In a quick look offshore at Brooklands I saw only a
Gannet and two
Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Around the park itself it was pleasing to see the family of
Mute Swans first reported the other day, with all seven 'ugly ducklings' present and correct and looking adorable. There was also a family of
Coots with five young. One of these was picked on a few times by the male but was later seen being fed. Hopefully they'll cope! Singles of
Sand Martin,
House Martin and
Swallow were hawking the duck-feeding area and I found a female
Blackbird in the final stages of nest-building. Other sightings included two
Mallard broods (five and 10), a
Grey Heron, two
Cetti's Warblers, two
Willow Warblers and three
Reed Warblers.
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| Mute Swan family at Brooklands Park |
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| Coot family at Brooklands Park |
At Widewater Lagoon the long-staying
Whimbrel was still showing well and I heard a
Dunlin. Two
Little Egrets and two
Mute Swans - including a 2cy - were also seen.
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| Whimbrel at Widewater Lagoon |
The lower Adur Estuary offered five
Whimbrel, 12
Turnstones, six
Oystercatchers, two
Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a
Skylark and a
Whitethroat.
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| Whimbrel on the Adur Estuary |
Along the stretch of the Adur between the A27 bridge and Botolphs I logged five
Swifts, nnother
Whimbrel, two
Lesser Whitethroats, three
Sedge Warblers, a
Reed Warbler, three
House Martins, 11
Whitethroats, a
Reed Bunting, two
Grey Herons, 11
Mallards, a
Canada Goose, two
Little Egrets, two
Buzzards, six
Swallows, three
House Martins and six
Skylarks.
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| Whimbrel on the upper Adur |
At Upper Beeding I heard a
Cuckoo by the flood relief pool, where there were nine
Greylags (four of which were young goslings), two
Canada Geese, two
Moorhens, a
Mute Swan and three
Mallards. A
House Martin and a
Kestrel were over the meadow on the south side of the village, where there was a singing
Reed Bunting.
