Picture titles

Pallas's Gull - Oman 28th Feb 2024

29 September, 2014

Grey mild day with virtually no wind at all. Some movement of Wagtails, and Meadow Pipits, but no real hirundine numbers.
Grey Heron - 2
Little Egret - 2
Kingfisher - 1
Great-crested Grebe - 3
Sparrowhawk - 2
Kestrel - 1
Pied Wagtail - 75
Grey Wagtail - 1
Meadow Pipit - 45
Stonechat - 5
Skylark - 10
Reed Bunting - 3
Chiffchaff - 56
Blackcap - 26
Goldcrest - 2

28 September, 2014

Garden Warbler Bailiffscourt
Garden Warbler - 1
Chiffchaff - 25
Blackcap - 5
Yellow Wagtail - 2
Pied Wagtail - 37E
Stonechat - 3
Pied Wagtail - 30
Goldcrest - 6
Grey Partridge - 7
Buzzard - 1
Sparrowhawk -1
Grey Heron - 2
Little Egret - 2
Curlew - 3
Grey Heron - 2

Mass clearout overnight with very little movement overhead although Meadow Pipits still present in reasonable numbers, and a small trickle of Swallow moving through.

27 September, 2014

Cloudy start without a hint of a breeze and a constant passage of mainly Swallow passing through east this morning, and large groups of House Martin higher up in lesser numbers. Several large flocks of Meadow Pipit and Linnet in the fields, and notably a lot more Blackbirds in the area.

Chiffchaff - c70
Goldcrest - 11
Reed Bunting - 4
Blackcap - 7
Wheatear - 1
Stonechat - 5
Pied Wagtail - 16
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Spotted Flycatcher - 1
Mistle Thrush - 1
Kestrel - 2
Med Gull - 6
Common Gull - 12
Sandwich Tern - 2
Little Egret - 2
Curlew - 1
Brent Goose - 1w
Grey Partridge - 7

25 September, 2014

The highlight of the morning was a RAVEN which flew over Bailiffscourt cronking before drifting west, also pretty much routine fare with 25 Blackcap, 24 Chiffchaff, 3 Whitethroat, 5 Goldcrest, c70 Meadow Pipit, 5 Wheatear and c250 Swallow west.



23 September, 2014

Misty start this morning with singles of Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher and Little Egret along the river. Onto the patch and the flat calm sea produced the first movement of  Brent Geese with 28w.
Slightly smaller numbers to yesterday of both Blackcap and Chiffchaff, but still plenty around and two coveys of Grey Partridge totalled 16.

One of Several Chiffchaff around Atherington
Mediterranean Gull - 2
Common Gull - 7
Sandwich Tern - 3
Goldcrest - 6
Reed Warbler - 1
Reed Bunting - 8
Stonechat - 13
Whitethroat - 2
Wheatear - 11
Jay - 3
Buzzard - 2
Grey Partridge - 16
Skylark - 6



Records for Tuesday 22nd
Chilly bright start to proceeding this morning with a easterly breeze, birds were certainly on the move.  A  group of 50 mainly House Martin feeding over the dunes, and Swallow movement continued throughout the morning.  Blackcap and Chiffchaff numbers both reached well over the hundred mark as did Meadow Pipit.

Plenty of Stonechat around the golf course
Stonechat - 12
Yellow Wagtail - 8
Grey Wagtail - 4
Pied Wagtail - 10
Garden Warbler - 1
Whinchat - 2
Whitethroat - 2
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Wheatear - 10
Sedge Warbler - 1
Reed Warbler - 2
Goldcrest - 6
Reed Bunting - 11
Skylark - 8
Jay - 3
Kingfisher - 1
Grey Heron - 3
Little Egret - 2
Grey Partridge - 9
Kestrel - 3
Sparrowhawk - 2
Buzzard - 4
Peregrine - 1 gas tower
Bar-tailed Godwit - 3
Grey Plover - 1
Green Woodpecker -3
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 1


20 September, 2014

Looked like it might be a very interesting morning but proved to be more typical for the time of year, with the number of Blackbirds and Robins increasing. Slower passage overhead with fewer Meadow Pipits on the move of and Yellow Wagtails still lingering and large numbers of Herring and Black-headed Gull on the golf course early morning.

Peregrine - 1
Kestrel - 2
Sparrowhawk - 1
Little Egret - 2
Grey Heron - 1
Kingfisher - 1
Grey Partridge - 6
Bat-tailed Godwit - 5
Goldcrest - 4
Reed Warbler - 1
Whitetroat - 1
Blackcap - 42
Chiffchaff - 40
Spotted Flycatcher - 1
Grey Wagtail - 5
Yellow Wagtail - 22
Jay - 2

With a grey start which looked promising early morning  but in the end didn't produce anything special, fewer Swallow and Martins moving than seen in the last couple of days.
Little Egret - 5
Grey Heron - 2
Buzzard - 1
Peregrine - 1
Kestrel - 1
Sparrowhawk - 2
Oystercatcher - 20
Ringed Plover - 1
Wheatear - 3
Whinchat - 1
Stonechat - 1
Meadow Pipit - 30
Yellow wagtail - 12
Grey Wagtail - 2
Pied Wagtail - 4
Spotted Flycatcher - 1
Chiffchaff - 25
Blackcap - 5
Reed Warbler - 1
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Whitethroat - 3
Reed Bunting - 2
Mistle Thrush - 1
Song Thrush - 2
Skylark - 3
Linnet - 30
Stock Dove - 1
Jay - 3
Kingfisher - 1

18 September, 2014

With the wind dropping to a slight breeze things looked hopeful but alas nothing out of the ordinary to report, a touch of deja vu feel to this morning, hopefully better days to come.
Grey Heron - 4
Jay - 2
Goldcrest - 3
Chiffchaff - 14
Blackcap - 22
Wheatear - 5
Grey Wagtail - 4
Yellow Wagtail - 12
Pied Wagtail - 10
Whitethroat - 4
Reed Bunting - 3
Linnet - c100
Little Egret - 2
Bar-tailed Godwit - 6
Buzzard - 1
Sparrowhawk - 1
Kestrel - 2
Good numbers of Meadow Pipit moving east.

17 September, 2014

A brisk north easterly breeze this morning kept most of the birds down low in the bushes, but in the sheltered spots produced a good variety. House Martins dominated the hirundine movement in the sky.

One of six Barwits on the golf course
Spotted Flycatcher - 1
Stonechat - 1
Grey Wagtail - 4
Yellow Wagtail - 37
Meadow Pipit - c120
Wheatear - 12
Sedge Warbler - 1
Reed Warbler - 1
Whitethroat - 5
Chiffchaff - 11
Blackcap - 17
Reed Bunting - 3
Linnet - 75
Peregrine - 2
Meadow Pipit 
Sparrowhawk - 2
Kestrel - 3
Buzzard - 1
Bar-tailed Godwit - 6
Kingfisher - 1
Little Egret - 3
Grey Heron - 3
Grey Partridge - 9
Green Woodpecker - 5
Sandwich Tern - 1


Wheatear

Sparrowhawk

Kestrel


16 September, 2014


Good numbers of Meadow Pipits moving east, and Swallow's dominated the hirundine movement.

Yellow Wagtail - 9
Wheatear - 8
Whinchat - 1
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Stonechat - 2
Chiffchaff - 14
Blackcap - 8
Kingfisher - 1
Bar-tailed Godwit - 6
Little Egret - 2
Wigeon - 38 flew west in a single flock
Sparrowhawk - 2
Linnet - 38
Grey Partridge - 9

15 September, 2014

A WRYNECK on the golf course from 14:45 but very elusive. I am afraid to say the bird can only be seen from the golf course and there is no public access.

Good variety again in the patch this morning and still good numbers of Martins and Swallow moving east.

Peregrine - 2
Kestrel - 2
Gannet - 3
Grey Heron - 5
Little Egret - 2
Bar-tailed Godwit - 3
Knot - 2
Sandwich Tern - 6
Mediteranean Gull - 1
Kingfisher - 1
Spotted Flycatcher - 2
Chiffchaff - 20
Blackcap - 12
Whitethroat - 2
Meadow Pipit - c80
Yellow Wagtail - 15
Grey Wagtail - 4
Pied Wagtail - 2
Wheatear - 12
Reed Bunting - 5
Stonechat - 1
Whinchat - 2
Linnet - c100

14 September, 2014

Quieter today with not as much visible migration although still good numbers of House Martin moving through with many more Swallow and small numbers of Sand Martin.

Green Sandpiper - 2
Kingfisher - 2
Grey Heron - 6
Sandwich Tern - 5
Curlew - 6
Chiffchaff - 12
Whitethroat - 5
Blackcap - 7
Yellow Wagtail - 25
Grey Wagtail - 2
Pied Wagtail - 4
Wheatear - 8
Stonechat - 1
Meadow Pipit - c75
Goldcrest - 3
Kestrel - 2
Grey Partridge - 7
Jay - 1
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 2

On the river opposite Tesco 2 Common Sandpiper, singles of Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, and Curlew, with good numbers of Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail and Whitethroat present.

13 September, 2014

Combined totals this morning producing a good variety and coverage. A early mist and with  the wind moving round to north easterly breeze, it produced the first Short-eared Owl of the autumn flushed from the field directly north of the golf course. Also singles of Greenshank and Green Sandpiper heard from the river. 3 Spotted Flycacher in the area continuing a very good autumn for this species.
Several Chiffchaff around Atherington 

Wheatear - 6
Stonechat - 3
Chiffchaff - 16
Reed Warbler - 1
Sedge Warbler - 1
Yellow Wagtail - 47
Grey Wagtail - 2
Blackcap - 22
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Whitethroat - 10
Goldcrest - 3
Meadow Pipit - 60e
Reed Bunting - 2
Lesser BB Gull
Skylark - 12
Peregrine - 2 gas tower
Buzzard - 1
Kestrel - 2
Grey Partridge - 8
Kingfisher - 1
Curlew - 3
Little Egret - 3
Grey Heron - 5
Teal - 3
Sandwich Tern - 7



10 September, 2014

With bright conditions overnight and a  easterly that has been prevalent for the last few days it was inevitable that a clear out of birds would occur, that being said a Tawny Owl calling from First Wood was the highlight of the morning.

Whitethroat - 16
Blackcap - 12
Grey Wagtail - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 22
Chiffchaff - 8
Willow Warbler - 2
Reed Bunting - 4
Wheatear - 6
Skylark - 12
Jay - 6
Buzzard - 1
Kestrel - 3
Grey Partridge - 4
Little Egret - 3
Grey Heron - 1
Sand Martin - 20e
Swallow - c100
Sandwich Tern - 5

Yesterday a quick stroll around  Marsh Farm produced 3 Buzzard, 7e Yellow Wagtail, and 1 Kingfisher, with the assorted compliment of common Warblers, and 6 Common Sandpiper on the River opposite the Tesco roundabout at Littlehampton.

08 September, 2014

Not a lot moving until the mist cleared then things started moving overhead, with a single Tree Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail and Yellow Wagtail totalling c100 with good numbers in the field behind the Black horse pub. 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Whinchat and 2 Kingfisher around the back of the golf course, and 5 Wheatear around the old camp site. The highlight of the morning was a Marsh Harrier at 12:08 seen flying east over Bailiffscourt. 
Distant record shot of Marsh Harrier
 
Yellow Wagtail behind the pub

07 September, 2014

Plenty of Whinchat in the area
Still good numbers around this morning, clearly some better than others with an increase in Blackcap with c60 and still plenty of Yellow Wagtail c120 around the Kent Cottages. The best
of the rest include,
Bar-Wits on the golf course

Grey Wagtail - 5
Redstart - 1-2
Whinchat - 7
Stonechat - 1
Spotted Flycatcher - 1
Willow Warbler - 7
Chiffchaff - 15
Whitethroat - 12
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Reed Warbler - 5
Sedge Warbler - 1
Garden Warbler - 2
Wheatear - 4
Goldcrest - 1
White Wagtail - 3
Grey Heron flushed from the reedbed
Meadow Pipit - 15
Jay - 2
Grey Partridge - 5
Sparrowhawk - 2
Kestrel - 2
Kingfisher - 1
Bar-tailed Godwit - 3
Grey Heron - 2
Little Egret - 2



Little Egret

Kestrel camp site

Sparrowhawk over camp site

Plenty of Yellow Wagtail

around Kent Cottages





06 September, 2014

Out again this evening covering again the field backing onto Kent cottages and the old Camp site, 8 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Whinchat, 29 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Redstart, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret and the usual assortment of common warblers.

3 Common Sandpiper on the river with 2 Little Egret.

The highlight of the morning was 4 EGYPTIAN GEESE which appeared to come in from the sea on south east direction picked up flying west, then veered off over longwood in east north-east direction. c100 Yellow Wagtail in the field adjacent Kent Farm cottages, also a total 8 Spotted Flycatcher with 5 present at the former location.

Egyptian Geese 

Whinchat - 2
Grey Wagtail - 4
Wheatear - 4
Redstart - 1
Whitethroat - 12
Chiffchaff - 20
Willow Warbler - 12
Goldcrest - 3
Reed Warbler - 2
Sedge Warbler - 1
Reed Bunting - 2
Kingfisher - 1
Jay - 2
Sparrowhawk - 1
Little Egret - 2
Great-crested Grebe - 2 offshore
Sandwich Tern - 7
Good numbers of Swallow moving east



Several Spotted Flycatcher this morning
Yesterday 5th Sept

Kingfisher - 1
Grey Heron - 2
Common Sandpiper - 1
Buzzard - 1
Sparrowhawk - 1
Kestrel - 3
Chiffchaff - 6
Willow Warbler - 14
Blackcap - 40
Sedge Warbler - 1
Reed Warbler - 1
Whinchat - 8
Spotted Flycatcher - 3
Redstart 3
Whitethroat - 8
Yellow Wagtail - 30
Swallow - 100+
House Martin - 30

04 September, 2014

With an early mist over the sea, and a slight breeze from the east conditions looked promising, a Pied Flycatcher around the golf course early spurred the optimism, then eventually normality resumed, and although good counts for some species the hoped for goodie did not materialise.
Tree Pipit - 1, golf course
Spotted Flycatcher - 3, longwood, old campsite
Whinchat - 8,  back of golf course
Redstart - 5, golf course & horse paddock
Yellow Wagtail - 41, flock in the field end of longwood
Garden Warbler - 2
Chiffchaff - 3
Willow Warbler - 10
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Whitethroat - 16
Blackcap - 15
Reed Warbler - 1
Wheatear - 2
Reed Bunting - 2
Peregrine - 2
Sparrowhawk - 4
Kestrel - 3
Whimbrel - 1

03 September, 2014

This evening a Tawny Owl calling back of First Wood and a Little Owl flushed from the trees behind the old Cafe, 3 Whinchat and singles of Reed Bunting and Wheatear at the railway carriages.
Good numbers of Whinchat in the area


Spotted Flycatcher bread lane
Blackcap Atherington
Combined totals for today include at least 9 Whinchat in the area, 2 Spot Fly, 2 Redstart, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, and 4 Wheatear. The best of the rest include 24 Whitethroat, 12 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 7 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting,7 Sandwich Tern, 3 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, and singles of Peregrine, Little Egret, and 3 Common Sandpiper near the River and constant stream of hirundine consisting of mainly Swallow heading east.

02 September, 2014

Bright to start but then mist and low cloud came in so not much movement along the coast noted. At 10.45 on way back over footbridge every single gull on the beach and up the river took to the air. Hundreds of birds; suggests to me that there must have been a raptor around but could not see one.

Peregrine - 1
Sparrowhawk - 2
Kestrel - 1
Grey Heron - 2
Little Egret - 2
Med Gull - 4                      
Oystercatcher - 7
Lapwing - 220
Willow Warbler - 10
Chiffchaff - 9
Whitethroat - 15
Blackcap - 28
Whinchat - 8
Yellow Wagtail - 10
Tree Pipit - 1
Redstart - 3
Spotted Flycatcher - 3
Garden Warbler - 3
Swift - 1
Sand Martin - 15
Swallow - 100
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 2
Green Woodpecker - 2
Jay - 2
Linnet - 200

01 September, 2014

Maybe not the numbers of yesterday, but still a good variety, with the highlight of the morning being an OSPREY heading west along the coast at 09:47. 

Little Egret - 5
Willow Warbler - 35
Chiffchaff - 5
Spotted Flycatcher - 4
Pied Flycatcher - 1
Reed Warbler - 4
Blackcap - 25
Whitethroat - 12
Redstart - 3
Whinchat  - 1 
Wheatear - 4
Grey Wagtail - 1
Goldcrest - 1
Song Thrush - 1 
Yellow wagtail 120+
Swallow - c200
San Martin - 45
Swift - 1
Med Gull - 6
Red breasted Merganser  - 10 west
Sandwich Tern - 8 west