January 1st 2019

Where else to start the year but GORING GAP? I only gave it the first 45 minutes of the day, though, as it was clearly quieter than yesterday. Smaller numbers of Great Crested Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea, while a Wigeon, four Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 35 Gannets, three Razorbills, two Red-throated Divers and seven auks were also noted offshore. Sanderling, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Turnstone and Grey Plover were all duly logged and 10 Mediterranean Gulls were in the fields. DKC

There was a Black-tailed Godwit in one of the horse paddocks by Ferring Rife - a first for the site I think - not seen by me unfortunately! 

I did a 45 min seawatch at Ferring block on 1st from 0830. I logged c.180 Gannets, 25 Kittiwakes, 60 Auks (mostly distant but likely Razorbills) W, 40+ GC Grebes, 2 Red-throated Divers and 55 Red-brested Mergansers on the sea, a single Brent Goose W and a flock of 11 Med Gulls together on the sea off the Gap.

J and S Maskell counted 382 Gannets feeding offshore in the afternoon between Goring and Worthing CH