Splash Point, Seaford Head & Lewes Brooks 1/4/11

Splash Point 07.00-07.30 SW 3, 08.55-09.10 SW3-4 Brent Geese 41 Diver sp 3 Red-breasted Merganser 4 Mediterranean Gull 1. Around Seaford Head there was very little despite the time of year. Only 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Firecrests and a Chiffchaff were noted. Visited Lewes Brooks after and the 3 Garganey were all still present, plus a Swallow and a Little Ringed Plover.

Splash Point & Pulborough Brooks 31/3/11

Started off at Splash Point (09.50-10.20, SW 4-5) where there was very little movement. Birds noted were Brent Geese 46; Mediterranean Gulls 2; Sandwich Tern 2 and Diver sp.

Went to Pulborough Brooks after and notched up 2 more yearticks in the form of House Martin and Willow Warbler. The water level was slightly higher than expected and no passage waders were seen. Totals for the walk were House Martin 3; Willow Warbler 2; Chiffchaff 10+; Brambling 2 (Nettley's); Black-tailed Godwit 1 s/p; and 2 male Blackcaps. Now a quarter of the way through the year and my Sussex Yearlist is 172 and UK Yearlist is 179.

Splash Point 29/3/11

06.15-09.00 Wind NE1-2 or rubbish in other words,

Arctic Skua 3 all DP,

Avocet 2,

Little Gull 4,

Whimbrel 3,

Sandwich Tern 2,

Black-throated Diver 1,

Shoveler 24,

Shelduck 2,

Common Scoter 123,

Teal 2,

Red-breasted Merg 1,

Tufted Duck 1,

Sanderling 1,

Grey Plover 2,

Brent Geese 17 ,

Auk sp. 4

Lewes Brooks & Tide Mills 27/3/11

Visited Lewes Brooks after work today. 3 Garganey (2 drakes), 12 Egyptian Geese, 3 Ruff and 5 Snipe were on the flooded area and a Little Ringed Plover with a Dunlin were nearby. A couple of Chiffchaffs and a Treecreeper were in Iford.

(6 Egyptian Geese and 2 Garganey on Lewes Brooks)

Visited Tide Mills after seeing 3 Black Redstarts (2 males), 7 Wheatears and 2 Purple Sandpipers, but not much else. A Swallow was in the Cuckmere after.

Male Wheatear at Tide Mills

Splash Point 26/3/11

06.00-10.00 Wind NE-SE 1

Common Tern 1
Sandwich Tern 31
Arctic Skua 1 DP
Avocet 1
Little Gull 17
Black-throated Diver 3
Red-throated Diver 27
Brent Geese 620
Common Scoter 173
Mallard 2
Tufted Duck 1
Red-breasted Merganser 6
Shoveler 2
Teal 6
Shelduck 6
Auk sp. 1
Wigeon 2
Dunlin 6
Whimbrel 1
Gannet 6+
Mediterranean Gull 3
Wheatear 1 in off

3 Yearticks this morning brings my UK yearlist to 175 and Sussex Yearlist to 168.

Splash Point 25/3/11

06.00-09.30, Wind NE 1-2

Common Scoter 559
Brent Geese 404
Black-throated Diver 1
Red-throated Diver 14
Diver sp. 12
Sandwich Tern 9
Gannet 7
Red-breasted Merganser 13
Shoveler 5
Slavonian Grebe 3 on sea then flew east.
Teal 10
Gadwall 1
Greylag Goose 1
Sand Martin 3 in off.

Brent Geese, Sandwich Tern and Common Scoter at Splash Point.

A little while later a Red Kite flew over my garden.

Short-toed Treecreeper 24/3/11

Jacob Everitt and myself successfully twitched the SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER at Landguard NR, Suffolk today. After arrival we hung around on 'Icky' Ridge for just over an hour with no luck, but our luck soon changed as the bird had been retrapped and was going to be released at the ridge. So basically we both got some pretty good views.