4th May - Shinewater
45 species this morning and two excellent patch ticks to boot. The first was a superb drake GARGANEY which was quite confiding at the north end of Hydneye Lake, hanging out most of the time with a drake MALLARD. I guess this must be the West Rise bird which other birders have seen on and off these past few days. Later on, at the northern end of Shinewater Lake, I decided to come back along the narrow and difficult path that runs along the western edge of it. This turned out to be a wise move in the end, since a pair of BLACK-WINGED STILTS was found shortly afterwards feeding on one of the small islands. They were apparently still there in the late afternoon so maybe they'll stick around?
1st May - West Rise Marsh
Really glad I stopped watching the snooker and went out to the Rise this afternoon, since one of the first birds I clapped eyes on whilst scanning the lake by the entrance was this WHOOPER SWAN, a top draw local bird and I'm pretty sure it's the first I've seen in Sussex. It appeared quite happy and content amongst the local Mute Swans (which were more numerous than usual today), although at one point looked nervous and started calling , before taking off for a short flight (fortunately to return).
20th April - Shinewater
Another sunny morning - had my first SWIFTS of the year
with 2 birds winnowing high over Shinewater Lake. A
restless, roaming CUCKOO was another nice surprise,
and it even perched up briefly near the Premier Inn.
More LESSER WHITETHROATS are in and
MEDITERRANEAN GULLS are flying high overhead
in the early mornings now.
19th April - Shinewater
A lovely clear and sunny Sunday morning. There were
more raptors around than usual with at least
2 RED KITES and BUZZARDS circling. Good views of the
first LESSER WHITETHROAT of the year, singing up by
the railway line.
GREYLAG GEESE were parading goslings on
Shinewater Lake.
7th April - Shinewater
The first WHITETHROAT and SEDGE WARBLER of the year this morning. There were 2-3 REED WARBLERS and quite a few more WILLOW WARBLERS.
6th April - Shinewater
I never bother trying to see any of the CETTI'S WARBLERS here as it's always a waste of time but this morning, for once, they were very visible - quite a few were perching boldly out in the open. My first REED WARBLER of the year was singing quietly on the edge of Hyndeye Lake, but no hirundines at all.
5th April - Shinewater
WILLOW WARBLERS were singing this morning and there were a couple of SWALLOWS, a few SAND MARTINS and my first HOUSE MARTIN of the year.
27th March - West Rise Marsh
Al found a BLACK-NECKED GREBE early this morning so decided to twitch it this afternoon, unfortunately just as a steady light rain set in. I think it's only my third ever here, and what a corker it was, giving some great views near the entrance gate.
20th March - Shinewater
Excellent couple of hours this morning - two patch ticks! The first was a CASPIAN GULL flying over the main lake and the second a superb male HEN HARRIER, the first I've seen in ages, migrating high overhead through the blue, circling once en route. A good selection of ducks still on site although very low numbers now of WIGEON, GADWALL and SHOVELER.
13th March - Hampden Park
A pleasant surprise to see the pair of EGYPTIAN GEESE swimming about with 5 ducklings this afternoon. A FIRECREST was singing, as it has been every day recently, near the monkey puzzle tree. A few HERON nests are on the go but there's been no sign of any LITTLE EGRETS during the day (although they are still apparently coming to roost each evening).
12th March - West Rise Marsh
Grey skies and strong winds this afternoon but I'm glad I took a chance on West Rise as a SWALLOW and a SAND MARTIN, my firsts this year, were flying around together over Fisherman's Point when I arrived. There were at least 3 WATER PIPITS although just the usual flight views - one looked to be well on its way to summer plumage though. A PEREGRINE flew around over the housing estate and there were quite a few ducks still out there on the lake; about 40 WIGEON, quite a few SHOVELER and TUFTED DUCK, but just one pair of GADWALL.
16th February - West Rise Marsh
Quite good at the Rise this afternoon with brief views of the DARTFORD WARBLER, 2 LAPWINGS, 2 PEREGRINES over the lake and a couple of WATER PIPITS. A CASPIAN GULL was on the water before flying off with the other gulls to land on the sheep field.
9th February - Hampden Park
An interesting day at the park: after watching a rare MEDITERRANEAN GULL on the pond I bumped into Derek who said that a CATTLE EGRET had been seen in recent days coming to roost with the usual LITTLE EGRETS. So I took a stroll there just before dusk and was amazed to find at least ten of them already dotted around the island. Be interesting to see if any decide to hang around and breed this year...
4th February - Hampden Park
This COMMON GULL was amongst the many BLACK-HEADED GULLS on the duckpond this afternoon - a patch tick!
20th January - West Rise Marsh
Good for gulls this afternoon with both CASPIAN and YELLOW-LEGGED dropping in for a brief bath before flying back off towards the coast. There were even more SHOVELER today with at least 210 loafing around, and a solitary REDWING was on site by the bee hives.
7th January - West Rise Marsh
As usual for early January in a bit of a phase...not much
enthusiasm to go birding although I did manage a short trip
to the marsh this afternoon. This unusually confiding
KINGFISHER was along one of the sewers and there were
a couple of WATER PIPITS, 5 COMMON GULLS, and a
good number of SHOVELER (at least a hundred).
