The Downs, Sullington, Petworth Park and Warnham LNR

A day with Phil. Two Corn Buntings on the downs off Titch Hill included one singing. A couple of Red-legged Partridges announced themselves and a flock of over 60 Pied Wagtails was feeding in the fields. Other sightings included a Raven, a Stonechat, a Sparrowhawk, male Kestrel, 40 Linnets, a Reed Bunting and a flyover Lesser Black-backed Gull.

A quick stop at Sullington secured views of a Little Owl.

Little Owl at Sullington

 We visited Petworth Park in the hope of Goosander. We had no luck on that point but a hearty pub lunch made up for it! We did have two Mistle Thrushes, two Egyptian Geese, a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, three Pochards, 32 Tufted Ducks, a Redwing, two Green Woodpeckers and two Great Crested Grebes.

We changed our original vague plans and ended up at Warnham LNR for the rest of the afternoon. Two Marsh Tits, eight Pochards, two Gadwall, six Teal, four Reed Buntings, two Nuthatches, two Treecreepers, a Great Crested Grebe, a Grey Wagtail and the nesting Grey Herons (at least one was sitting) were the highlights, along with a pair of very showy Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

male Great Spotted Woodpecker at Warnham LNR

Grey Heron on nest at Warnham LNR

drake Pochard at Warnham LNR

Reed Buntings at Warnham LNR

Brooklands Park, Sullington and Goring Gap

Highlights at Brooklands Park this morning included a pair of Sparrowhawks, a Cetti's Warbler, a Reed Bunting, a Grey Wagtail, four Teal, three Little Grebes and two Grey Herons. The Mute Swan family seemed to be breaking up and only three of last year's young seemed to still be on site, two of these venturing up the stream. An adult Mediterranean Gull and around 15 Ringed Plovers were along the beach.

Grey Heron at Brooklands Park

While I waited for Ingrid at her fish tank job in Sullington, my usual short walk was quieter than usual but featured two Redwings, three Buzzards, a Green Woodpecker and two Skylarks.

A five-minute look at Goring Gap at lunchtime produced three adult Mediterranean Gulls.

Sullington

The only birding today was an hour's stroll near Sullington while I waited for Ingrid at a tank maintenance call-out. The usual trees hosted a pair of Little Owls, while other birds included 19 Fieldfares, a Mistle Thrush, a Grey Wagtail, two Yellowhammers and a Kestrel.

Little Owls

Picket Post and Sullington

It wasn't a birding day, but on the drive back a Lapwing flew over the main road at Picket Post and while Ingrid was working in Sullington I took my usual walk around the nearby fields, where there were a couple of singing Yellowhammers, a Nuthatch, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a couple of Swifts, a Skylark, a Mistle Thrush and a flyover Black-headed Gull.

Goring Gap, Tilgate Forest, Sullington, Washington and Hickstead

Goring Gap produced two Common Scoters on the sea, four Red-throated Divers, 11 Red-breasted Mergansers, 10 Great Crested Grebes, two Gannets, a Redshank, five Oystercatchers, 28 Grey Plovers, 22 Turnstones, 23 Sanderlings, 15 Dunlin, three adult Mediterranean Gulls and a singing Skylark.

On the way to picking Ingrid up from Gatwick I stopped at Tilgate Forest, noting two Crossbills, two Lesser Redpolls, six Siskins, two Bullfinches, three Buzzards, three Treecreepers and two Nuthatches.

Ingrid had a job managing a fish tank in Sullington and I roamed the nearby countryside while I waited for her. A Little Owl showed nicely and another called nearby. Six Redwings, two Linnets, three Buzzards and a Green Woodpecker were among the other birds noted.

Little Owl at Sullington

Working our way home, a Red Kite flew over the road as we passed through Washington, and a Treecreeper was singing in the Maidenhead Aquatics car park in Hickstead.

Goring Gap, Ferring Rife and Sullington

An hour seawatch in the morning produced two Red-throated Divers, 25 Gannets, over 100 Kittiwakes, three Common Gulls, 648 auks (mostly Razorbills, one Guillemot identified) and two Wigeon, as well as uncounted Red-breasted Mergansers and Great Crested Grebes on the sea. The female Stonechat was still in the rough area.

A walk along Ferring Rife produced a Snipe and a Chiffchaff. Another Mediterranean Gull was on the beach.

While waiting for Ingrid working on a fish tank near Sullington I took a walk around the nearby farmland, seeing eight Yellowhammers and a Sparrowhawk of note.