23rd April 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: Mid-afternoon, tide falling. Two BLACK-TAILED GODWITS on the eastern shore and almost directly opposite on the other side three Whimbrels feeding in the saltmarsh. A Little Egret by the Toll Bridge. A Reed Warbler and a Willow Warbler singing opposite Ricardo's entrance, and nearby a Common Whitethroat. Several Blackcaps. A Grey Heron flew low over the airfield. Another Reed Warbler and Common Whitethroat singing near the Dog's Trust (also Orange-tip butterfly). A (dead, sadly) Hedgehog on the Upper Shoreham Road, the first I've seen for a long time (Steve Gilbert via SOS).

GORING-BY-SEA: Female Sparrowhawk over Ilex Way (GJ).

GORING GAP: 21 Black-headed Gull, a Blackcap, 189 Brent Goose, two Chiffchaff, a Common Gull, 45 Common Scoter, 10 Commic Tern, eight Cormorant, two Eider, 32 Gannet, three Great Crested Grebe, three Little Tern, two Meadow Pipit, 33 Mediterranean Gull, two Oystercatcher, a Pheasant, a Red-breasted Merganser, three Red-throated Diver, 43 Sandwich Tern, two Skylark, a Stock Dove, three Swallow and 25 Whimbrel (Bt).

LANCING: Bar-tailed Godwit and two Sanderlings on beach. 23 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Whimbrel and four Mediterranean Gulls flew past (SOS).

NO MAN'S LAND: Two Corn Buntings, a Stonechat and two Whitethroats (Bt).

OFFINGTON: A Wheatear spent the afternoon in my garden (AM)

Wheatear (AM)

SALVINGTON: Interesting inland movement of Mediterranean Gulls, heard in the morning but too high up to get a count but 12 went over early afternoon, again high up calling as they thermaled nortg east, also a a couple of Meadow Pipits over and a single Swallow (NB)

SHOREHAM: GREAT WHITE EGRET flew east at 8.55am, plus four AVOCETS and 290+ Mediterranean Gulls (RF).

SOMPTING DOWNS: Three Corn Buntings and a Mistle Thrush, plus two Mallards (Bt).

UPPER BEEDING - SMUGGLER'S LANE (borders): Teal, three Cetti's Warblers and Garden Warbler (Bt).

WEST TARRING ALLOTMENTS: Female Sparrowhawk (Bt).

WEST WORTHING: Two Arctic Skuas and 15 Whimbrel past in evening (DKC).

WORTHING: 27 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 19 Sanderling, 11 Ringed Plovers, 12 Whimbrel, a Fulmar, a drake Red-breasted Merganser, a Common Tern, six adult Mediterranean Gulls, nine Sandwich Terns, 33 Gannets, four Linnets and a Sparrowhawk (SOS).