Round up - 16th - 31st August

 The Downs

Sorry for the late posting but the last two weeks of August have been far too good to be sat at home working on the computer. Warm sunshine, blue skies and light easterlies have meant there was plenty of coverage of the high ground from Beeding & Mill Hill, Steyning Round Hill, Cissbury and Highdown and all points in between. This has resulted in good daily counts of all our common migrants with those lucky enough to have the time enjoying multiple Redstarts, Whinchats, Wheatears, Spotted Flycatchers and the regular Warblers.

Highlights

Three Wrynecks in the Cissbury / Monarch’s Way area between 17/8 & 28/8 is worthy of its own separate post.

The only Pied Flycatchers of the month were seen briefly on Cissbury and west of Steyning on 25/8 but unfortunately neither lingered. A Reed Warbler was at Highdown on 17/8 and Cissbury on 31/8, whilst Crossbill was seen on Cissbury on 22/8.

Raptors included a lingering Marsh Harrier seen over Farmers Memorial, Steyning Round Hill on 24/8 and again north of Cissbury on 29/8, whilst Hobbies were recorded over Highdown, Cissbury, Findon Gallops, Sompting and Monarch’s Way.

                                                      Whinchat Cissbury (Nick Oliver)

To give a flavour of the numbers of migrants, coverage by multiple observers across our area on Friday 22nd August produced a conservative combined total of Redstarts (13), Whinchats (28), Wheatear (36), Spotted Flycatchers (18), Yellow Wagtails (16) as well as Lesser Whitethroats (6), Garden Warblers (3) and many Willow Warblers and Blackcaps.

                                                  Spotted Flycatcher - Cissbury (Nick Oliver)

Whinchats - small groups daily with peak counts from Monarchs Way (9) on 24/8, Steyning Round Hill (11) on 22/8 and Cissbury (5) on 31/8.

Wheatears - again present in small numbers with largest groups from Sompting (9) on 16/8 and Steyning Round Hill (15) on 28/8.

Redstarts -  daily with peak counts of Findon Gallops (5) on 17/8, Chanctonbury (6) on 22/8, Cissbury (8) on 28/8 and (7) on 31/8.

Spotted Flycatchers - present daily in small numbers with peak counts from Highdown (8) on 16/8 & 22/8 and Cissbury (10) on 16/8 & 28/8.

Yellow Wagtails - the first were reported from Highdown (7) and Monarch’s Way (20) on 17/8. Small numbers were seen daily until 25/8 when 40+ were with cows in fields north of Cissbury with a peak count of circa 150 on 31/8.

Tree Pipits - mostly recorded as fly overs with records from Durrington (3) on 22/8, Cissbury (4) 24/8 and singles 28/8 & 29/8, Lancing Ring (3) on 30/8.

                                                   Tree Pipit Lancing Ring ( Nick Bond)

                                                        Redstart - Cissbury ( Nick Oliver)

The Coast

Most of the action was from the Downs but Whinchat, Wheatear (2) and Spotted Flycatchers (2) were at Goring Gap on 16/8 and Swifts (8), Sand Martins (8) and Swallows (40) flew over Ferring on 18/8.

On 22/8 Wheatears (4), Whinchat (2) and Yellow Wagtails (8w,4e) were at Goring Gap with Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank (9), Dunlin (3) and Ringed Plover (26) on beach. Whilst on 23/8 there was a significant movement of Swallows (400e) a sure sign of the changing seasons as we move towards September. 

Wryneck Bonanza !

Strap in -  It’s been quite a period for Wrynecks in the Cissbury area over the last two weeks of August. This cryptically plumaged European woodpecker is much enjoyed by those lucky enough to catch up with them but can cause frustration for those trying to relocate typically elusive birds. 

                                                Wryneck - Monarch’s Way ( Matt Bowley) 

Wryneck are perhaps one of the most wanted self finds of the autumn being a scarce migrant, but one that turns up in small numbers each year. Encouraged by a good early run of common migrants Matt and Paul Bowley ventured up Cissbury on Sunday 17th August, and having already seen both male and female Redstart and two Spotted Flycatchers headed down Monarch’s Way to the area of set-a-side much favoured by Whinchats and Wheatears.

Much to his surprise Matt discovered a Wryneck sitting up amongst weeds and was composed enough to take some excellent photos. News was quickly circulated via the local WhatsApp groups and Matt and Paul were able to get other birders onto this furtive bird. True to form the bird then became typically elusive and disappeared for over 2 1/2 hours before finally popping up again in front of waiting birders including Matt’s brother, who had declined the chance to join them that morning.  It was seen again late afternoon and then finally just before sunset, but there was no sign the following day.

Remarkably a second Wryneck was seen briefly near the Rifle Butts on the south-east side of Cissbury on 20/8 but it couldn’t be relocated later in the day. Finally Nick Bond found yet another of these scarce migrants near the upper Cissbury car park on 28/8 amongst a fall of Spotted Flycatchers (10) and Redstarts (8) and other common migrants. Again it was typically elusive but did show later in the morning before going to ground once more.

Three separate Wrynecks across a 12 day period seems quite remarkable, and although it may be tempting to think these relate to just one bird the area is well covered on a near daily basis. As the birds were seen in three widely separated areas they almost certainly relate to three different arrivals. 

A fourth was seen briefly in private fields at Kingston Gorse on 31/8 but couldn’t be relocated.

8th -15th August

The week continued to produce a steady trickle of common migrants along the Downs and coastal strip but the star bird of the week and perhaps the autumn almost slipped through unnoticed. At this time of year there are a lot of Corn Buntings and Yellowhammers on the Downs including many young birds and with the focus on searching for migrants the buntings tend to get over looked. 

                                                      Ortolan Bunting (Richard Phillips)

This was almost the case on Friday 15th August when Richard Phillips was photographing buntings whilst looking for migrants on his local patch around Steyning Round Hill. It wasn’t until he looked at his photos late the following afternoon that he noticed a bird with a prominent sub moustachial stripe, obvious pale eye ring and pale bill all features of Ortolan Bunting, a scarce migrant which is far from annual in Sussex. 

Monarch’s Way and Steyning Round Hill 

The fence line along Monarch’s Way near the set aside fields held four each of Wheatear and Whinchat on 14/8 whilst the bushes around the Farmer’s Memorial held Spotted Flycatcher (8/8), Garden Warbler (9/8), Whinchat (11/8) and a Redstart which was present most of the week.

Findon Gallops

A Sedge Warbler was present at the top of Findon Gallops on 8/8 with Redstart, Wheatear, Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat (3) recorded in the Horse Paddocks on 14/8. 

Cissbury

There was good coverage with almost daily reports around the Ring from multiple observers. Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Whitethroat and a few tacking Lesser Whitethroat were seen on most visits. Wheatear numbers began to increase with four on 12/8 and six on 14/8. The first returning Spotted Flycatchers (3) were found on 11/8, with two more on 14/8, and Redstarts were present throughout the week with a maximum count of four on 14/8. A Black Redstart on 11/8 was an excellent August find on the Downs with most records of this species coming from coastal sites later in the year. 

Lancing Ring

A good haul of common migrants around Lancing Ring on 11/8 included Spotted Flycatchers (5), Redstarts (2) and Lesser Whitethroat (2). Nearby on the south side of Steep Down a combine-harvester flushed a Dartford Warbler and Corn Buntings (45) from a field of oats. 

Highdown

A late afternoon visit on 15/8 was very productive with an arrival of migrants including an excellent count of Spotted Flycatchers (13), Whinchat, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat (2) and a Hobby flying west. 

Worthing

A Wheatear was present at Worthing Crem (10/8) and Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler were seen in East Worthing (15/8), whilst a mixed flock of Swifts (12) and House Martins went south over Dominion Road (8/8). 

Goring Gap / Ferring Rife

A Quail was discovered calling in the large Clover  and Lucerne field bordering Ferring Rife on Friday 8th August which is an excellent record away from the Downs, with Wheatears (2), Swifts (15) and Sand Martins (6) in same area.Two Wheatears were also present on the beach at Goring Gap the same day with an increase in Turnstones (49) a single Sanderling and the elusive over summering Whimbrel again being noted.

On Friday 15th August Little Egrets (36) were on the beach with Wheatears (5) and waders included  Ringed Plovers (10) as well as similar numbers of Turnstones. Overhead visible migration included Yellow Wagtail (2w, 1e) and Sand Martins (8e).

Guest Blog Gareth James - There be Dragons.

If you read the small print the Worthing Birding Blog covers all wildlife sightings (even escaped Common Myna) so news of a first for Worthing area is a notable story. 

                                 Lesser Emperor Deepest Darkest Durrington - (Gareth James)

                                                            Ruddy Darter - (Gareth James)

Anyone studying an Ordance Survey map of Worthing would notice the area west and north of Durrington Tescos, even in the most recent updates, is depicted as fields with the odd stream or dyke. We all know this area has now been extensively developed with new housing.  Our intrepid local entomologist Colin Jupp set off on foot to explore this area and discovered several small ponds amongst the houses due west of Tescos and much to his delight found a rare Lesser Emperor. This is the first time this species has been recorded in the Worthing area and Gareth James takes up the story with his post from the Sussex Dragonfly Group website.

On Saturday 9th August, Colin Jupp discovered a male Lesser Emperor at a pond within a new housing estate in West Durrington. We visited the site on Sunday afternoon and checked a couple of the ponds in the area.

Most of the activity was at the second pond we visited, located at TQ107054. Here, we observed two male Lesser Emperors patrolling along the western shore, along with several Emperors and Black-tailed Skimmers. Also present were both Red-eyed and Small Red-eyed Damselflies, as well as a single Blue-tailed Damselfly.

The first pond we checked, situated to the south at TQ107051, held a male Ruddy Darter and a couple of Emperors.

We later learned that Colin's original Lesser Emperor sighting had been at a third pond at TQ107048. So, if you're visiting the area, it's well worth checking all three ponds but please mindful of the privacy of local residents. (Paul Bridget and Gareth James, West Durrington - TQ1005)

Lesser Emperor is a very scarce Dragonfly in Sussex only recorded from a handful of sites (see link for details). https://sussexdragonflies.org.uk/speciesAccount.php?species=Anax%20parthenope

1st-7th August

Early August continued to deliver a trickle of departing summer visitors pausing on the Downs or along the coastal strip to feed up prior to heading out across the Channel.

Goring Gap

                                                   Cattle Egrets Goring Gap (Ralph Simpson)

On Friday 1st August Ralph Simpson photographed five Cattle Egrets flying in from the east, which nearly landed on the beach with 30+ Little Egrets before having second thoughts and continuing west. Presumably one of these was the bird he had found on 30/7 returning with its friends. Also present on the beach were Wheatears (2),  whilst waders included Turnstone (18) and Dunlin and Sanderlings (7).  Nearby Swifts (8) and Swallows (15) were hawking insects over Ferring County Centre.

Cissbury

There seemed to be an arrival of Willow Warblers on Friday 1st August with 20+ birds recorded around The Ring but no other migrants could be located with them. The next day (2/8) four Redstarts were found in the north east corner and the ringing station on the northern flanks caught a Nightingale, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and lots of Willow Warblers. However a day later (3/8) the same area was virtually birdless with only a single Redstart remaining.

Monarch’s Way to Steyning Round Hill

The first Whinchat of the autumn was found near the Farmer’s Memorial on 2/8 and the following day two birds were present in the set aside fields at the bottom of Monarch’s Way just north of Cissbury and a Hobby flew over Stump Bottom.

The area around the Farmer’s Memorial held Redstarts (2), Wheatear (2), Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat (12) and Willow Warblers (2) on 5/8 with at least one Redstart and the Lesser Whitethroat still present the following day.

Sompting

Two Wheatears were present on the Downs above Sompting Church on 2/8.

Town Centre

Two Crossbills flew south west over King Edward Avenue (2/8) and a Wheatear was on the beach opposite Marine Gardens (5/8). The two escaped Common Mynas on the grass outside Durrington Health Centre (2/8) were a surprise for the finder but are probably best ignored. 

July Summary

Whilst most people see July as the start of the summer and look forward to the school holidays, we at Worthing birding are already thinking about the start of autumn. Many of our summer visitors will soon be heading south and will pause to refuel on the coast before continuing their migration. This can begin as soon as mid July but it is usually a month of waiting and hoping. However for those interested in butterflies (or moths) there was plenty to keep them occupied through the warm sunny days.

Early July started (and continued) with wall to wall sunshine and post breeding flocks of Swallows stooping over the wheat fields on the Downs north of Cissbury,  but for some the main event of the first half of the month was the Worthing Birders Summer Drinks on the 17th July. 

Quail - One was heard in the oat field south of the path between Lancing Ring and Steep Down on 10/7 and 24/7 and another near the gate on the north side of Steep Down on 18/7. Meanwhile a third bird was singing in the huge wheat fields south of Steyning Round Hill from 20/7 until 25/7.

Brooklands Lake  - Juvenile Mediterranean and Yellow-Legged Gulls were reported from  18/7. 

Goring Gap  - Early returning Common Gulls (3) were noted on 11/7 with 20+ Med Gulls including a couple of juveniles. A single Whimbrel was reported on multiple dates between 11/7 and 30/7, with Curlew on 12/7 and 16/7. 

Autumn is Up and Running 

The Birders Drinks raised expectations (fuelled perhaps by the odd shandy)  and rekindled enthusiasm to search the Downs for migrants and the very next morning our hopes were answered. Admittedly it was the hard working Juliet and Chris Moore that found a lovely male Redstart on Findon Gallops on 18/7 rather than anyone who had been at The Cricketers, but it was the first migrant of the autumn and whilst the floodgates didn’t exactly burst open, inevitably more followed.  

Two more Redstarts were at Patching Hill on 25/7 and still present on 28/7 along with a Sedge Warbler and Lesser Whitethroats (2). By the last two weeks of the month Willow Warblers were being reported in small numbers from multiple sites and the first Wheatear of the autumn was present along Monarchs Way to the north of Cissbury on 28/7.

Findon Gallops held Lesser Whitethroat (4), Common Whitethroat (8) and a Garden Warbler on 30/7.

Crossbills - It seems to have been a very good year for Crossbills with reports from across the county, and the Worthing area didn’t miss out. Patching Hill seemed to be something of a hot spot, with 43e on 25/7 and another 11e / 5sw on 28/7. Meanwhile small groups were seen flying east over the town on 27/7 with sightings from Lower Salvington (14e) and Rogate Road (8e). 

Swifts - Perhaps the first signs of departing Swifts were 85e past Goring Gap on 23/7 and post breeding flocks of 30 over Cissbury and 60+ feeding over the plantation at Goring Gap on 24/7. Birds were still also being reported from breeding territories at the end of the month - but they will not be around much longer. 

However we had to wait until 30th July for the best bird of the month, when a Cattle Egret was seen by Ralph Simpson heading west over Goring Gap, although you need to read the next instalment to hear how he would better this in August. 

June Summary

Highlights

An Osprey flew north over Rustington on 2nd June (C Jupp) and four Spoonbills headed west over Goring Gap on 16th June (R Ives).

Several Curlew heading west at Goring Gap on 22/6 and 23/6 were possibly the first autumn passage waders of the season and a Common Sandpiper on the beach on 26/6 (R Simpson) was almost certainly a returning migrant, whilst a handful of Sanderling and Turnstone over-summered on the beach.

                                                 Common Sandpiper - Goring Gap ( R Simpson)

Quail were heard uttering their distinctive “wet-my-lips” call on the Downs north of Cissbury between 27th May - 1st June and near Steep Down on 6th June.

Seawatching

There was some surprisingly late sea watching records with Manx Shearwater past Marine Gardens (1e) on 3/6 and Arctic Skuas past Goring (3e) on 9/6 and Marine Gardens (3e) on 11/6. 

Regular Breeders

                                                Yellowhammer  - Cissbury ( Duncan Kay)

As expected June was a very quiet month on the birding front with most of the news relating to resident breeding species.  Stonechats, Corn Buntings, Yellowhammers and Whitethroats all bred successfully around Cissbury with at least two different singing male Lesser Whitethroats also holding territories. Young Green Woodpeckers and Mistle Thrushes were also very much in evidence by the end of the month.

Swifts were reported throughout the month across the area with the biggest report being 23 near Broadwater and 12 along Boundary Road though at some traditional breeding areas numbers seem to be lower. The Worthing and Adur Swift Group do a fantastic job monitoring the local population and engaging with the public to raise the importance of Swift Conservation. 

Elsewhere up to six Reed Warblers were present at Brooklands with several males continuing to sing throughout month.