ADUR ESTUARY: A circuit of the river from Shoreham Airport found 4 Wheatear on the path to the east of the airfield. three Skylarks were having a tussle out on the field. 20+ Swallows were going west at the north of the path. The sand bank to the north of the Toll Bridge had 38 Lapwing and 2 Redshanks. On the return down the east bank of the river the birds of note were 2 Little Egrets and 7 Turnstones just up from the Norfolk Bridge (SOS). Also reported were a Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, 35 Lapwings, two Stonechats, 15 Meadow Pipits, two Chiffchaffs, a Kingfisher, a Kestrel, two Buzzards, three Redshanks, a Little Egret, a Grey Heron and three Mute Swans (BirdTrack). Also a Grey Wagtail, 15 Redshanks, three Chiffchaffs and a Sparrowhawk (SOS).
CISSBURY RING: Three hours here in glorious sunshine found two Mistle Thrush in the aril-laden female yew, an eye-catchingly pale Common Buzzard with two normal morphs, a Sparrowhawk and two Kestrel, some 30 Stonechat, a Wheatear and a Redstart, a good many Meadow Pipit and Swallow both mostly flying west, several Chiffchaff and Blackcap, two Common Whitethroat both fly-catching and gorging on blackberries and a tit-flock of some 20 each of Long-tailed and Blue Tit and one Great Tit. Butterflies included still some meadow brown and flowers included scabious and yellow wort (SOS). Also a Redstart, a Wheatear, 15+ Stonechats, 50+ House Martins/Swallows, a Raven and good numbers of Chiffchaffs (SOS).
GORING GAP: With a northwesterly breeze I thought I'd give some vismigging at Goring
Gap a go, though the clear blues skies did not particularly help.
Passerines included two Reed Buntings, 344 Meadow Pipits, 61 Pied/White Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, two Sand Martins, 121 House Martins, 33 Swallows, 53 Linnets, 12 Chaffinches, 40 Goldfinches, four Skylarks and two Jackdaws. On the ground was a Wheatear, six Stonechats, two Song Thrushes, seven Goldcrests, three Whitethroats, three Blackcaps, nine Chiffchaffs. Offshore, Dark-bellied Brent Geese were returning from Siberia, with 122 heading west, along with a flock of seven Shelducks. A Whimbrel, a Redshank, three Grey Herons, 16 Little Egrets, eight Ringed Plovers and 19 Turnstones were on the beach. Also around were two Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk, two Mediterranean Gulls and three Common Gulls. Three Great Spotted Woodpeckers included two so embroiled in a silent and note particularly violent face-off that they argued just feet away from me (DKC).
WEST WORTHING: Casual observations around and over the garden included singles of Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit, Coal Tit and Sparrowhawk (DKC).
WORTHING BEACH: A brief stop on Worthing Beach was very worthwhile as I recorded my first returning Brents of the autumn with small flocks numbering 30 birds in ten minutes. A surprise was two PALE-BELLIED BRENT GEESE flying together westwards. There were also 10 Common Scoters, 4 Sandwich Terns and 3 Gannets. Not a bad ten minutes! Winter is quickly approaching (SOS).
