Brougham Road, Worthing, W Sussex, 11.15 - 14.00 seawatch: highlights a continuing trickle of passage waders in small mixed groups ~ Whimbrel 14e, Barwit 24e; RTDiver 2e & Pom Skua 2e tracked from Selsey earlier.
Migrant land birds ~ Swallow 15 in/off flew N, Swift (new for year) 2 in/off flew N.
Marine Gardens, W. Worthing seawatch 06.45 -10.35: Highlights Whimbrel 20e, Bar-tailed Godwits 15e, Sanderling 3e, Common Tern 2e, Sandwich Tern 20e with a few returning w, Shoveler 7e plus a Peregrine in/off. Also a trickle of Swallow heading in/north over the beach. BN Dolphins 10e then w. (N&CO)
Worthing Beach: A Northern Wheatear, having just arrived off the sea, is pictured perching in bright sunlight on a wooden post of one of the groynes.
Marine Gardens (MG), Worthing, West Sussex: 2 recently arrived migrant Northern Wheatear rest and recover on the shingle beach before continuing their northward passage.
Seawatching at MG, Worthing: last couple of mornings have been slow & disappointing for what is considered peak migration time. 12 hours observation gave 4 C. Terns, 100 Sarny T, 30 Whimbrel, 40 C. Scoter, 10 Meds, 25 Barwits, 5 Sanderling, 40 Swallow, 20 Wheatear, 6-10 B-n Dolphins (N&CO, M&KG)
2 Hobby hawking flying insects over Beeding Brooks this afternoon.
31/03/26: Record photo of a sp Black-necked Grebe - tricky to photo such a small bird at distance in the choppy sea conditions on that day. With notable steeper forehead, plumage showing mostly black, but with characteristic paler plumage fans to side of head and lighter tones to flanks of body above the waterline. A cracking bird and a real bonus to the local year list.
31/03/26: 2 Wheatear ~ resting and feeding up together behind the security fencing in the safe compound at Shoreham Fort. Invariably these passage migrants move on very quickly to continue their journey to the breeding grounds further north.
Tuesday 31 Mar 26: An enjoyable day with evident migration. Started off by finding this sp Black-necked Grebe a good way off Widewater drifting west on the tide, followed by my 1st Swallow over the beach huts at Widewater and capped off at 1pm with 2 Wheatear at Shoreham Fort. All 3 species NFY
Exhausted Northern Wheatear which battled in against a stiff breeze and sat recovering on the beach pebbles for 20 minutes.
Marine Gardens 07.00-10:00 ~ C. Scoter 151e, Gannet 108w, Sandwich Tern 26, L Egret 1w, Med Gull 6w, RTD 1e, Swallow 10N. Plus a Wheatear that flew in off and sat exhausted on the beach for 20 mins. (Enjoyable Seawatch with Nick & Claire and John N)
Beeding Brooks, morning: 2 Blackcap, 2 Cetti’s, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Swallow, 3 Reed Bunting (32 species).
My biggest self-found blocker has fallen! Hoopoe just flown NE through Radipole RSPB. Picked it up over houses at Westham! Has just kept on going, true active migrant!
Quick trip over to RSPB Pulborough this evening gave a lovely pair of Garganey (Little Hanger) and this super sunset taken overlooking the reserve from the visitor centre.
Pair Garganey, Little Hangar hide , RSPB Pulborough
Brighton Marina, West Arm 9.17 - 12.20 Seawatch: 1 Shoveler (e), 40 Common Scoter (e), 2 GC Grebe, 22 Sandwich Tern (e), 4 Med Gulls (e), 1 Guillemot (sea), 1 Fulmar (e), 1 Kestrel (in), 3 Swallow (in), 4 unidentified Ducks (e). Beach and Rocks: 5 Turnstone, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Pied Wag
Phone ‘scoped image of a Purple Sandpiper on Rock armour. The bird is in full sun cast against deep shadow behind.
Single Purple Sandpiper still at Brighton Marina (from West Arm)
sp Black-necked Grebe at Arlington reservoir this afternoon #ukbirding
Ringtail Hen Harrier over agricultural land, probably cereal crop, flying right to left at distance.
Ringtail HH hovering over agricultural land, probably cereal crop and silhouetted on skyline at distance. Showing 4 “fingers” of the flight feathers and barring to underside of wing. The legs are extended below the belly.
Ringtail Hen Harrier silhouetted on skyline over agricultural land, probably cereal crop, flying right to left at distance. Showing prominent white rump.
Ringtail Hen Harrier flying right to left at distance against the branches of a bare tree which has not yet come into leaf.
Distant Hen Harrier river valley this morning, West Sussex. Big crop on the photos.
A good day along the shoreline between Lancing and Shoreham. As well as the Black-necked Grebe drifting on the tide, also NFY were my first Swallow at Widewater beach huts and 2 Wheatear which dropped in to Shoreham Fort.
Widewater, Lancing Seawatch this morning: very slow for the first hour and a half until a super summer plumage Black-necked Grebe drifted past me heading west at 10.30. A very welcome but unexpected year tick.
Fortunate to stumble on one of the local Hen Harriers again today. This time in a remote area of downland between Beeding and Shoreham. Always distant and into the sun … these are the best images I could muster of this stunning raptor @sussexornitholo.bsky.social
Female Marsh Harrier with missing flight feathers, flying high overhead, at dusk.
A different female Marsh Harrier flying high overhead at dusk.
A big, female Sparrowhawk hunting over the marsh today.
One of several Meadow Pipit seen today, perched on a barbed wire strand, in the sunshine - showing long hind claw.
Beeding Brooks, still v. wet underfoot this month, showing a male Marsh Harrier and 2 females, a Ringtail Hen Harrier on several dates, Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Corn Bunting, Fieldfare, Green Sandpiper, Stonechat, Barn Owl. 30+ species most days. Meadow Pipits more evident recently.
Well, a south coast patch and a lot of legwork is clearly no guarantee of an early Wheatear.... a female Garganey on West Bex Mere was decent compensation however....
Beeding Brooks this pm: Ring-tail Hen Harrier, 8 Snipe, 4 L. Egret, 3 Stonechat, 2 Shelduck, 2 Egyptian Geese, Cetti’s Warbler, 2 unidentified small wader flushed from ditch ~> Smuggler’s Lane, Red Kite, Barn Owl, 4 Wigeon, 36 species. Nice habitat ready for spring migrants. @jamko69.bsky.social
Edburton Road near Tottington Manor Hotel. A sunny field beyond a wooden posted chain link fenceline holding 200 Common Gull. The north facing ‘scarp slope of the South Downs is shrouded with broken mist. The top of the Truleigh Hill antennae mast tower is just visible protruding above the mist and beneath a blue sky
A horse field on Edburton Road, Sussex. Truleigh Hill antennae mast rests atop the north facing ‘scarp slope of the South Downs. Broken mist partly cloaks the hillside
A brief respite from the fog today - Edburton Road, South Downs ‘scarp swathed in mist and 200 Common Gull rest in a sheep field
I’ve been investigating a few rich areas of woodland and farmland near A24 in West Sussex. In calm sunny conditions, pleased to be rewarded with my first views of a local Goshawk yesterday. Too distant for photos so far, but hopefully will be able to get closer sightings in the next few weeks.
Female Marsh Harrier flying high over Bramber heading South West at dusk this evening. A distinctive individual with missing primaries to the left wing.
Marsh Harrier flying high over Bramber heading SW.
Female Merlin again on Beeding Brooks. (Thanks for heads up Jamie @jamko69.bsky.social ) Also 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Reed Bunting and 5 Corn Bunting late this afternoon.
The Burgh today: 2 Ringtail HH interacting. And later into roost, a Ringtail HH at 16.56 and a Male HH at 17.20, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Cattle Egret, 3 GW Egret @sussexornitholo.bsky.social
2 Hawfinches photographed at distance. Upper bird shown in profile facing to the right. Lower bird facing towards the observer
Photo taken at distance, showing 2 Hawfinches in top balloon (1 partly obscured behind small branch) and single Hawfinch below, perched in bare tree against a background of coniferous trees.
4 Hawfinches: Photo showing 3 Hawfinches in top balloon (1 partly obscured) and single Hawfinch below (partly obscured) in bare tree.
Single Hawfinch perched in bare tree
Sherwood Rough today was a quagmire: despite heavy machinery carrying out essential forestry maintenance work, good to see at least 8 Hawfinches in a quieter area. Great afternoon viewing quietly with Richard F. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @mallalieum.bsky.social
Stunning male Black Redstart at the eastern end of Brighton Marina where it meets the Undercliff walk. Perched on rock armour and around boat yard @sussexornitholo.bsky.social
Prior to today I had only managed rather frustrating, distant views of a Purple Sandpiper at high tide, roosting on the timber framework. Fortunate today to find a confiding, foraging bird at low water. #ShorehamFort #ShorehamBreakwater
Timed my visit to the lower R. Adur well, with a report on the local Whatsapp of an Avocet on the SSSi, as I arrived. First I’ve seen on the estuary. Big numbers of Common Gull, 750+ here with BHGs. Nice to see a few Lesser Black-backed Gull starting to come through now; 5 counted. Plus 2 Meds
