Sussex Yearlist at the end of April is now 202

Splash Point 05.15-19.15 14 hours!!!

A continuous movement of Pomarine Skuas today going through mostly in flocks of 5-7, but one flock consisted of 14. Some of them had amazingly long spoons and was by far the highlight of the spring for me. Totals for today are;

POMARINE SKUA - 64
Arctic Skua - 20
Great Skua - 2
MANX SHEARWATER - 4 (2 in the morning, 2 late afternoon)
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1191 (flocks really started to increase as the afternoon went on)
Whimbrel - 193
Common Sandpiper - 3
Dunlin - 5
Sanderling - 1
Grey Plover - 17
Turnstone - 5
Knot - 214 (most large flocks in late afternoon)
Avocet - 11
Commic Tern - 175
BLACK TERN - 7
Little Tern - 21
Arctic Tern - 2
Common Tern - 10
Sandwich Tern - 8 (really poor number)
Common Scoter - 78
Garganey - 4 (first picked up on the sea, they circled the groyne giving superb views)
Shoveler - 4
Red-breasted Merganser - 2
Shelduck - 9
Teal - 1
Black-throated Diver - 4 (3 in summer plumage)
Diver sp. - 4
Little Gull - 3
Whinchat - 1 (male in off)
Swift - 1 in off
Gannet - 146 (early morning movement soon slowed down.



9 Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel and Knot.

Ashdown Forest and East Hoathly 26/4/11

Visited Ashdown this morning and was rewarded with great views of a male Wood Warbler. As i stepped out the car i heard it instantly and it never stopped singing. It was even doing it's display flight.

Went to Weir Wood after and added Garden Warbler to the yearlist. Also Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcaps and 3 Common Sandpipers along the margins.

Also alot of Green-winged Orchids in an East Hoathly garden.

Early Spider Orchid 25/4/11

Late Pics 21/4/11

Hobby and Whitethroat on Seaford Head taken last week.

ICELAND GULL 23/4/11

Whilst driving to work this morning i recieved a text (many thanks Liam) informing me an ICELAND GULL was on the rocks at Splash Point. I quickly turned round and soon arrived. There was no sign as the Gull was hidden by rocks, so a walk up the cliff soon solved the problem as nice views were had.

It was viewed by many observers during this space of time and was still present when i left, though i would imagine it carried it's journey east when the tide came in.

This was a great bird for my Sussex yearlist which now stands at 195.

Splash Point; Wind N, then SE 2.

05.15-16.15

Pomarine Skua 1; adult dark morph @ 7.40
Arctic Skua 13
Great Skua 3
Common Scoter 443
Velvet Scoter 11; single flock
Sandwich Tern 138
Commic Tern 111
Little Tern 13
Whimbrel 236
Little Gull 4; 3 adults, 1 1st winter
Eider 5
Mediterranean Gull 36
Shelduck 3
Brent Geese 42
Bar-tailed Godwit 7
Shoveler 6
Black-throated Diver 3
Red-throated Diver 3
Redshank 1

Splash Point 21/4/11 Wind N then SE then NE.

05.35-08.05

Redshank 5
Mediterranean Gull 2
Common Scoter 83
Hobby 1 in off
Sandwich Tern 21
Commic Tern 25
Common Tern 4
Arctic Tern 1
Little Gull 2
Sanderling 2
Red-throated Diver 1
Whimbrel 38
Bonxie 1
Arctic Skua 5

As it was quiet i had a quick wonder up the Head and a found a fly over Tree Pipit; 2 Wheatears and an Arctic Skua offshore. Unfortunately i had missed a Pom go by. Bugger.

Splash again: 10.00-18.00

Whimbrel 124
Mediterranean Gull 30
Common Scoter 161
Arctic Skua 11
Commic Tern 67
Red-throated Diver 6
Shoveler 2
Brent Geese 4
Eider 7; 1 of which was a 1st summer drake.
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Sandwich Tern 45

Despite 11 hours of seawatching today, totals were very poor but it was very pleasent just sitting there.

Splash Point 05.30-11.30 20/4/11

Tufted Duck 3
Common Scoter 80
Sandwich Tern 74
Arctic Skua 4 all light morph
Shag 1 flew east
Little Gull 25
Bonxie 1
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Commic Tern 54
Common Tern 27
Little Tern 11
Red-throated Diver 17
Black-throated Diver 1
Grey Plover 9
Mediterranean Gull 13
Common Sandpiper 1 on groyne then flew east.
Brent Geese 10
Whimbrel 39
Gadwall 2
Bar-tailed Godwit 1

Splash Point & Seaford Head 19/4/11

Another good morning out at sea with good movement and finally some Terns!!!

I got down there at 7.25am after a long lay in and recorded;
Arctic Skua 4; Common Scoter 361; Commic Tern 76; Little Tern 3; Arctic Tern 10; Sandwich Tern 51; Brent Geese 97; Whimbrel 7; Red-throated Diver 2; Black-throated Diver 2; velvet Scoter 3; Little Gull 14 and 4 Shelduck. Left here at 08.30.

I nipped up Hope Gap after this first stint and recorded an adult Hobby in off, 3 Willow Warblers and my first female Whitethroat.

Down Splash Point again 9.25 till 11.15. Birds recorded:
Arctic Skua 2; Common Scoter 348; Mediterranean Gull 6; Commic Tern 63; Little Tern 4; Sandwich Tern 42; Whimbrel 40; Bar-tailed Godwit 14; Red-throated Diver 3; Black-throated Diver 1; Little Gull 2; Diver sp. 10 and 1 Red-breasted Merganser.

Photos will be updated later.

Pulborough Brooks and the patch 18/4/11

I started the day at Pulborough Brooks. On arrival at The Hangar, the CRANE was instantly viewable and a nice relief for it still being there, though they have never not been there the following morning!! About 5-6 Nightingales were heard and one was seen. Still no passage Waders present. horrid picture of the Common Crane at Pulborough, taken at 6.30am.

Soon i was back on the patch and enjoyed a good seawatch with the regulars. Highlights here were 3 Garganey; 30 Whimbrel; 2 Velvet Scoter; 40 Little Gull; 65 Common Scoter; 3 Teal; 5 Mergs and 2 Arctic Skuas being the highlights.

A walk up Seaford Head after produced a male Redstart, male Wheatear, 2 Sand Martins and the Early Purple Orchid.

Redstart and Early Purple Orchid on Seaford Head.

Went back down Splash after and stayed till 2.00pm. The main highlight was our first POMARINE SKUA of the spring. A lovely adult with a huge 'spoon'. Also 6 Arctic Skuas; 1 Bonxie; 70 Whimbrel; 48 Common Scoter; 2 Med. Gulls; 3 Dunlin and a Hobby came in off.

Sussex Yearlist now on 190.

RED-RUMPED SWALLOW 17/4/11

Just arrived home from a long day at work and recieved a phonecall from Jake to tell me he had found a Red-rumped Swallow at Arlington Reservoir. I did a mad dash over there and had cracking views of this little beauty. A much wanted UK tick, and also a fine addition onto my county yearlist. Thanks Jake and great find.

Seaford Head 16/4/11

Well, i started off the day with high hopes of something rare, but that soon dwindled away as it was obvious there were very few new arrivals. 19 male Whitethroats were seen, all on territory by the looks of it. However 5 Wheatears and 5 Willow Warblers were probably new in, and a Corn Bunting was around the barn. A flock of 16 Whimbrel also flew over adding slight interest. But the highlight for me was this Common Seal on the river bank. An Early Purple Orchid was also out, my first of the year.

Common Seal along the River Cuckmere.

Southease and Seaford Head 15/4/11

The PURPLE HERON showed on and off this morning in half light. It came out of it's roost and spent the rest of the time in the main ditch parallel to the Ouse. A great bird and even better, a Sussex tick. Also present was a lovely Barn Owl quartering the fields and a few Snipe were also flushed.

Purple Heron at Southease-taken in half light.

After this fantastic start, we covered Seaford Head but migrants were thin on the ground. However 3 Grasshopper Warblers were 'reeling' away, some showing well. Also a Wheatear, a couple of Willow Warblers and 18 Whitethroats.

2 of the 3 Grasshopper Warbler on Seaford Head.

Osprey at Michelham Priory 14/4/11

Whilst strolling around Seaford Head this morning, i recieved a phonecall from Jake (thanks mate) informing me that an Osprey had been found at Michelham Priory around the moat. I headed off straight away and got great views of the Osprey. Unfortunately no fishing was seen.
Also seen was a Cuckoo and a pair of Grey Wagtails.

Osprey at Michelham Priory

Jake in his cammo outfit.

Rye Harbour and Dungeness Point 12/4/11

After the car had been looked at, i headed off to Rye and Dungeness point. Along Narrow Pit going out to Ternary Pool i counted 14 Sedge Warblers all in full song and display flight. The Harbour Farm Pools held 8 Avocet and a tight flock of 96 Golden Plover had been spooked. On Ternary Pool i counted 136 Mediterranean Gulls. Walking back towards Harbour Farm i had a quick look in the dense bramble and was surprised to flush a Grasshopper Warbler. It reeled for a bit but as usual it remained very elusive.

Sedge Warbler, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull and Grasshopper Warbler at Rye Harbour NR.

At Dungeness Point there was unfortunately no sign of the Hoopoe, but a female Black Redstart and a male Blackcap were in the old lighthouse garden and the Glaucous Gull was still hanging around on the beach with France in the backround!!

Black Redstart and Glaucous Gull on Dungeness Point.

On the way home i briefly looked into a garden near Arlington Res. and found 23 Green-winged Orchids already in flower.

Arundel WWT 10/4/11

After standing about in the hot sunshine for over 5 hours the LITTLE CRAKE finally walked into view and showed for a short period of time. It vanished for a further 10 minutes then carried on feeding, tho elusive for the rest of the time i was present. The sun burn was well worth getting. Also present were a couple of Reed Warblers, a C'ettis Warbler, singing Firecrest and a Red Kite drifted over.

Little Crake, Red Kite, Hooded Merganser and Eider at Arundel WWT

Seaford Head, Chanctonbury Ring and Pulborough 8/4/11

Very quiet up Seaford Head, no new arrivals for us though later on a Gropper and 2 Yellow Wagtails were seen by others. Up Chanctonbury Ring a Painted Lady was good to see along with a couple of Orange Tips, also a Swallow flew north. At Pulborough the usual suspects were seen but a Nightingale was seen. Sussex yearlist now up to 177. Not bad but could be alot better!!

Seaford Head and Old Lodge 7/4/11

A great morning in great conditions. By far the highlight were 4 male Redstarts including one along the cliff edge. Also a Grasshopper Warbler was heard in Hope Gap but could not be seen. Another noteworthy sighting were of 6 Corn Bunting flying west along the cliff edge. Commoner migrants included 32 Willow Warblers, 13 Wheatears, 6 Whitethroats, 7 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Swallows and singles of Siskin, House Martin and a Common Buzzard.

Sunrise, Wheatear and 2 different Redstarts.

A trip to Old Lodge after yielded my first Tree Pipit of the year, plus 4 more Redstarts, many Lesser Redpolls, a Woodlark and a Cuckoo was heard.

Seaford Head 4/4/11

Good fall of migrants this morning on the patch. Highlights being my first Common Whitethroats of the year with 2 seen. 15 Willow Warblers was the highest count so far this year and supporting cast were 4 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Wheatears, 1 Swallow and 2 Mediterranean Gulls flew over.

Skylark, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Wheatear and another Whitethroat on Seaford Head.

Splash Point 2/4/11 Wind SE 2-3

07.00-09.20 & 09.50-10.30

Massive movement of birds this morning with probably the highlights being 4 Slavonian Grebes (2 in sum. plume.) and 5 Black-necked Grebes (all sum. plume.) on the sea with a further 2 Slavonian Grebes flying east.

Other highlights included; Velvet Scoters 19 including a flock of 16; Eider 14 (4 drakes); Little Gulls 28; Common Tern 4; Shoveler 55; Great Skua 1 (flew close inshore, yeartick) Arctic Skua 1 DP; Pochard 2 (only my second ever record for Splash Point); Common Scoter 914; Sandwich Tern 236; Whimbrel 2; Teal 58; Brent Geese 77; Pintail 1; Mallard 7; Red-throated Diver 16; Diver sp. 7; Avocet 1; Red-breasted Merganser 11; Canada Geese 2; Tufted Duck 3.

Common Scoter with 2 Velvet Scoter in the centre. Group of Teal

Close flock of Common Scoter.