Worthing, Brooklands Park, Adur Estuary, Shoreham Harbour and Burpham

I started the New Year with a half-hour watch from the garden. A Buzzard flying east just a few minutes after sunrise was most unexpected and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker appeared in a neighbouring garden.

 

After dithering for a while about where to go birding, I opted for Brooklands Park, which turned out to be a pretty good decision. A male Kingfisher was offering superb views along the stream and was proving popular with birders and members of the general public. A Cetti's Warbler called there, too. Crucially, the drake Pochard remained on the lake, along with eight Teal and two Little Grebes. Two pairs of Mute Swans were on the lake, along with a lone adult male and three of last year's young, so there's bound to be some conflict over the next few weeks. A female Stonechat was feeding near the boardwalk. Looking offshore was where it got interesting. It was hardly bustling with birds but after the sea being so dead for so long, it was refreshing to actually see some birds out there. A feeding Great Northern Diver made my day, while four Shovelers, 11 Wigeon, 13 Red-throated Divers, 30 Gannets and 10 Red-breasted Mergansers were also seen. 20 Dunlin flew along the beach.

   

The flowing tide at the Adur Estuary RSPB reserve produced the wintering Greenshank and Curlew, along with a good many Snipe, Redshank and Lapwing. 20 Oystercatchers, a Reed Bunting and a Grey Heron were also present. Nipping around to the Shoreham Sailing Club was rewarded with close views of the wintering Black Redstart, while round on the wooden jetty by the fort were two Purple Sandpipers, with four Turnstones on the harbour arms.

   

A late plod around Burpham and The Burgh then produced the 10 adult Bewick's Swans, two astronomically distant Cattle Egrets, a Marsh Harrier, a Barn Owl, a Tawny Owl, three Red Kites, a few Buzzards, 10 Grey Partridges, three Red-legged Partridges, a Raven and a Fieldfare.

 

Goring Gap, Widewater Lagoon, Brooklands Park and Patching

 There was little going on at Goring Gap other than four Dark-bellied Brent Geese and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, plus three Great Crested Grebes offshore. Moved on to Widewater, where c110 Dunlin were roosting on the beach along with 30 or so Ringed Plovers. A Kingfisher made a brief appearance over the lagoon and a Sparrowhawk flew through the adjacent gardens. Five Little Grebes and four Mute Swans were present.  Next up was Brooklands Park, where the highlight of the day came in the form of a Lapwing overhead, being harassed by two Peregrines. Three Chiffchaffs were heard calling and the Pochard was on the lake, along with a Little Grebe. The new pair of Mute Swans was still present but there was no immediate sign of the resident adult female and only two of her offspring seemed to remain. Checking in at Patching sewage works finally, there were three Chiffchaffs and a Grey Wagtail around the filter beds, and a Red Kite flew over. Five Redwings flew from the trees. A final check of Goring Gap revealed an increase to five Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

Brooklands Park

Another visit today - with Ingrid - was primarily a dog-training exercise but I did note the drake Pochard, two Little Grebes, four Teal and a Cetti's Warbler. Two Stock Doves were remarkably approachable. The female Mute Swan had only three immatures in tow but a new adult pair was at the other end of the lake...

Brooklands Park

It was a beautiful morning and I met up with Gareth for a walk around the park. The drake Pochard was again showing on the lake, along with a Little Grebe, five Teal and the family of Mute Swans. Along the stream was a Kingfisher, while other birds included a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Redwing and a Meadow Pipit.

Brooklands Park, Ashdown Forest, Adur Estuary

A visit to Brooklands Park this morning saw me notch up my 100th species within the Worthing 10km circle during Lockdown #2, the faithful drake Pochard who is back for another lonely winter on the otherwise Aythya-free zone that is the Brooklands lake. Two Chiffchaffs and eight Goldcrests were in the bushes. Two Little Grebes, five Teal and the family of Mute Swans were also present. I learned that the smallest cygnet, which I'd presumed to have perished, was actually taken into care and ended up being released in London.

I had business in Crowborough so stopped at Wren's Warren in the Ashdown Forest for a quick walk afterwards, though I had nothing of note besides 11 Lesser Redpolls.

On the way I popped in to the Adur Estuary toll bridge and was delighted to find that there is now a permanent coffee and cake stall in the parking area. I scanned through the gulls and waders - cappuccino and brownie in hand - and counted two Grey Plovers, two Oystercatchers, 105 Lapwings, 19 Dunlin, 11 Redshank, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 20 Great Black-backed Gulls, two Little Egrets and a Grey Wagtail.

Brooklands Park

Another day at Brooklands Park. A Raven heard from the north end was the most notable bird for the site. There were fewer birds moving overhead today, with just two redpolls, four Siskins, 40 Goldfinches, two Linnets and six Chaffinches but 12 Skylarks, including a flock of 11. Two Cetti's Warblers, a Mistle Thrush, a Kestrel, a female Sparrowhawk, 12 Teal and the Mute Swan family were also logged.

Brooklands Park, Goring and Worthing

It was a busy morning at Brooklands Park, mostly with birds flying over. Goldfinches, in particular, were on the move. I missed the big numbers as the larger flocks were hugging the coastline, as I realised when I eventually made it to that side of the park! But I did notch up over 800. Other vismig highlights included two Crossbills, three Grey Wagtails, 25 redpolls, 50 Siskins, five Skylarks, a Reed Bunting, 11 Linnets, 18 Chaffinches, 21 Meadow Pipits and 12 Pied/White Wagtails. A pair of Gadwall on the lake was a pleasant surprise. At least one Kingfisher was hurtling around and three Cetti's Warblers were in voice. Also on the lake were two Little Grebes, nine Teal and five Mute Swans (the female with her four surviving cygnets). Two Coal Tits, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Green Woodpecker, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel were also noted. A Firecrest was waiting by my car when I was getting ready to leave.

Given the easterly airflow, which often delivers Casps, I headed to Goring Gap in anticipation but drew a blank. There were nine Turnstones, a Mediterranean Gull, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, four Skylarks and a Rook in the fields, though.

Back home, a Siskin flew north over the garden. Then, while helping Ingrid at the allotment at lunchtime I heard a Green Woodpecker, my first there and the closest I've had to the centre of Worthing.

Brooklands Park

 A fleeting visit to Brooklands Park produced a Tufted Duck, my first locally this year, on the lake along with four Teal, a Little Grebe and a singing Cetti's Warbler.

Worthing and Brooklands Park

 Two Sandwich Terns were off Worthing as I cycled to Brooklands Park this morning. At the park, I managed to dip both the Tufted Duck and the Yellow-browed Warbler; no sight nor sound of either. I did have two redpolls, 16 Siskins, a Mediterranean Gull, 23 Meadow Pipits, a Grey Wagtail, 150 House Martins, two Swallows, two Buzzards and two Sparrowhawks fly over. Two Little Grebes were on the lake, where the adult female Mute Swan was still accompanied by four juveniles.

Worthing, Cissbury Ring and Brooklands Park

A Sparrowhawk greeted me on the roof of a neighbouring house at home in Worthing first thing this morning, just after a Siskin flew over my garden.

This morning's walk at Cissbury Ring was hugely enjoyable, with 52 species noted, including a nice variety of migrants. There were nine each of Redstart, Tree Pipit and Spotted Flycatcher, as well as four Crossbills, two Whinchats, three Firecrests, four Yellow Wagtails, at least 57 Siskins, 10 Wheatears, 50 Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, 60 House Martins, 80 Swallows, 12 Chiffchaffs, five Whitethroats and 26 Meadow Pipits. Just as I ended a thoroughly satisfying morning of migrants, I was blown away to see a beaming leucistic Blackcap along the same fenceline as eight of the Spotted Flycatchers and two of the Redstarts. Surely the most start plumage abnormality I've seen in a passerine, it was a gorgeous little thing.

Resident birds included a roosting Tawny Owl in a bush, betrayed by mobbing passerines, as well as two Ravens, a Marsh Tit, a Sparrowhawk, three Buzzards, three Kestrels, four Green Woodpeckers, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Nuthatch, a Treecreeper, two Bullfinches, two Yellowhammers and six Stonechats.

At lunchtime, I set off for Tide Mills to see the Wryneck but ended up parked, along with hundreds of others, in the A27 Southwick Hill tunnel for over an hour due to an accident. When the traffic was finally cleared, I'd run out of time to make the outing comfortably to turned round and checked in to Brooklands Park. The adult female Mute Swan was with her four surviving juveniles, four Chiffchaffs were with a tit flock along the treatment works access road and eight Cormorants was quite a high count for the lake, but otherwise it was quiet. However, a juvenile Shelduck flying west over the sea was unexpected.

Worthing, Crawley and Brooklands Park

I gave seawatching a chance off the end of my road early morning. Five Sand Martins over the waves, two Grey Plovers, six Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin, two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, three Gannets and five Sandwich Terns were the highlights... Later, a Kestrel was unusual over the Broadwater roundabout and a Peregrine was on Manor Lea.

In Crawley, the gardens at World of Water had a Siskin and a Grey Wagtail.

In the evening, I visited Brooklands Park where a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was showing well and the lake also had singles of Little Grebe and Grey Heron.

Cissbury Ring and Brooklands Park

Two Redstarts were the highlight of my morning at Cissbury Ring. The first was an elusive female, the second a smart adult male, giving away its presence with its hu-iting, like a forceful and unrelenting Willow Warbler. It even gave two brief bursts of song. At least one Crossbill heard flying over was followed later by a group of three high up; I'm recording these here pretty much every time, despite the lack of suitable habitat. Truly out-of-place was a silent Green Sandpiper which flew over quite low (perhaps having been disturbed from the Lychpole dewpond a couple of miles away?). Other flyovers included a Tree Pipit and a juvenile Red Kite. Back on the ground, at least two Spotted Flycatchers were mobile and warblers were made up of three Lesser Whitethroats, 14 Willow Warblers, six Whitethroats, seven Blackcaps and two Chiffchaffs. Eight Bullfinches, three Yellowhammers, two Mistle Thrushes and four Meadow Pipits were also around.

Brooklands Park offered little in the way of gulls besides three Lesser Black-backs (two juveniles). For the second time running, only the female Mute Swan accompanied the six surviving offspring, and I learned that the cob has recently died, as I had begun to fear. Singles of Cetti's Warbler and Reed Warbler were by the boardwalk, while the lake hosted two Grey Herons and six Cormorants.

Brooklands Park and Worthing

An optimistic evening visit produced my first juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull of the year (along with an adult).

Later on, Nick and Gareth popped round to the garden to join Ingrid and I for desserts and drinks. We were entertained by 14 Swifts and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and - after dark - Comet Neowise, Saturn and Jupiter...

Brooklands Park

Today's gull session was worth it for good views of five Mediterranean Gulls (a juvenile, two second-summers and two adults) and the first Common Gull of the season, an adult. There were also three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, four Reed Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, two Little Egrets, a Grey Heron, a Little Grebe, two Goldcrests and the Mute Swan family. Six Swifts included a couple that dropped down to scoop a drop of water from the lake. A couple of new Moorhen broods were out.

Brooklands Park

Again no juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at Brooklands this evening but an adult Mediterranean Gull and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Widewater Lagoon, Adur Estuary, Brooklands Park, Pagham Harbour and Worthing

As I cycled past Widewater, four Little Egrets included three juveniles, while a pair of Mute Swans had a youngster.

Little Egret at Widewater Lagoon

The Adur Estuary was a bit of a fail as the footpath on the west side was closed. A Whimbrel, four Oystercatchers, a Sparrowhawk and three Little Egrets were the sole highlights before I bailed out to go elsewhere.

Cycling back home late morning, I saw a fair few gulls were on the lake at Brooklands so stopped, thinking surely today I'd find a juvenile Yellow-leg. Alas, no. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls was as good as it got. A Grey Heron and two Reed Warblers were around the edge of the lake.

I stopped on Worthing beach, where another Little Egret flew past.

Then it was Pagham Harbour. Busy scenes at Church Norton included one sought-after Roseate Tern - a new county bird for me - along with 40 Little Terns and over 100 Sandwich Terns but only a small handful of Common Terns. 40 or so Mediterranean Gulls included a juvenile, while waders comprised two Common Sandpipers, 85 Dunlin, four Whimbrel, a few Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher, and about 20 each of Curlew and Redshank.

adult Roseate Tern at Pagham Harbour

At the North Wall, Phil and I had a Spotted Redshank just moulting out of summer dress, as well as around 60 Black-tailed Godwits, a couple more Common Terns, seven Teal, another Whimbrel, a few Lapwings and a couple of Sedge and Reed Warblers.

Spotted Redshank at Pagham Harbour

Black-tailed Godwit at Pagham Harbour

Common Tern at Pagham Harbour

In the evening, the adult female Peregrine was back along my road in Worthing.

Brooklands Park

A visit this afternoon to scan through the gulls didn't produce the desired juvenile Yellow-legged. There were four juvenile Herring Gulls among the small gathering though, as well as a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a juvenile Black-headed Gull. Two juvenile Grey Wagtails were feeding in a bare patch in the reedbed, where two Reed Warblers sang and a Grey Heron stalked the margins. The Mute Swan family was going strong with its six surviving young now well grown.

Brooklands Park

A walk around Brooklands Park late afternoon was typical for such a calm summer's day. The Mute Swan brood was down to six, three Swifts hawked over the lake, where a Little Egret jumped between islands and four Reed Warblers and a Cetti's Warbler sang around the edges.

Brooklands Park

Two Cetti's Warblers, two Reed Warblers, a Reed Bunting, the complete Mute Swan family, two Buzzards, a male Kestrel, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, three Pied Wagtails (including a juvenile) and two Swifts were this morning's highlights at Brooklands.

Goring Gap and Brooklands Park

The wind hindered play today and Goring Gap was quiet, with a Swift, five Blackcaps and a Whitethroat among the very few birds noted mid-morning. Ingrid and I walked to Brooklands Park and back late afternoon, where we had the Mute Swan family, a Cetti's Warbler, a Grey Wagtail, two Reed Warblers and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, while young Mallards were mostly full-grown and hanging around in gangs and drakes were entering alternate plumage. One of the cygnets stood out as it was left behind when the rest of the family ventured off the main island to feed; as it caught up it swan slightly unsteadily and looked subtly smaller but soon began feeding well so will hopefully be okay. The only Coot brood - of five - was still going strong. As we left, a procession of at least 48 Swifts arrived off the sea.

Mute Swans at Brooklands Park