Tuesday 6 August 2019

Pulborough Brooks RSPB and Pett Level

I spent the morning with Phil at Pulborough Brooks, were we whiled away a happy couple of hours grilling the North Brooks. The long-staying Wood Sandpiper was on view there along with eight Green Sandpipers, a Ringed Plover, three Little Ringed Plovers, 22 Lapwings, a Mandarin, a Little Egret, three Grey Herons, 13 Teal, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, three Kestrels, a Buzzard, 11 Swallows, two Sand Martins, two House Martins, a Reed Bunting, 96 Greylag Geese, two Gadwall and two Shovelers. After seeing two Ravens flew over the reserve, I was blown away by the sight of a flock of 15 following in their path, though uttering just one soft 'cronk' as they went. Three migrant Willow Warblers were along the trail, including one in song, as were small numbers of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. One spot we passed had three Bullfinches feeding on the ground, and we had a further four of these elsewhere, along with three each of Treecreeper, Whitethroat, Nuthatch and Whitethroat, plus a juvenile Stonechat, three Green Woodpeckers, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 12 Linnets, a Goldcrest, two Skylarks and two Coal Tits.

Wood Sandpiper at Pulborough Brooks RSPB

After a couple of errands at lunchtime, Ingrid and I treated ourselves to a drive over to Pett Level. The light was not in our favour and it a bit breezy but we picked out the drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK soon enough - a lifer for Ingrid - in the left-hand corner of the eastern pool amid a mix of Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Ducks and Teal. 40 Sand Martins hawked over the pools, where a Little Egret was resting, and two Sandwich Terns flew along the sea wall.

drake Ferruginous Duck at Pett Level