Saw this lovely male Whinchat on my first visit to my South Downs Farmland Birds Initiative survey square in the week. Don't often get to see full breeding plumaged males like this in Sussex in Spring, so quite a treat. (Dunnock photobombing at the back).
#UKBirding
@sussexornitholo.bsky.social
Such a gorgeous spring morning at Pulborough Brooks yesterday, but it wasn't just about the birds...we watched a Weasel for a few minutes + our first Orange Tip butterflies of the year, & this rather beautiful male Adder warming up in the sun. It's a very special place.
@rspb.bsky.social
#adders
I'm seeing Great White Egrets more & more frequently around the Adur & Arun valleys recently, not sure if they're breeding in Sussex yet, if not it surely won't be long.
Such elegant birds, especially when accompanied by a reflection such as this, at Pulborough Brooks RSPB yesterday.
#UKBirding
Always pleased to see some Garganey dropping in on their spring migration. On a gorgeous spring morning at Pulborough Brooks today, the drake of this pair appeared to take exception to a pair of Teal. Also at least 7 Nightingales & 5+ Whitethroats singing.
#ukbirding
@sussexornitholo.bsky.social
The splendidly named & rather marvellous Hairy-footed Flower Bee; this one a female currently making many visits to Pulmonaria in our garden - marvellous plant for early season insects, if you don't have any in your garden, get some!
#bees
Near Cissbury on the South Downs, this Kestrel hovering intently at eye level over a grassy bank for nearly 3 minutes before giving up to try it's luck elsewhere...to a backdrop of larks ascending into a cloudless sky...
#southdowns
#ukbirds
Red Kite sauntering around on thermals above Lychpole Hill on the South Downs got too close to this Carrion Crow's nest site, & was remorselessly rebuked for it's misdemeanour yesterday morning.
#ukbirds
Solitary Purple Sandpiper happily feeding in the sunshine yesterday on the inside of the west arm at Shoreham harbour an hour or so before high tide. This is a regular spot & there's been at least 1 all winter - but you have to get the tide right to see it!
@sussexornitholo.bsky.social
#ukbirding
I usually manage to see my 1st Wheatears in March - so a bit slow off the mark this year, but always a special day nonetheless with 13+ newly arrived along Shoreham beach this morning. Humbling to see them battling inland against a stiff N breeze, all gone by 10:30h on my way back.
#ukbirds
Up at Henfield Levels this afternoon; c15 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows, 3 Little Ringed Plovers (all new for the year for me) - briefly strafed by an imm. White-Tailed Eagle causing panic among the remaining winter wildfowl but it didn't hang around & carried on flying NE.
@sussexornitholo.bsky.social
Some parts of the Downs in West Sussex still have very good populations of Brown Hares, it's always a treat to watch them, but I seldom get to see one as well as this one yesterday - such beautiful, fascinating creatures.
#nature @southdownsnp.bsky.social
@southdownsfans.bsky.social
Yesterday on the downs between Adur & Arun I was lucky to watch this beautiful male Hen Harrier for a while, followed a little later by distant glimpses of a ringtail - I don't often get to see 2 Hen Harriers in Sussex on the same walk...such elegant, effortless flight.
@sussexornitholo.bsky.social
For me Corn Buntings are the quintessential bird of the downs near us. Winter flocks have split up into pairs, with much jangly song now (a sound that always reminds me of our trips to Extremadura).
Superficially just chunky brown birds, but just look at that intricate plumage.
#UKBirding
After an early white frost this morning at Pulborough Brooks, just a single Redwing seen, Chiffchaffs everywhere, the Lapwings were looking (& sounding) lovely in warm hazy sun & this female Blackbird was busy collecting nest material.
#UKBirding
The Mile Oak Cirl Bunting is rather forlornly singing his heart out again for his 3rd season here.
I guess there probably isn't a female within many miles, but you never know, he's certainly not deterred.
I guess this is how re-colonisation starts, hope so🤞
@sussexornitholo.bsky.social
#ukbirding
Tree Sparrows
Female Brambling
Female Brambling
Tree Sparrow
Trip to Sussex/Kent border in the week, out on the marsh; pleased to come across a nice mixed flock containing lovely Tree Sparrows, & this surprise female Brambling. Not too often I see either species, watched from car as they fed on ground & often flew up into adj. bushes.
#ukbirding #nature
Pleased to see this utterly delightful but quite distant ad. Little Gull over the floods on Henfield Levels this morning (thanks to AR for posting). It seemed to be quite successfully flycatching fairly high above the floodwater + 9 singing Chiffchaffs heard on my walk...spring!
#ukbirding
Pintail migrating east up channel past East Worthing this morning.
Ducks on the move off East Worthing this morning; Pintail 187E, Shoveler 36E, Teal 2E, C.Scoter 23E+8W, Duck sp. 28E, Brent 5E + RTD 9E & GND 1E. Small movement of Med.Gulls too (13E).
Can't wait for full on spring sea-watching to get going!
#ukbirding #seabirds @sussexornitholo.bsky.social
Truleigh & Newtimber hills from Steyning Roundhill.
Steyning & Adur floods from Steyning Roundhill.
Brown Hare, South Downs nr. Steyning.
Corn Bunting on South Downs above Steyning.
Doing my final Sussex Winter Birds Survey visit on the downs near home yesterday on a rare sunny day - so lucky to still have good numbers of Corn Buntings up there + I often see Brown Hares too. Later down in the scarp woodlands; very vocal Marsh Tits, Firecrest + a few winter thrushes still.
The current preponderance of wet & gloomy days have been enlivened by appearances of a Marsh Tit in the garden. There's a decent population of them half a mile away in woods at the foot of the north scarp of the downs, but they are very sedentary & we don't often see one at home.
#ukbirding
Goldcrest finding tiny insects under bramble leaves yesterday. They undertake long migrations to escape winter & have been tracked taking around 8h to cross the North Sea, & this in a bird that weighs 4.5-7g, about the same as a single grape. Amazing!
Think on this next time you see one!
#ukbirding
A new species for me, the Killdeer at Ripley yesterday was always distant & the light wasn't great, but the scope views were much better than my pics!
Seen & enjoyed by a great many people, thank you so much to the finders.
#ukbirding
No sign from the Rackham viewpoint this morning I'm afraid.🙁
A cold & icy day trip out east earlier this week saw me watching a large group of at least 23 Bearded Tits busily feeding just after sunrise at Pett Level. Later this Bittern was warming itself in the sunshine at Dunge (ARC) + c100 White-fronted geese & 30+ Bewick's Swans. 🙂
#ukbirding
A male Kestrel hovering in the harsh sunlight of an extremely clear & frosty morning on the top of the South Downs a mile or two from home this week...the wings & tail move but the head always stays stock still, with eyes focussed on the frozen ground below...
#ukbirding
This female Blackcap has been regularly feeding on ivy berries & provided apples & currants in the garden lately + this beautiful Song Thrush has taken a liking to the same food - I wonder if it's him that wakes us up with his lovely clarion song early mornings?
Happy New Year to all❄️
#ukbirding
7 or 8 White-fronts & a single Bean Goose on Henfield Levels floods this morning. Always distant, a Peregrine strafing the fields put them all up & onto the floods, but the Bean was wilder & always a bit aloof from the hordes of Canada & Greylag geese.
Thanks to @wwres.bsky.social for his sightings.
That's great, thanks Alastair.
Whereabouts were you viewing from Alasdair?
I parked in the car park by Pagham Co-op & walked along Lagoon Rd (opposite) to the lagoon, less than 10 mins, the BNG was favouring the W end next to the harbour. Good luck.