Friday, 28th March: A grey and damp start with light rain for several hours and a moderate W/SW breeze, then becoming dry and bright with sunshine for the rest of the day.
Lidsey WTW: I was birding off the local patch again for most of the day, with just a short visit here on the way back. The only highlight here was a White Wagtail amongst three Pied Wagtails on the filter pans, whilst 14 Mallards were loafing on the flooded screening area within the works. Nearby were two Tufted Ducks, a dozen Teal and two Little Grebes. Around the hedgerows were at least four Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and two Cetti's Warblers.
Mallards sunning themselves near the sewage screening area within the WTW this afternoon!
Thursday, 27th March: Early morning mist and fog slowly cleared as the sun burnt through, giving a generally bright and sunny day with just a light SSW breeze, though becoming hazy again by afternoon as a light sea mist developed.
Shripney & Lidsey: A visit to this edge of Barnham Brooks this morning produced a Green Sandpiper in a flooded area near the A259 road bridge and nearby a flock of c.10 Yellowhammers feeding on a set-aside area.
Another area, where a flooded field still exists, held some wildfowl, including 70 Teal, four Shoveler, ten Wigeon and a handful of Mallard, with at least 12 Lapwings displaying. A Red Kite also soared over, whilst a Buzzard and a Kestrel were also logged, and three Cetti's Warblers and two Chiffchaffs were singing.
Yellowhammer at Shripney - one of a flock of about ten feeding in a partly-flooded set-aside area.
Elmer & Ancton: A short visit found the Mistle Thrush again, with one Black Redstart still present in the paddocks and two Chiffchaffs were the only other migrants.
Mistle Thrush in the paddocks, together with a Black Redstart (below)
Wednesday, 26th March: After a rather cool and murky start, a bright and sunny spring-like day with a light S/SW breeze, with a bit of sea mist rolling in just occasionally...
I was birding off the patch for much of the morning when I headed over to Brooklands Lake at Lancing, in order to catch up with a county rarity - a Bluethroat - which was originally found yesterday by a birding friend (thanks to Dave Sadler). Judging by the number of photographers present with big lenses, there will be some fine photos around on social media and various birding sites - but my efforts will certainly not be amongst them!
Bluethroat (of the white-spotted form) at Brooklands, Lancing. A couple of cropped record shots that at least give the idea!
Bilsham farm: Having returned to the patch, after battling through the traffic, I decided to make a visit here. The reservoir held 15 Tufted Ducks - a few more than of late - and also four Gadwall, four Mallard and three Little Grebes. A circuit of the perimeter hedgerows also produced more than of late, the best being a Black Redstart, whilst the list of other species seen included 15 Redwings, two Chaffinch, a Yellowhammer, a Cetti's Warbler, four Chiffchaffs and my first Willow Warbler of the year.
Black Redstart at Bilsham Farm
Elmer & Ancton: Another visit to the Lane End horse paddocks produced two female-type Black Redstarts and there has clearly been a fall recently (for non-birders = migratory influx). A Mistle Thrush was singing and feeding in the paddocks - and is possibly even nesting nearby - whilst a pair of Pied Wagtails also looks a good bet. Other species logged included a couple of Chiffchaffs, a Green Woodpecker, a couple of Song Thrushes and a Buzzard.
(above) Mistle Thrush and (below) Black Redstart at the Lane End paddocks
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