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. 

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.

Worthing

 An adult male Goldfinch was a nice catch in the garden, where a Pied Wagtail flew over and a/the Song Thrush was around.

Worthing

Once again the Grey Wagtail was back on the edge of the koi pond and a Chaffinch flew over. Yesterday two Great Black-backed Gulls - surprisingly notable just three streets back from the beach - flew over, and a Song Thrush was also notable for here.

Worthing

The net produced two Robins: a new bird and a retrap. The Grey Wagtail returned and a Redwing flew over.

Worthing

 I trapped and ringed a Goldcrest in the garden, and the Grey Wagtail again teased with visits to the pond, avoiding the net. After dark I heard a Redwing.

Worthing

 I caught another female Blackcap in the garden, while the  Grey Wagtail made another brief visit to the pond - bouncing out of the net - and a Sparrowhawk flew over.

Worthing

 A female Blackcap was a surprise in my garden ringing net this morning.

Worthing

While washing up I clocked a female/1st-winter male Black Redstart on the rim of our koi pond just a few feet from the window! It stayed there a few moments as I scrambled for the nearest photographic device then flew to the fence before vanishing. My third ringing tick in the last two days came in the form of a Coal Tit. They often visit our neighbour's conifer and one has started visiting our revamped feeding station - it was a long time coming! I also caught a Wren and a Great Tit. A Grey Wagtail flew over again.

The reason for my very sedentary birding over the last few days is the arrival of our little eight-week old Samoyed puppy, Beni, who obviously requires constant supervision and isn't ready for the big world yet. She'll be my main birding companion soon!

Worthing

Opening the net this morning produced two new in-the-hand species for the garden, Redwing and Goldcrest. A Jay was a noteworthy garden sighting, and a Grey Wagtail flew over.

I managed to sneak an hour at the end of the road, seeing four Red-throated Divers, 32 Red-breasted Mergansers, six Great Crested Grebes, 12 Sanderlings, an adult Mediterranean Gull.