I started the day enthusiastically at Goring Gap but conditions weren't exactly inspiring and after logging a
Kittiwake, 28
Gannets, 15
Sandwich Terns, an
Oystercatcher, three
Mediterranean Gulls and 16
Little Egrets, I moved on. As I drove off, however, I spotted a juvenile
Yellow-legged Gull in a bin-raiding mob of
Herring Gulls! Stopping the car, I had a brief suburban gull safari as I photographed the bird through the car window.
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| juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at Goring Gap |
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| juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at Goring Gap |
The Adur was also quiet, with a
Common Sandpiper, three
Little Egrets, an
Oystercatcher, three
Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a
Skylark, a
Pied Wagtail, 140
Starlings, nine
Mute Swans and my first juvenile
Great Black-backed Gulls of the year (two siblings begging at a parent).
I hoped the weather would clear up as I drove to Pagham (it had been pretty wet at Goring and the Adur) but it was still raining when I parked up at Sidlesham Quay. Never mind, I walked in, clocking waders such as
Common Sandpiper,
Black-tailed Godwit,
Greenshank and
Whimbrel on the way to the heron fields. The
SQUACCO HERON was duly showing nicely when I arrived, and I was told this was the first time it had appeared since much earlier in the morning! It was certainly an improvement on my views yesterday. A juvenile
Kestrel was hunting grasshoppers in the same field.
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| Squacco Heron at Pagham Harbour |
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| Squacco Heron at Pagham Harbour |
I made a point of visiting Brooklands Park at midday and identified two juvenile
Yellow-legged Gulls among the reasonable gathering of large gulls, which also included my first two or three juvenile
Lesser Black-backed Gulls of the year (an adult was present too), and a further juvenile
Great Black-backed Gull. A
Little Grebe was also on the lake, along with the complete family of
Mute Swans still, and two
Grey Herons. A
Coal Tit was singing along the works entrance road.
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| juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at Brooklands Park (bird 1) |
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| juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at Brooklands Park (bird 2) |
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| juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull at Brooklands Park |
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| juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull at Brooklands Park |
