Two Black Redstarts were showing well along the sea wall/beach at Climping car park this morning, and 4 Firecrests were located in the Atherington area.

A flock of 120 Brent Geese was in the fields, including a good number of juveniles and an odd adult with a notably pale grey mantle (so perhaps the one in similar plumage sometimes reported from Pagham Harbour?) At least 100 Goldfinches and 15 Siskin passed through, and other bits and pieces included 11 Grey Partridge, a Kingfisher, a Peregrine and 30 Meadow Pipits.

Pretty quiet at Climping mid morning with the best being 2 Firecrest,1 Chiffchaff, and a couple of Goldcrest. Siskin and Redpoll both heard still at Atherington and 1 Buzzard being mobbed by crows. Offshore 3w Shelduck, 4 Red B Mergs, and 100 Brent Geese on the sea before flying off west. A flock of about 30 Linnet and 1 Redshank in the setaside, and good numbers of Meadow Pipit on the beach

Golf Course

Nice sunny cold morning was spent walking around the golf course which was partly closed because of the flooding,  produced singles of the following, Short E Owl,  Dartford Warbler,  Kingfisher,  Fieldfare,  Water Rail, Stonechat, Lapwing, Jay, and Grey Heron. Other birds of note included 6  Brent Geese, 4 Grey Partridge, 3 Redpoll, 12 Siskin, 3 Golcrest and at least 1000 Wood Piegeons moving nw.

Also in the patch today 3 Firecrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, 1 Brent Goose and 1 Redshank at Climping.

Started the day on beach which was fairly slow with only 2 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull close inshore, 3w Gannet, 3 Great C Grebe, 2e Brent Geese and 1e Red B Merganser. Better luck inlnad with 1 Firecrest with Long T Tits at Atherington, 2 Brambling high in the trees down the street, and a flyover Redpoll. The best of the rest being 8 Goldcrest, 2 Great S Woodpecker, 1 Jay and 2 Grey Partridge.

A Merlin reported flying in off the sea at 0730 this morning was the 3rd record this autumn for this lucky observer.

Walk around the golf course course again this morning produced a bit of excitement in the form of a Lesser Whitethroat, also 1 Firecrest, 2 Peregrine on the tower, 8 Redpoll, 6 Goldcrest, 30 Siskin, 50+ Linnet, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Stonechat, 1 Buzzard, 1 Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron.

1 Black Redstart and 2 Blackcap with several Goldcrest reported on the 31/10/10