31st August 2020

 CISSBURY RING: A Whinchat in my favourite South East corner this morning. 2 Redstart in the same area and at least another 2 on the north side. 2 Wheatear at the top of the ring plus families of Stonechat. Also 1 Spotted Flycatcher and several Yellow Wagtails with the cattle. Andy Ashdown

Redstart and Whinchat - Cissbury - Andy Ashdown

GORING GAP: Very productive at the gap this morning, a good fall of common migrants and some visible migration overhead. Yellow Wagtails were moving in small groups from first light mainly west with at least 60 birds noted. Swallows (400+) and Sand Martins (100+) all moved south east overhead with at least 70 House Martins. 4 Siskins flew east, 2 Meadow Pipits south. Whinchats, 7 were by the rough field along the fenceline, 2 by the pumping station, Wheatears, 3 on the beach, 4 by rough field, 2 by the pumping station, 2 Redstarts along the east side along with a Lesser Whitethroat and at least 8 Whitethroats. A good number of Chiffchaffs by the pumping station with a single Willow Warbler, here a Spotted Flycatcher showed well with another moving to the west side. Other sightings included a single Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Grey Plovers, 2 Rooks (unusual here), a Snipe flew west along the beach, 2 Wigeon west, upto 8 Sandwich Terns and 2 Mediterranean Gulls in the gull roost and a single Mallard looked a little lost flying for a while around the gap. Nick Bond/Garry Messenbird/Clive Hope

Spotted Flycatcher and Sandwich Terns - Goring Gap - Nick Bond

SALVINGTON: A Whitethroat spent some time in my garden feeding up. A Grey Wagtail flew over as I left for the gap, Sparrowhawk thermaling over Durrington Rec. Nick Bond

Whitethroat - Nick Bond

WORTHING BEACH: Arctic Skua, juvenille bird east, 5 Gannets, 3 Knot W, 6 Sandwich Terns W and 3 Sand Martins coming in off the sea. Richard Ives

30th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: A quick look at the estuary from the airport at low tide produced 56 Ringed Plover, 18 Dunlin, 7 Linnets and 2 Little Egrets. No sign of either the Knot or Curlew Sandpiper. Nick Bond

HIGHDOWN HILL: 10 Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, 5 Yellow Wagtails over, Crossbills calling and a Red Kite. Garry Messenbird

29th August 2020

 ADUR ESTUARY: Juvenille Curlew Sandpiper again today on the mudflats opposite the airport, also Knot still present. SOS

DURRINGTON: A Peregrine Falcon was on Skyline appartments again, seen at lunchtime and again in the evening. Nick Bond

GORING GAP: Little Gull west, 1 Swift, a few Yellow Wagtails, 100+ House Martins west. Garry Messenbird

Five Wheatears on the fields at Goring Gap this morning. c.70 House Martins flew N over the Ferring/Kingston fields at 1000 but 25 later returned SW. Also 8 Linnets and a Buzzard there. A Kingfisher, five Little Egrets and an unidentified small wader seen flying rapidly upstream on the Rife (only got a brief rear-end view - not a Green Sand).Clive Hope

SALVINGTON: A Tree Pipit was seen and heard migrating over Durrington rec just after 8am. Nick Bond

28th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: "On the intertidal mud by the Airport this morning were, on the falling tide, 82 Ringed Plover, 13 Dunlin and single Whimbrel, Oystercatcher and Knot." SOS
"I haven't previously come across a Lapwing on the Adur Rec, although others may well have done so, but there was one walking about in the middle late this afternoon, apparently preferring its own company to that of the 14 (at least) on the saltmarsh on the other side of the road. Otherwise fairly quiet during a whistle stop tour on the bike south of the Toll Bridge. The wader hot spot opposite the airfield briefly had seven Ringed Plovers and one Turnstone. Elsewhere about 15 Oystercatchers, one Redshank, ten Little Egrets and a Grey Heron." SOS

WORTHING: A Willow Warbler moved through the garden first thing, when the male Peregrine flew over. David Campbell

27th August 2020

BROOKLANDS PARK: Couple of hours birding around Brooklands this morning was less productive although still evidence of autumn migration. 12 Blackcaps, six Whitethroats, single Chiffchaff and eight Willow Warblers with Kestrel, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker. SOS

CISSBURY RING: A GRASSHOPPER WARBLER, a Nightingale, a Redstart, three Reed Warblers, 41 Willow Warblers, 93 Blackcaps, a Bullfinch, a Goldcrest, two Song Thrushes and 12 Whitethroats were trapped. Val Bentley and Finch Domhnall

THE DOWNS: On the downs north of Steepdown in a large scrubby area we found a good number of migrants including four Whinchats, 10 Willow Warblers, 12 Whitethroats plus a Redstart. Nearby three Corn Buntings, two Stonechats and single Raven and Buzzard seen in the same area. On the walk back to the car a flock of 15 Corn Buntings, 40 Linnets and two Ravens. With the onset of rain we terminated our walk. SOS
Initially a still and slightly misty morning on the downs above Steyning; at least four Spotted Flycatchers, and a minimum of nine Redstarts around the bushes and fencelines on the Roundhill, delightful to see. Also three Sand Martins and six Swallows flew over, and 20 or more Meadow Pipits were around the slopes. A Garden Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and five Stonechats along the Monarch's Way above No Man's Land, where there were also Whitethroats and Blackcaps. Curiously only three Chiffchaffs and two Willow Warblers seen. With the wind picking up later on my way back I only found a single Redstart, and the flycatchers appeared to have moved through, though a single Tree Pipit was a patch tick for me. Raptor-wise Buzzards, two Red Kites, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, despite much scanning I couldn't find any sign of the recently reported ringtail harrier. SOS

EAST PRESTON: Pied Flycatcher in garden. George Kinnard

GORING GAP: The beach was busy first thing with 62 Turnstone and 58 Ringed Plover with just a single Dunlin, 5 Little Egrets flew west. The fields produced 3 Wheatear and 2 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatchers were mobile around the nw corner. 48 Yellow Wagtails moved west in small flocks 1 Grey Wagtail and 2 single Tree Pipits migrated overhead. Also migrating were 17 Swallows and 4 Sand Martins all moved SE. A few common migrants were also scattered around including some Willow Warblers. The gull flock included 3 Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Common Gulls. A single Buzzard flew north. Nick Bond

WORTHING: A Yellow Wagtail and a Swift flew over my garden early this morning. A seawatch from the end of the road in the evening was an improvement on last time, with a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Common Scoters (one on the sea), two Fulmars, a Common Tern, seven Sandwich Terns, 57 Gannets and five Oystercatchers. David Campbell

26th August 2020

 ADUR ESTUARY: A juvenille Knot was on the east side of the adur at low tide at mid day opposite the airport, with 52 Ringed Plovers and 10 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpipers were on the west bank here and south of the road bridge was 4 Sandwich Terns, 30c Ringed Plovers, 11 Dunlin and 24 Turnstones. Three Sand Martins, 90 Ringed Plovers. Nick Bond/ SOS

BROOKLANDS PARK: A Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Siskin (west), 2 Garden Warblers. SOS. A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, a Little Grebe and a Grey Heron in the evening. David Campbell




CISSBURY RING:  Ringtail Hen Harrier, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Redstart, 2 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, and 1 Grey Partridge. Chris and Juliet Moore Also 3 Crossbills, 1 Redstart, 6 Willow Warlers, 2 Red Kites and a Raven. Richard Ives

Hen Harrier - Chris and Juliet Moore

Yellow Wagtail - Chris and Juliet Moore

WEST WORTHING: A Brown Hairstreak photographed in front garden. Emma Cameron.  Five Sand Martins over the waves, two Grey Plovers, six Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin, two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, three Gannets and five Sandwich Terns were the highlights of a seawatch in the morning; also a Peregrine. David Campbell

25th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: juvenile CURLEW SANDPIPER opposite airport on flowing tide this afternoon. Also BLACK-TAILED GODWIT, three Common Terns, a Whimbrel, 10+ Common Sandpipers, two Greenshanks, c40 Ringed Plovers, seven Dunlin, four Sanderlings, 12+ Lapwings, 12+ Redshanks, eight Oystercatchers, 16 Sandwich Terns, an adult Mediterranean Gull and a Grey Heron.

WORTHING BEACH: 7 Sandwich Terns, 8 Sanderlings, 5 Dunlin and  a single Oystercatcher. Richard Ives

24th August 2020

ANGMERING: 22 White Storks presumably the birds from Knepp were seen over Downs Way heading WNW. They were later seen over Rustington, Littlehampton and Lymister as they thermalled further west. Garry Messenbird

CISSBURY RING: A few bits this morning between Cissbury and Nepcote Gallops totalled 7 Wheatear, 3 Redstarts, 2 Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat,   Spotted Flycatcher. Flyover Yellow Wagtail x4 flew towards Stump Bottom, but could find on ground. Also flock of 30+ Golden Plover flew high east over Golf course at 07:30. Nick and Claire Oliver

GORING GAP:  94 Turnstones, 41 Ringed Plovers, 3 Sanderlings, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 2 Dunlins, 13 Little Egrets and 2 Wheatears on beach. Yellow Wagtails 38W, Tree Pipit 1W, Sand Martin 4W, Snipe 1W high overhead. Ralph Simpson

THE DOWNS: ringtail HEN HARRIER again near No-Man's-Land; also Hobby and 20 Corn Buntings in Titch Hill/Steep Down area. Gareth James

FERRING RIFE: Two Whinchats in paddocks at Ferring Country Centre. Clive Hope

FINDON GALLOPS: Six Redstarts, two Spotted Flycatchers, 12 Wheatears, two Whinchats, two Willow Warblers, c100 Swallows, c100 Goldfinches, 20 Yellowhammers and two Red Kites. SOS. 15 Yellow Wagtails, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Stonechats, a Wheatear, four Whitethroats, two Blackcaps and 25 Swallows. Clive Hope


SALVINGTON: Yellow Wagtail seen and heard migrating over Durrington rec. Nick Bond

WEST WORTHING: Yellow Wagtail flew over Boundary Road. David Campbell

23rd August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: BLACK-TAILED GODWIT, two Greenshanks, three Common Sandpipers, 25 Ringed Plovers, nine Dunlin and a Kingfisher.

BROOKLANDS PARK: Pied Flycatcher, two Spotted Flycatchers, Garden Warbler, Grey Wagtail, Reed Warbler and two Willow Warblers. Gareth James/SOS

CISSBURY RING: Today's ringing session with Val, Pete and Mya was the site's busiest this year, with Blackcaps making the bulk of the numbers. By the time we'd counted nine flyover Tree Pipits, I suggested it was worth a shot putting the tape by the most open net and lo, the next net round saw two further birds, in the net by the player! A Marsh Tit was another good catch. Other birds included a Yellow Wagtail and two Red Kites overhead, a Willow Warbler, 20 Swallows, two Ravens, a Tawny Owl and a Sparrowhawk. David Campbell



MILL HILL: Hobby and Peregrine.

SALVINGTON: Tree Pipit and Red Kite flew over. Nick Bond

WIDEWATER LAGOON: MANDARIN.

22nd August 2020

STEYNING DOWNLAND: Redstart and a couple of Sand Martins. SOS

20th August 2020

CISSBURY RING:  3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Redstarts, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 30 Blackcaps, 20 Willow Warblers, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Greater-spotted Woodpeckers, 40 Swallows, and 8 Bullfinches. Richard Ives

Including Findon Gallops, 3 Hobby's, 6 Redstart, 4 Wheatear, 6 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, and 1 Grey Partridge. Chris and Juliet Moore 

A quick dog walk late evening produced 2 Wheatear, 3 Redstarts, 7 Whinchat, 12 Whitethroat, 2 Ravens and 4 Bullfinch. Nick Bond

Hobby - Cissbury - Chris and Juliet Moore

Redstart - Chris and Juliet Moore

Wheatear - Findon Gallops - Nick Bond

GORING GAP: 2 Whinchats along the barbed wire fence next to the rough field, a few Whitethroat around and a single Stock Dove and Kestrel. A couple of Sanderling, 20+ Ringed Plovers were on the beach. Nick Bond and John Dodd

Whinchat - Goring Gap - Nick Bond

WORTHING GOLF CLUB:  A Pied Flycatcher at north end of Worthing GC , south of Cissbury. where track from Findon Valley meets track from Warren Road. TQ139067 was still present this evening. Nick and Claire Oliver/Mike and Karen Galtry

Pied Flycatcher - Mike and Karen Galtry

19th August 2020

GORING GAP: A fleeting visit to Goring Gap early morning produced a flyover Yellow Wagtail. David Campbell

25 Gannets, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Sanderlings and 1 Dunlin. Richard Ives

18th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: On a falling tide this afternoon there were 18 Ringed Plovers and 12 Dunlins, along with a Little Egret, on the east bank of the river. On the airport side a drainage outfall was attracting up to 12 Pied Wagtails, including several juveniles, one of which appeared to take exception to the presence of a Meadow Pipit and chased it off in hot pursuit a couple of times. South of the main road there was a Whimbrel and 22 Lapwings, and by the Norfolk Bridge four Oystercatchers and 14 Turnstones. SOS

BROOKLANDS PARK: "A couple of hours wandering around Brooklands and the park this morning was fairly productive. 15 Willow Warbler and at least 6 Chiffchaff with a few Blackcap, the highlight being a Pied Flycatcher in the tall trees south of the old paddling pool. Later on another birder had a second Pied Fly in the northern part of the park just after I had left." SOS

CISSBURY RING: ringtail HEN HARRIER over downs,  Hobby,male Redstart, Wheatear and  Whinchat (on strip of Sunflowers near Titch Hill), a handful of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff and 100+ Swallow feeding low over the fields ahead of heavy rain (Chris and Juliet Moore)

17th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: A Greenshank and three Common Sandpipers.

BROOKLANDS PARK: Teal and at least three Willow Warblers. SOS

MILL HILL: Wheatear.

STEEP DOWN: Two Willow Warblers, a Raven, 40 Corn Buntings and a male Stonechat.

WORTHING: Willow Warbler in garden on Boundary Road. David Campbell

16th August 2020

ANGMERING: A OSPREY flew NE over Downs Way around mid-day Garry Messenbird

CISSBURY RING: A Common Redstart, 3 Wheatears and a Spotted Flycatcher Andy Ashdown

1st-winter male Redstart (Andy Ashdown)

1st-winter male Redstart (Andy Ashdown)

Wheatear (Andy Ashdown)

GORING GAP: A look in the SE corner of the Gap produced a bright Whinchat, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Whitethroat. In the NW corner (old farm ruins area) were another Spotted Flycatcher, four Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff. Clive Hope

15th August 2020

CISSBURY RING:  2 Common Redstarts, 8 Willow Warblers, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 TURTLE DOVE, 2 Stonechats, 2 Whichats and 11 Corn Buntings. Richard Ives

FERRING RIFE: The beach at the end of Ferring Rife had a Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and 10 Turnstones first thing. Two Garden Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, five Willow Warblers, three Reed Warblers, five Whitethroats, a Reed Bunting, a Goldcrest, three Little Egrets, two Grey Herons and a Sparrowhawk were among the birds encountered on my way upstream.

GORING GAP: 25 Turnstones, 1 Common Gull, 4 Ringed Plovers and 1 Whinchat Richard Ives

KINGSTON GORSE:A Wheatear, a Willow Warbler, a Coal Tit and two Buzzards were logged, plus 16 Turnstones and 19 Ringed Plovers on the beach. David Campbell

SALVINGTON: 2 Common Sandpipers and a Ringed Plover sound recorded throughout the night. Nick Bond

WEST WORTHING: Quite unexpectedly, this afternoon was my best ringing session in the garden yet. I opened the net in the hope that the Whitethroat I'd just seen - a garden tick - would fly into it. It did not, but four Willow Warblers went in, not tape-lured I might add, along with two Starlings (though one got out), two Magpies (one of these scrambled out before I could help it, too!) and four House Sparrows. Interestingly, three of the Willows were 2cy+. I can't recall any adults so far during Cissbury sessions. David Campbell

14th August 2020

BEEDING HILL-THUNDERSBARROW HILL (edge of our area): "Between Beeding Hill and Thundersbarrow Hill the place was alive with Wheatears and Whinchats, sometimes five or six of each in a row on the fence wires. A rough estimate would be totals of 50 and 25 respectively. Also perhaps 20 Whitethroats. Other records included one or two Willow Warblers, a Corn Bunting, two Yellowhammers, a flock of 20 Swallows moving west, three or four Kestrels, a Buzzard and a Raven." SOS

GORING GAP: First thing this morning, a Whinchat was closely tagging along with a Wheatear on the beach, following its every move, and further singles of both species later appeared. A Yellow Wagtail flew over and a Garden Warbler showed nicely in the northwest corner. Two adult Sanderlings, 16 Ringed Plovers and 39 Turnstones were on the beach. Four Whitethroats, two Whitethroats, three Sandwich Terns, two Common Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Mediterranean Gull were also noted. David Campbell

In the afternoon, at home in Worthing, I noticed two Willow Warblers in next door's tree. I opened my mistnet and soon enough one went in and attained a AA ring. David Campbell

13th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: 34 Ringed Plovers, 14 Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, an Oystercatcher and two Little Egrets. SOS

BRAMBER: Kingfisher along River Adur. SOS

BROOKLANDS PARK: Pied Flycatcher by cycle track. Also Redstart and c10 Willow Warblers. SOS

COOMBES: Red Kite. SOS

THE DOWNS (nr Steyning): 16+ Ravens, four Redstarts, four Wheatears, at least three Willow Warblers, two Corn Buntings, four Yellowhammers, Peregrine and Red Kite. SOS

GORING GAP: A Whinchat along the fenced rough field, a juvenile Green Woodpecker, a Stock Dove and a Little Egret flew over heading east. Gareth James

Whinchat at Goring Gap (Gareth James)

LANCING COLLEGE: c60 Swallows by access road. SOS

LANCING RING: House Martins and Swallows. SOS

STEEP DOWN: A Whinchat, nine Wheatears, six Stonechats, a Red Kite, two Ravens and c30 Whitethroats. SOS

12th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: GREEN SANDPIPER and Common Sandpiper. Bt. "Opposite the airport, the tide halfway down, nice to see a few waders - 31 Ringed Plovers (two juvs), four Dunlin (two ads, two juvs) and two Oystercatcher and two Little Egrets and two Swallows flew south." Also two Whimbrel and Wheatear SOS

THE DOWNS (Annington Hill/Steyning Bowl): "Four Ravens appear to have joined the resident corvids at the pig farm. I’ve seen them several times in the last ten days. Earlier a mewing Buzzard made me look upwards and I was fortunate to see a Peregrine flying south, very fast but seemingly effortlessly. Other birds included Linnets, Goldfinches, singleton Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat and Wheatear." SOS

11th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: "Mid-afternoon the tidal lagoon near the Dogs Trust held a Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper. A Kingfisher flew over the sluice, and a Kestrel was in the trees nearby. The relatively modest high tide may have left many birds concealed in the saltmarsh; the count south of the main road was 24 Lapwings, three Whimbrels, five Little Egrets, one Grey Heron and three Mute Swans. A lot of surface water disturbance was being caused by a number of quite large fish, thought to be Grey Mullet, although I stand to be corrected. A Painted Lady butterfly." SOS

LADYWELL: A Kingfisher, a Peregrine, a Grey Heron, 10 House Martins, two Cetti's Warblers, 17 Willow Warblers, five Reed Warblers and two Garden Warblers. Bt

STEEP DOWN: Two Whinchats and eight Wheatears NW of here. SOS

10th August 2020

NORTH LANCING: PIED FLYCATCHER and Garden Warbler in a garden this morning. SOS

STEEP DOWN: 12+ Wheatears, a Hobby, c12 Swallows and a Painted Lady. SOS. Also three Ravens, a Garden Warbler, five Willow Warblers, six Stonechats and 15 Corn Buntings. Bt

9th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: Two BLACK-TAILED GODWITS, a Greenshank, four Whimbrel and some Redshanks and Lapwings.

BROOKLANDS PARK: Three PIED FLYCATCHERS (two by north side of stream, one by old paddling pool); also female Redstart, a Common Sandpiper, a Garden Warbler, a Whitethroat, several Willow Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, a Reed Warbler and four Swifts. SOS. No further sign of any Pied Flycatchers in the afternoon but two Sand Martins, six House Martins and four Willow Warblers. Nick Bond

CISSBURY RING: This morning's ringing session with Val and Pete was much quieter than last time. A Garden Warbler, a small number of Willow Warblers and a couple of Bullfinches were the 'best' birds caught. Two Ravens, a Sparrowhawk and a Red Kite flew over, and there was a group of young Yellowhammers back towards the car park. David Campbell, Val Bentley and Pete Denyer

THE DOWNS: GREEN SANDPIPER flew from dewpond near Lychpole Farm. Spotted Flycatcher north of Lambley's Barn. Three Whinchats and at least seven Wheatears by Monarch's Way east of Cissbury Ring. Mike and Karen Galtry

PATCHING HILL: At least five Spotted Flycatchers. Mike and Karen Galtry

WORTHING: PIED FLYCATCHER at Dominion Road Open Space. SOS

8th August 2020

CISSBURY RING: Two Redstarts were the highlight of my morning at Cissbury Ring. The first was an elusive female, the second a smart adult male, giving away its presence with its hu-iting, like a forceful and unrelenting Willow Warbler. It even gave two brief bursts of song. At least one Crossbill heard flying over was followed later by a group of three high up; I'm recording these here pretty much every time, despite the lack of suitable habitat. Truly out-of-place was a silent Green Sandpiper which flew over quite low (perhaps having been disturbed from the Lychpole dewpond a couple of miles away?). Other flyovers included a Tree Pipit and a juvenile Red Kite. Back on the ground, at least two Spotted Flycatchers were mobile and warblers were made up of three Lesser Whitethroats, 14 Willow Warblers, six Whitethroats, seven Blackcaps and two Chiffchaffs. Eight Bullfinches, three Yellowhammers, two Mistle Thrushes and four Meadow Pipits were also around. David Campbell

BROOKLANDS PARK offered little in the way of gulls besides three Lesser Black-backs (two juveniles). For the second time running, only the female Mute Swan accompanied the six surviving offspring, and I learned that the cob has recently died, as I had begun to fear. Singles of Cetti's Warbler and Reed Warbler were by the boardwalk, while the lake hosted two Grey Herons and six Cormorants. David Campbell

7th August 2020

BROOKLANDS PARK: An evening cycle to Brooklands Park to sift through the gulls produced a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including a juvenile) and two juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls of note. Two House Martins, a Common Sandpiper, a Cetti's Warbler, a Willow Warbler, a Reed Warbler, a Little Egret, a Grey Heron, three Swifts and the family of Mute Swans (still six juveniles) were also noted. David Campbell

FERRING RIFE: It was two of everything this morning with GREEN SANDPIPERS taking the
top spot. Also Willow Warblers, Whitethroats, Swallows, Little Egrets and Linnets. Clive Hope

6th August 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: "The early afternoon high tide left a fair amount of saltmarsh exposed, helpful for the roosting waders but making it tricky to count them. A low-flying Sparrowhawk stirred things up a bit, leading to best counts of three Oystercatchers, 30 Lapwings, two Dunlins, one Common Sandpiper, 40 Redshanks, three Greenshanks, 20 Whimbrel and one Snipe. Ten Little Egrets. About 30 loafing Black-headed Gulls, and a few Herring Gulls, were joined by two restless Sandwich Terns. Just before high tide a Kingfisher flew past, my first here since early March." SOS

FERRING FIFE: My birding today was a slow walk up and back down Ferring Rife. After a quick check of the beach, where three Mediterranean Gulls, a juvenile Great Black-backed Gull, two Turnstones and six Little Egrets were feeding, my first surprise was a Kingfisher that made to land right next to me, before inevitably spooking and flying on. Just after this shock of blue, it took me a little longer to compute the dazzling red bird which flew out from the reeds: a male Northern Red Bishop, looking pleased with the habitat he'd selected post-breakout. My previous form for finding escaped landbirds is rather poor, with only one Cockatiel that I recall, so it certainly qualified as a highlight of the morning. Further upstream, I froze when I heard a GREEN SANDPIPER calling and it wasn't long before it flew past me. Only my second locally in getting on for three years in Worthing, this was a moment to savour. Later on, I relocated the bird feeding on mud a hundred yards or so downstream of the central bridge, where a little fieldcraft allowed good views without spooking this local rarity.



Eight Willow Warblers were encountered, some giving lovely views as they fed with little hurry in low vegetation, while five Reed Warblers were local birds. A brood of Goldcrests confirmed breeding and a Coal Tit broke into song briefly. Six Swifts and 10 Swallows flew through. A similiar number of Little Egrets to that on the beach began to gather in the conifers. David Campbell

5th August 2020

LADYWELL: 13 Willow Warblers, 10 Reed Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler and two Treecreepers among the birds trapped for ringing. Also Little Egret, Peregrine and 12 House Martins. Bt

LANCING: Hobby at 8pm. SOS

MILL HILL: Willow Warbler. SOS

PATCHING HILL: "91 Linnets left their roost first thing and a good number were present for the remainder of my visit. The most unusual sighting this morning was a flock of 10 Canada Geese in one of the stubble fields on the hill until flushed by a dog. The only obvious migrant was one Wheatear. A regular feature recently has been flyover CROSSBILLS, this morning 17SE and later 1E. Other birds of note included four Grey Partridges, one Corn Bunting, 3 Lesser Whitethroats and a Garden Warbler." SOS

SALVINGTON: A vocal Coal Tit was present in the south-east corner of Durrington rec early morning, also 2 Black-headed Gulls over purposely west. Nick Bond

4th August 2020

CISSBURY RING: Reed Warbler, 28 Willow Warblers and two Garden Warblers among the birds trapped for ringing today. Also Mistle Thrush. Val Bentley

HIGHDOWN; My first two Tree Pipits buzzed high overhead, unseen in the clear skies, while on the ground there were just singles of Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat. 45 Swallows were made up by a couple of main groups, one of which was clouding around a Sparrowhawk. The wooded area held a brood of Goldcrests, a couple of Treecreepers and a Nuthatch, while the grassland was charmed by around 60 Goldfinches, with smaller numbers of Linnets and Greenfinches thrown in. A young Buzzard cried in the distance and an adult was noted, while a Kestrel and a Canada Goose were among other birds heard. David Campbell

SALVINGTON: Greater black-backed Gull over south, first seen here for a while. Nick Bond


SPLASHPOINT: Wheatear still. Bt

WIDEWATER LAGOON: Four Little Egrets. SOS

3rd August 2020

RIVER ADUR AT CEMENT WORKS: 10+ Common Sandpipers just north of cement works. SOS

THE DOWNS: Two Hobbies along track from Downs Barn. Mike Galtry

LADYWELL: A Grey Heron, a Sparrowhawk, two Red Kites, two Kingfishers, four Swallows, eight House Martins, 45 Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, 10 Reed Warblers and three Garden Warblers. Bt

SPLASHPOINT: Wheatear on beach. SOS

WIDEWATER LAGOON: Three MANDARINS. Twitter

2nd August 2020

THE DOWNS (Monarch's Way nr Cissbury Ring): Four Whinchats, a Wheatear, three Stonechats, Corn Buntings, c50 Linnets, a Raven and two or three Red Kites. SOS

THE DOWNS (NW of Lambley's Barn): Two Redstarts in hedge. Mike Galtry

FERRING RIFE/KINGSTON GORSE: A Whinchat, two Wheatears, c10 Willow Warblers, six Little Egrets, two Grey Herons, two Buzzards, two Whitethroats and around eight Greenfinches. Clive Hope

GORING GAP: It was devoid of migrants this morning, besides a fly-through Sand Martin, but two vocal juvenile Sparrowhawks in the Plantation made my day. Two Common Gulls and seven Mediterranean Gulls were in the back fields. David Campbell




STEYNING DOWNLAND: A Marsh Tit, two Ravens and eight House Martins. Bt

WORTHING: The female Peregrine was back on Manor Lea and another Sparrowhawk flew over West Tarring Allotments. David Campbell

1st August 2020

CISSBURY RING: An enjoyable session at Cissbury this morning with Pete and Val produced 44 species. The ringing was our best day so far this year in terms of number and variety. The highlights in the nets were a Spotted Flycatcher, a Reed Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and four Garden Warblers, while Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff also featured in small numbers. A flock of 10 Crossbills flew over towards the end of the session but the highlight was a juvenile Cuckoo showing well on a nearby fenceline, guzzling a fair few big caterpillars. A Marsh Tit, three Yellowhammers, two Red Kites, two Ravens, 10 House Martins, seven Swallows, a Treecreeper and two Bullfinches were among other observations. David Campbell, Val Bentley and Pete Denyer
Other sightings here included a Wheatear and Silver-spotted Skipper. Andy Ashdown

Silver-spotted Skipper - Cissbury Ring (Andy Ashdown)

STEEP DOWN: 10 Wheatears, a Willow Warbler, a Raven, a Corn Bunting and three Stonechats. Bt

STEYNING RIFLE RANGE: A male PIED FLYCATCHER in hedge on south bank mid-morning. Also Spotted Flycatcher, Nightingale, two Grey Wagtails and three Marsh Tits. SOS