BROOKLANDS PARK: Another visit to Brooklands this morning before the welcome rain. Green Woodpecker 'yaffling' and a Coal Tit singing, maybe 2 pairs in the park? Four Blackcap on territory plus a few Chiffchaff. Still a good number of Goldfinch and Linnet around, I guess some are migrants and other may stay to breed? Goldcrest and 3 Song Thrush in song. Four Cetti's Warbler around the lake & stream belting out their call. Six Swallows hawking insects over the water plus 2 Reed Warbler singing from the islands. Six Mediterranean Gulls were in a tight flock going west high, alerted by their deep call. Offshore 20 Sandwich Terns going east as were 40+ Gannets much further out (Bernie Forbes via SOS).
THE DOWNS: My walk today was along the Monarch’s Way to No Man’s Land and towards Cissbury Ring in dismal conditions, two Swallow (pic lower left) and single Common Whitethroat and Chiffchaff the only migrants, just one Corn Bunting along the path (top left) and a flock of ca.40 feeding in an arable crop where also pairs of Stock Dove (pic top right) and a pair of Red-legged Partridge (lower right). Also a pair of Stonechat and two of Linnet (Alan Kitson via SOS).
GORING GAP: A Great Northern Diver, 171 Sandwich Tern, 64 Common Tern, four Little Tern, 267 Gannet, two Mediterranean Gull, a Red-throated Diver, four Ringed Plover, eight Common Scoter, 26 Whimbrel, four Great Skua, four Brent Geese and singles of Arctic Skua and Bar-tailed Godwit. Also 104 Turnstone, 25 Oystercatcher, three Swallow, two Wheatear, three Blackcap, two Chiffchaff, two Grey Heron, three Skylark, a Whitethroat and a Treecreeper (Bt).
LANCING: Morning ride to work brought 3 Gadwall on the sea at Lancing along with one Gannet, 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Curlew and also 2 passing Linnets. And 4 Mediterranean Gulls over Shoreham (Shemi via SOS).
SOUTHWICK BEACH: Four Sandwich Tern (Bt).
WEST WORTHING: Just the singing Blackcap of note during breakfast at home this morning. The local Peregrine pair were seen while shopping in the early evening (DKC).
WEST WORTHING: Just the singing Blackcap of note during breakfast at home this morning. The local Peregrine pair were seen while shopping in the early evening (DKC).
