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