Worthing

 Another Blackcap caught in the garden today.

Worthing

 A look around Heene Cemetery produced three Redwings. A Peregrine flew over my garden in the morning, where towards dusk I caught a male Blackcap.

Worthing

 Two Dark-bellied Brent Geese flew past Marine Gardens, where three Turnstones were on the beach.

Worthing

 The male Blackcap was again in Marine Gardens. Offshore were 25 Red-breasted Mergansers, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 76 Dunlin, two Kittiwakes, a Mediterranean Gull, four Red-throated Divers and 24 Gannets. Later a young Sparrowhawk was trying to get at my quails in the garden.

Worthing

 Walking through Marine Gardens produced three Redwings, Sparrowhawk, a Grey Wagtail, two Goldcrests and a Coal Tit. I then seawatched from the shelter, seeing two Common Scoters, six Red-breasted Mergansers, five Great Crested Grebes, a Ringed Plover, 18 Razorbills, 326 distant auks, eight Kittiwakes, three Mediterranean Gulls, eight Red-throated Divers and 73 Gannets.

Worthing

The beach at Marine Gardens produced a Mute Swan, two Mallards, a Dark-bellied Brent Goose, four Red-breasted Mergansers, three Great Crested Grebes, nine Oystercatchers, a Sanderling, three Ringed Plovers and two Red-throated Divers.

Worthing

Three Shelducks, 11 Wigeon, 19 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, two Red-throated Divers, nine Red-breasted Mergansers, three Gannets, three Great Crested Grebes, two Mediterranean Gulls, four Sanderling, a Ringed Plover, six Oystercatchers and 255 auk sp from Marine Gardens in a couple of short watches from Marine Gardens today.

Worthing

A walk around Marine Gardens produced a male Blackcap and a Grey Wagtail. I then looked at the sea from the adjacent beach, logging 31 Red-breasted Mergansers, four Great Crested Grebes, a Sanderling, a Ringed Plover, an Oystercatcher, 10 auk sp, a Red-throated Diver and 12 Cormorants.

Worthing

A seawatch from the end of Grand Avenue for just over an hour produced five Red-throated Divers, a Common Scoter, a Mute Swan, 16 Razorbills, 280 auk sp, 30 Kittiwakes, 60 Gannets, two Mediterranean Gulls, 17 Red-breasted Mergansers, 10 Great Crested Grebes and five Oystercatchers. 

Goring Gap

During a quick visit late afternoon, there were three Mediterranean Gulls, two Redshanks, 43 Grey Plovers, 110+ Dunlin, three Ringed Plovers, five Red-breasted Mergansers, a Great Crested Grebe, a Sparrowhawk and two Stonechats.

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.

 

Worthing

 Just a walk along the beach today to sign the year off, but it was a gorgeous morning. Seven Dark-bellied Brent Geese flying west and three Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea were the avian highlights. At home a Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling from across the road and I retrapped a Wren.

Lyminster, Goring Gap and Worthing

Typically last-minute for me, I completed my first of the season's two Sussex Winter Bird Survey visits to my square at Broomhurst Farm, Lyminster. The Lapwing flock wasn't as big as normal but still numbered 75 birds, while a Water Rail, two Cetti's Warblers, three Little Egrets, four Red Kites, two Stonechats, six Reed Buntings, a Treecreeper and a Mistle Thrush were among some of the other birds noted.

A quick stop at Goring Gap at lunchtime was disappointing for gulls again, with just two adult Mediterranean Gulls for me, along with a small handful of roosting Ringed Plover and Dunlin.

The most memorable moment of the day by far came when I got home to find a Song Thrush in the house. After quickly fitting it with a ring, it went on its way quite happily.

Goring Gap

 Just a quick stop at lunchtime, when a Dark-bellied Brent Goose flew into the roost field. Among the gulls were two adult Mediterranean Gulls.

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.

The Downs and Ferring Rife

I started the day walking the downs in the Lychpole Farm/Beggars Bush area. This produced a Chiffchaff, a Reed Bunting, seven Yellowhammers, four Meadow Pipits, 10 Fieldfares, 20 Redwings, 15 Skylarks, a Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard.

At lunchtime I headed over to Ferring Rife, finding a Water Rail and two Reed Buntings.

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.

Goring Gap

Just a quick trip at midday, with a pair of Stonechats, a Great Crested Grebe, three Gannets, five Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin, three Turnstones and c40 Common Gulls to show for it.

Sidlesham

I took Beni the Samoyed for her first proper birding trip, to Sidlesham on the edge of Pagham Harbour, where I've been dying to twitch the Richard's Pipit there for days. Said bird was eventually found when Ed turned up, and offered good scope views, while a short walk further along the lane bagged us the Glossy Ibis in flight with at least 30 Cattle Egrets. 10 or so Yellowhammers, 20 Meadow Pipits and a Reed Bunting were around. Also three Stonechats, a Chiffchaff and some distant Curlew heard.