Monday, 6th January: Heavy overnight rain and a strong SW wind force 6, continuing into the morning as the rain began to ease to become more drizzly. Then becoming drier and brighter with sunny periods, as the wind veered to the NW but turned noticeably cooler.
Elmer Rocks: Just a brief visit of about half an hour, producing just a single Red-throated Diver which flew east before dropping onto the sea, six Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, four Mediterranean Gulls back and forth and a couple of Oystercatchers on the beach.
Climping Gap: A look around the Ferry Road area of set-aside eventually produced a single Jack Snipe and up to eight Common Snipe, whilst around the fields nearby were 40 Linnets, several Reed Buntings and two Stonechats but little else.
I then diverted to the Arundel area and Wildfowl Trust - so a little beyond the boundaries of the 5 Km patch - before returning for a look at Bilsham farm. On the reservoir were 24 Tufted Ducks, four Shoveler, two Wigeon, four Little Grebes and 75 Coots. A Kestrel was hunting the fields nearby but there was nothing beyond the normal on a fairly quiet day.
Sunday, 5th January: Heavy overnight rain, leading into a wet, windy and miserable day, with overcast grey skies and a strong to near gale force wind SW 6-7.
Elmer Rocks: Well I did try for a while, but visibility offshore was dire and the constant wet and windy conditions finally beat me I'm afraid, so this is basically a report about almost nothing! There were just a few gulls along the shoreline; mainly Herring but also a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls, whilst a small flock of Turnstones dropped in with a single Sanderling. A rather forlorn Cormorant battled into the wind, before I took my cue to leave. Sometimes you just have to give in!
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