Combined notes today include a Short-eared Owl at Climping, a Red Kite over Baliffscourt being mobbed by corvids before drifting off high west. 6 Sedge Warbler behind the back of the golf course, and 1-2 White Wagtail in the horse field, also 2 Reed Warbler. Good numbers again of Whitethroat and Willow Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 2 Jay, and 3 Buzzard. Offshore 2e Med Gull, 6w Sandwich Tern, Great-crested Grebe and a couple of Gannet.

Meadow Pipit

White Wagtail

Whitethroat

Willow Warbler

Swallow

Bird of the day was a Black Kite seen high over the Littlehampton Civic Centre at 12:30, then again at Angmering being mobbed by a Peregrine at 12:43 heading in a north east direction.

 Inside the patch today was singles of Whinchat, favouring the back of the horse paddock off Bread Lane, Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard,and Little Egret. Good numbers of Willow Warbler and Whitethroat  along with 9 Wheatear, 2 Reed Warbler, a couple of Med Gull close offshore and several Swallow around the horse paddock.

Whinchat Horse Paddock

Wheatear

Received a report of a possible Blue-headed Wagtail in flooded fields east of the bodyshop, the bird is on private land and birders must stay on the footpaths. Breaking news of this bird is left to the discretion of other birders.

 Also this morningc. 150 Swallow, 4 Swift, and double figures of both Sand and House Martin, hawking over the fields, 2 Red Kite in the area along with 5-7 Buzzard, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 White Wagtail, singles of  Little Egret, Dunlin, Cetti's Warbler and Kingfisher. Good numbers of  Blackcap, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, and Yellowhammer. 5 Lapwing, and 2 GreyHeron.

Blue-headed Wagtail



Lesser Whitethroat

Yellowhammer

Dunlin

Willow Warbler

Red Kite

Evening stroll around Marsh Farm produced good numbers of Swallow c.100+ 10 House Martin, 5 Sand Martin, 2 Great-crested Grebe, 9 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 5 Lapwing, good numbers of Sedge & Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff,  Blackcap, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting,  2 Grey Heron, and 1 Snipe.

 

Offshore at the patch this morning 2e Red-throated Diver, 24e Common Scoter, 1w Fulmar, 12w 2e Gannet, 5w Dunlin, 2w Sandwich Tern, 3w Whimbrel, and 15w Grey Plover. In and around    the  bushes, 5 Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 1 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff, and a Buzzard.

Blackcap Atherington Pools

Records for Sunday 21st at Marsh Farm include 2 Green Sandpiper on the main pool, 2 Great-crested Grebe, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Shelduck, 4 Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaff,  7 Blackcap, 7 Reed Bunting, 4 Yellowhammer, 6 Sand Martin, 10 Swallow, 4 Buzzard, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Lapwing and a single Med Gull.

Whitethroat Marsh Farm



 

Records for Friday morning in a brief visit at the patch include 5 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff and 2 Reed Bunting.
Later in the evening from 17:30 produced 23w 8e Gannet, 7e Sandwich Tern, 5 Common Tern, 1 Great-crested Grebe, 30e Turnstone, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff 1 Swallow and a Sparrowhawk.

Couple of hours from 07:00 spent in the patch this morning in blustery conditions produced 26w  10e Gannet, 2e Fulmar, 2w Whimbrel, 5 Med Gull, 5e Commic Tern and 1e Red-breasted Merganser. 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, 7 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Reed Bunting, 28 Linnet and a Sparrowhawk.

Records for Wed 17th -  6e Sandwich Tern, 30 Brent Geese on the sea from the car park, 2 Med Gull and 4 Whimbrel flew west.

13 Swallow, 1 Common Tern, 1 Shelduck, and Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap present at Marsh Farm.

Records for Sunday 14th in the patch include 40e Brent Geese, 7e Shelduck, 2e Sandwich Tern, 2e Golden Plover 40 Turnstone and a 1 Great-crested Grebe on the sea. Singles of Firecrest, Goldcrest, Yellow Wagtail,and Black Redstart, 2 Swallow, 9 Wheatear, 2 Redstart,7 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Reed Bunting, 6 Skylark, and c40 Linnet.

 

A Coal Tit at the Marina on the 13th and the first Whitethroat of the year today with  1 in Bread Lane and 1 back of the Golf Course.

Disappointing offshore this morning with 94e 11w Brent Geese, 3w Shoveler, 3w Fulmar, 3e Diver spa, 22e 33w Sandwich Tern, 12 Med Gull, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, and 1 Great-crested Grebe. On the incoming tide were 28 Sanderling along with 3 Dunlin, in and around the fields 1 Green Sandpiper in the flooded field, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Little Egret, 10 Curlew, Grey and Ringed Plover, 2 Swallow, with 1 in off the sea, 3 Firecrest, 3 Goldcrest, 4 Wheatear, c50 Chiffchaff,  5 Willow Warbler, 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Redwing, 60 Blackbird 15 Song Thrush, 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 male Blackcap, 1-2 Black Redstart in the horse field 2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, and Peregrine on the gas tower..

 

Little Egret

 

Small numbers of Linnet seen in the patch today

 

Black Redstart

Bird of the morning was a Great-northern Diver flying west close inshore. At least 6 Firecrest in the area today along with the female Black Redstart still feeding in the horse field, 1 White Wagtail, 16 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 3 Wheatear, 7 Goldcrest, 2 Grey Partridge, 11 Curlew, 15e Med Gull and small numbers of Sandwich Tern.

Took a stroll around the farm this afternoon and connected with my first hirundine of the year 4 Swallow and a single Sand Martin over the pools, 40 Redwing, 25 Fieldfare,  still in the area. At least 20 Chiffchaff, 9 Goldcrest, 5 Reed Bunting, 1 Bullfinch, 2 Lapwing, 5 Yellowhammer, 2 Snipe, 2 Lapwing, 9 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 300 Wood Pigeon, 2 Grey Heron and 75 Black-headed Gull.

 

Couple more shots of the Firecrest present around Atherington

 

Goldcrest Atherington

 

Black Redstart Atherington Horse Field

Out mid morning after a rain break and glad I did with a female Black Redstart present in the horse paddock 1 White Wagtail and several Meadow Pipits. Out onto the sea with 135 Common Scoter, 250 Brent Geese, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 20 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, and 2 Diver spa all east 9 Eider and a Med Gull west.On the way back to the car following the footpath through Atherington pools 3-4 Firecrest  4 Goldcrest and 2 Chiffchaff.

Off Rustington Bus shelter late afternoon 4 Black-necked,  3 Slavonian Grebe and continuing numbers of Brent and Common Scoter moving east.

Firecrest Atherington Pools

Very quiet this weekend at the patch with only a surprise of a Woodcock from the Mill Path to add a little excitement, 1 Sandwich and 300 east Brent Geese were the only other birds of note. Yesterday was even quieter with only singles of Wheatear, Chiffchaff and small numbers of Med Gull offshore.

Couple of shot's from this morning.

 

 

Treecreeper Atherington

Wheatear  Climping Beach

 

Wood Pigeon

 

 

Dunnock Atherington

 

20 Mediterranean Gull, on the shoreline this morning feeding amongst the rocks, with 11 Curlew, 2 Wheatear on beach and 1 Chiffchaff Atherington.