, luring plenty of walkers along the tideline, whilst several EA trucks were also back and forth on coastal defence duties, thus a good bit of disturbance going on. A small number of Swallows were moving west offshore, but little else, so once again the main interest was a gathering of gulls on the rockpools, including c.300 Mediterranean Gulls. The only ringed bird I could find amongst those near enough to be scrutinised was one bearing a red ring with white numerals (PUE2)....these aren't so common and to be honest I'm not quite sure where such rings originate, but will find out in due course.
Red-ringed Mediterranean Gull PUE2 on Climping beach this morning
Shripney area: A single Cattle Egret and four Little Egrets were around this morning, but it was surprisingly quiet along the hedgerows and in the weedy fields, with just three Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, 50 Goldfinch, 20 Linnet and a couple of Greenfinch. plus two Kestrels and a Buzzard hunting. On the reservoir were just six Little Grebes, three Tufted Ducks and a Gadwall.
Thursday, 8th August: A bright and fairly sunny start with a moderate SW breeze 3-4, but soon clouding over to become overcast and cooler, with the wind increasing to force 5-6, bringing the threat of showers later.
Elmer Rocks - Atherington: There was very little going on bird-wise this morning, not helped by the fact that (presumed) Environment Agency operatives were zooming back and forth along the beach on their adapted quad-bikes whilst others were operating a drone for survey work. In short, the only birds of interest were Mediterranean Gulls, with 200+ assembled on the beach, mainly around rockpools on the Climping/Atherington side. A scan through the flock at distance revealed several white-ringed birds, but I needed to get closer....
I edged slowly forwards, managing to get in range of one ringed bird (see photo) - but as I tried for others, suddenly the quad-bikes came roaring past, scattering gulls in all directions - so that was that and time to go elsewhere!
(above) Mediterranean Gull bearing white ring 3AT5 on Atherington/Climping beach and (below) cropped and adapted image of the same bird.
Bilsham farm: It was quiet here also this morning, with virtually no migrant warblers in the hedgerows. The reservoir held two Common Sandpipers, two Little Grebes and 52 Coots, but little else, whilst a dozen House Martins passed through.
Wednesday, 7th August: A bit of a grey and cloudy start, with even a few spots of rain, but soon brightening to give long sunny interludes in a moderate W/SW breeze 3-4.
Barnham Brooks - Lidsey: It was disappointingly quiet this morning, with generally very few birds seen, not helped by the fact that all the remaining flooded spots have now dried up, leaving no muddy puddles for waders and other species. There should by now though surely be quite a number of warblers and chats on the move, but it was just amazingly quiet - worryingly so really. My tally consisted of nothing greater than three Willow Warblers, two Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler, ten House Martins, several Greenfinches and a Yellowhammer.
Shripney: It was better here, although passerines were at a premium, but 50 Goldfinches and 20 Linnets were in a weedy field. The highlights though were four Cattle Egrets around a field of horses and later a female Marsh Harrier in the same general area. On the nearby reservoir were a Common Sandpiper, four Little Grebes, three Tufted Ducks and a Gadwall.
Cattle Egrets at Shripney
Tuesday, 6th August: After a fine and sunny start, things quickly deteriorated to grey skies and several hours of murkiness and fine drizzle in a fresh SW breeze force 3-4, before brightening again after the rain passed through.
Elmer Rocks: It was notably quiet as I set off on my circuit this morning, with nothing moving offshore except for two Sandwich Terns heading west and another two roosting on the rocks. As I reached Poole Place, there was a gathering of 250 Mediterranean Gulls, with perhaps 100 Black-headed Gulls, assembled on the rocks and shingle, the majority being amongst the weedy rockpools. These were as ever rather wary, having been previously disturbed by several walkers, but I managed to slowly get near enough to check for ringed birds, and eventually located several white ringed individuals (see photos).
As the gulls began to move off it was time for me to also be on my way to Climping, but having gone a short distance and seeing nothing more than a Willow Warbler, I realised the 'light drizzle' was deceptively wet, so I abandoned such plans, deciding to visit inland where there was at least some chance of shelter.
Mediterranean Gulls on Elmer & Atherington beach. A number of birds bore white rings, indicative of Belgian (some perhaps French) origins.
1.above, one bearing white ring, believed 3PRR
2. cropped image of white 3PRR
3. Right-hand bird bearing white ring 3INT and 4. (below) cropped/enlarged image of 3INT
5 & 6. (Above and below) Not quite so straightforward, due to the angle of the white ring, but I think I can work this one out as being 3669
Details obtained as to the history and origins of these birds will be posted here at a future date, once information is known.
Sunday, 4th August: A dry and fairly decent day, with plenty of high cloud and sunny intervals; feeling pleasantly warm when sheltered from the moderate W/SW breeze 3-4.
Elmer Rocks: I started off with a brief visit to the beach, but after just a few Oystercatchers and a single Turnstone were displaced from the rock islands, soon realised there was little or nothing happening offshore and plenty of walkers about, so quickly abandoned in favour of checking the fields and margins behind. It was standard fare there, with just a Kestrel over the hot-spot set-aside and the local Buzzards making an appearance. a few Linnets and Goldfinches back and forth, the first few Long-tailed Tits I'd seen for a while and two Willow Warblers in the bushes....time to move on.
Linnets on the telegraph wires and Kestrel near the set-aside at Elmer
Lidsey area: There was nothing much of interest at the WTW this morning, except for a couple of Swallows feeding over the filter pans (probably breeding at or near the works). At a nearby reservoir there was just a little more activity, with a Common Sandpiper, nine Little Grebes, 12 Tufted Ducks (including the nine well-grown juveniles) and two Gadwall, whilst two Willow Warblers were in the hedgerows.
Three (two adults and a juvenile) of the nine Little Grebes at Lidsey this morning
Bilsham farm: On the reservoir this morning were two Common Sandpipers, 45 Coots, four Little Grebes, 25+ Mediterranean Gulls and at least 300 Black-headed Gulls. Two Swallows feeding overhead were probably the local breeding pair.
Saturday, 3rd August: Generally overcast for much of the time, with occasional warm sunny breaks, but with a fairly brisk W/SW wind 4-5 giving a much fresher feel to the day.
Shripney area: The flock of Egyptian Geese in the fields has now increased to seven, whilst a pair of Kestrels and a Buzzard were hunting above. Most of the interest however was at the small reservoirs, where there were two Common Sandpipers, 12 Little Egrets, four Grey Herons, four Little Grebes, a Shelduck, three Tufted Ducks and a Gadwall.
(above) Not a species pairing you'll often see, with a Stock Dove joining two roosting Common Sandpipers at Shripney reservoirs, whilst (below) these three Little Egrets were part of a dozen on the reservoir banks,
Bilsham farm: There were two Common Sandpipers on the reservoir here also, plus four Little Grebes, 40 Coots, 250+ Black-headed Gulls, eight Mediterranean Gulls and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Friday, 2nd August: Calm, very warm and quite humid at first, before a fresher W/SW breeze picked up to a force 4, though generally dry and sunny with little or no cloud by afternoon.
Barnham Brooks - Lidsey area: Predictably, the dry conditions mean that the remaining water is all but gone now, with just a few large puddles left and a bit of mud. Two Redshanks and a single Green Sandpiper were the only waders I could find, whilst three Teal and a handful of Mallard were also hanging on.
Bilsham farm: A single Common Sandpiper was on the reservoir, whilst the two Little Grebes and eight Mallard remain and Coot number have now risen to 45. However, gulls were the main feature today, with many washing and preening or roosting. A nice adult Yellow-legged Gull was amongst Herring Gulls, its darker mantle standing out well, together with other features, whilst two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also prominent. It was otherwise quiet, with just a few Swallows, a Yellowhammer, a Willow Warbler and a couple of Whitethroats.
(above) adult Lesser Black-backed Gull (centre) with Herring Gulls and (below) two views of the adult Yellow-legged Gull (upper bird) with Herring Gull
Thursday, 1st August: Another warm and rather humid day, with a good deal of grey and heavy cloud through the morning giving way to sunshine and clearing skies later.....with the predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms passing us by and striking much further inland.
Bilsham farm: I was off the patch today, so was pleased to get an update from local birder Dan Boon, who had made an evening visit. He managed to see a Little Owl, but other highlights included two Grey Partridges and six Mistle Thrushes, whilst other species included Kestrel (3), Little Egret, Willow Warbler (2) and Yellowhammer. A small mixed flock of Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins was also present.
Little Owl at Bilsham farm (D. Boon)
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