January - A soggy end

After a promising start the remainder of January became a bit of a siege with only the briefest interludes in the persistent rain giving birders a chance to get out. Those that squelched through the muddy fields and tracks, not surprisingly found it hard work, but there were a few new finds to keep year lists ticking over.

A few tentative signs of Spring were noted with a small number of over wintering Blackcaps becoming more prominent and even optimistically bursting into bouts of song. At least one male was present on 25th at Boundary Road and on the same date the RSPB big garden birdwatch revealed two previously unseen wintering males near Durrington Rec, and four were also present at Goring Gap. 

The Downs

There was little if any signs of Spring on the Downs above Cissbury and whilst small numbers of Fieldfare continued to feast on Hawthorn berries around Stump Bottom and No Man’s Land, the Redwings and the Corn Bunting flocks seem to have dispersed. 

However a bright sunny day on 28/1 gave us hope, with a reappearance of the ring-tailed Hen Harrier between No Man’s Land and the Monarch’s Way. Encouragingly a Goshawk was seen soaring above the northern escarpment and plenty of Red Kites and a pair of Raven were prospecting for nest sites.

Meanwhile a muddy puddle on the north side of the Downs on the outskirts of Steyning played host to a Green Sandpiper, initially found at the end of December it reappeared on 19/1 and was still present at month end.

River Adur, Shoreham

                                                           Little Gull ( Richard Allan)

An adult Little Gull was present on the River Adur, Shoreham 20-21/1and reappeared again on 27-28/1 favouring the stretch between the Toll and the Railway Bridges. This delicate gull is more usually seen passing offshore on a spring seawatch or following winter storms, so a lingering bird showing at close range was popular with local observers.

The Adur in Shoreham is very well watched throughout the year and is a reliable site for the odd wintering Grey Plover and a small flock of Dunlin and the brilliant azure flash of a Kingfisher always brightens up an afternoon’s birding no matter how dull or damp the weather. It is also an excellent site for bathing or roosting gulls with Yellow-legged and Caspian Gulls often picked out by diligent local bird watchers scanning carefully through the gatherings of the large gull species. First winter Caspian Gulls were recorded (16/1, 18/1 & 30/1), and are well documented in Richard Fairbank’s excellent blog, whilst two adult Yellow-legged Gulls were present on several dates.

Goring Gap / Ferring Rife

The other main site for roosting large gulls is Goring Gap though the numbers so far this year have been disappointing. By 22/1 the roost in the wet fields had began to build up and contained 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls amongst c200 Common Gulls and c15 Greater Black-backed Gulls.

On 31/1 there were three singing Skylarks and a single Lapwing,

Meanwhile the flood at the west end of Angmering continued to hold small numbers of dabbling duck until at least end of January, with the month end continuing to hold local interest. Totals were Egyptian Goose (2), Shoveler(19),  Gadwall (27), Wigeon(45), Mallard (18) and Teal (60). 

Seawatching

Winter seawatching isn’t for everyone but those who braved the conditions recorded good numbers of Red-throated Divers, presumably moving between feeding sites as well as a couple of the scarcer diver species. 

20/1 Marine Gardens : Brent Geese (65e),  Razorbills (200+) Gannets (20). 

24/1 Brougham Rd (08:00-10:00) : A big movement of Red-throated Divers (96e,1w), Brent Geese (18e), Kittiwake (3e), Gannet (c60) and auk sp (29).  

25/1 Rustington (09:00-1030): Red-throated Diver (102e) and Common Scoter (2e).

29/1 Widewater: Black-throated Diver (1), Red-throated Diver (35) and Fulmar (2),

30/1 Marine Gardens: Gannets (c50), Black-throated Diver (1e) and Fulmar (2). 

31/1 Marine Gardens: Gannets (c50), Great Northern Diver (1e), Red-throated Diver (55e), Brent Geese (20e), Razorbill (4) and Kittiwake (6e).

Mid January - Nice weather for Ducks

The bright cold snap was replaced with a more typically damp wet week and with a return to work,  not surprisingly, fewer birds were reported. The only advantage of the rain was a small arrival of wildfowl on the flooded fields around Angmering giving year listers a chance to catch up with a number of species that are only usually recorded passing offshore during sea watches. 

Seawatching

A Bonxie flew west past Brougham Rd on 11/1 whilst waders on the beach at Goring Gap included c20 Sanderling, a few Dunlin and 30+ Oystercatchers.

Just  two Brent Geese and Red-breasted Merganser headed west from Goring Gap on 14/1 with Red-throated Divers (3) and Great-crested Grebes (8) on the sea.

The first Marine Garden seawatch of year on 16/1 was quite productive with Red-throated Divers (9),  a close Great Northern Diver, diver sp (4) and Red-breasted Merganser (6) all seen heading east in an hour over high tide, followed by Red-throated Divers (6), Red-breasted Merganser and Razorbill (2) later that morning.

On 17/1 a Great Northern Diver flew in from the east and landed on the sea off Patterson’s Walk, Goring. 

Angmering

Shoveler (7) were noted along Black Ditch, near New/ Common Barn, Angmering on 7/1, however following the heavy rain this area flooded and proved attractive to wildfowl usually difficult to catch up with inside the 10 km boundary. The Shoveler flock increased to 22 with Wigeon (85), Teal (4) and a drake Pintail present on 18/1 along with Curlew (2), Fieldfare (35) and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

The Downs

Very little changed on the Downs with Corn Buntings and a few Fieldfare noted around No Man’s Land / Stump Bottom on 10th, however a few days later it seemed much busier with 150+ Redwing noted between Lychpole Farm and Steyning Round Bowl (15/1).

A Cattle Egret was in the livestock fields on the west side of Steep Down near pumping station at the north end of Dankton Lane (9/1).

A Dartford Warbler was a good find at Steep Down on 15/1 along with a couple of Corn Buntings and a  large flock of 500+ Linnets, whilst a single Golden Plover flew over. 

January 2026 - It’s Bean a Good Start

                                                       Tundra Bean Goose ( Gareth James)

Renewed enthusiasm, bright sunny weather and a four day holiday period, meant plenty of local birders were out in the field keen to get 2026 off to a flying start. The drop in temperature on the continent at the end of the year coupled with snow and ice along the east coast added a bit of excitement with an arrival of birds associated with the cold weather. In complete contrast a Blackcap was already singing from a garden along Boundary Road from 4/1.

Tundra Bean Goose

The freeze on the continent had produced an arrival of Russian White-fronted Geese in to the south east and amongst their number lurked a few Tundra Bean Geese. Although the Whitefronts have yet failed to make it within the Worthing 10km boundaries, with the nearest birds a flock of c50 White-fronted Geese in the Arun Valley favouring Henfield Levels, Adam Huttly found a single Tundra Bean Goose west of Angmering early on Saturday 3rd January. 

This is a good record for West Sussex and an excellent one as it was 200m inside the Worthing 10km perimeter, confirming “West is Best” on a local as well as a county level. Its favoured field was on a public footpath favoured by local dog walkers, but thanks to their excellent cooperation the bird remained undisturbed for much of the day allowing many to catch up with this orange-billed goose.

Lapwings and Golden Plovers

A sure sign of a cold snap is the arrival of flocks of Lapwings onto the Downs and coastal fields. Numbers built up in the sheep fields west of Sompting Church, with 21 on 3/1 increasing to 50+ on 5/1 with a further 140 flying west late afternoon and at least 30 Lapwing were on the Downs north of Cissbury on 6/1. Meanwhile the fields between Manor Farm and Decoy Pond, Angmering held 40 Lapwing on 4/1 increasing to 250+ the following day.  

Amongst the Lapwing single Golden Plovers were seen over New Barn, Angmering on 4/1 and Sompting Church on 5/1. This is a surprisingly scarce bird in our area so a flock of 22 Golden Plovers with the Lapwing at the extreme western end of the 10km between Manor Farm and Decoy Pond Angmering was an excellent count on 5/1 with 20 still present on 7/1. 

The fields around Manor Farm also held Cattle Egret (2) a Merlin and a female Brambling just outside to 10 km boundary at Poling Church on 7/1.

Jack Snipe & Woodcock

Another set of species associated with spells of cold weather are Snipe and Woodcock with the frozen ground forcing birds out into the open. Upto three Woodcock were reported at dusk along Black Ditch at the start of the year with another from Sompting on 9/1. The freeze made Snipe more visible with 40 around the Common  Barn / New Barn Angmering on 4/1 and fortunate observers spotted its smaller cousin Jack Snipe at Black Ditch on 2/1 and Sompting on 5/1.

Water Rails were also more visible along Ferring Rife and two particularly showy birds were present at Brooklands.

Downland 

Following a late start on 1st January the highlights of a Downland circuit ( Cissbury / Monarch’s / Stump Bottom) included  Fieldfare (25), Redwing (10), Corn Bunting (20), Stonechat (2) & Reed Buntings (6). 

By the 6/1 the cold weather brought an increase in numbers of winter thrushes to the Downs with Fieldfare (150+) and Redwing (c25) at Stump Bottom / No Man’s Land on 6/1 along with Corn Buntings (40+), Yellowhammer (c20), Stonechat (3) and Marsh Tit. In addition a ring-tailed Hen Harrier was seen over Wiston Estate early morning.

Goring Gap / Ferring Rife

A Slavonian Grebe was on the sea off Patterson Walk, Goring, along with Red-breasted Merganser (12) on the morning of 4/1 and a Goring Gap Seawatch on 6/1 yielded Red-throated Diver (6), Razorbill (45) and Great Crested Grebe (5). 

A  Dartford Warbler was seen briefly in fields west of Ferring Rife on 4/1 along with c200 Linnet, a handful of Reed Buntings, Chaffinches and a Stonechat. The following day the same Linnet flock contained Stonechats (3), Reed Buntings (3) and Meadow Pipits (20).   

2025 Done & Dusted - December Round Up

Well that’s another year of local birding done and dusted. Despite our stretch of coastline being highly developed there has been plenty to see within the environs of Worthing.  A haul that contained a spring Bluethroat,  multiple Hoopoes, a couple of September Wrynecks and three separate November Pallas’s Warblers within our urbanised area isn’t bad. Throw in a fly over Black Stork and a photographed Ortolan Bunting, our area has punched above its weight again.

December Round Up

Inevitably December was mostly wet and grey making winter birding hard work, though bright blue skies and sunshine over the Christmas period lifted spirits even though the pickings were still slim.

Seawatching

There was little to report on the sea with Wigeon (9w) and Teal (7w) from Marine Gardens on 6/12 a drake Goosander west past Goring 19/12 and a reasonable movement of Brent Geese, with circa 350 heading east on 23/12.

A two hour watch from Brougham Road (07:50-09:50) on 30th December produced masses of distant auks with an approximate count of c1100  mostly going east but only close enough to identify were Razorbills (26).  Also observed were Red-throated Diver (19e,7w), Great Northern Diver (1w), Red-breasted Merganser (18), Great Crested Grebe (8), Common Scoter (5e) Brent Goose (2w) and Kittiwake.

Coast and Goring Gap

Nine Brent Geese were in the fields at Goring Gap on 5/12 whilst the gull roost contained Great Black-backed Gulls (16) and Mediterranean Gull  (2 ad).  Ferring Rife held Kingfisher, Water Rail and two Stonechats (29/12).

The usual waders were around with a good count of Sanderling (98), Oystercatchers (11) and Turnstone (7) on the beach opposite Sea Lane Cafe. 

Cissbury and the Downs

19th December Downland Circuit north of Cissbury : the Downs were very quiet with only small numbers of buntings and finches seen mostly along the north escarpment from Steyning Round Hill along the SDW. Birds noted included Chaffinchs (15), Corn Buntings (6), Yellowhammer (3), Stonechat and Fieldfare (6+).

22nd December : Monarch’s Way and Stump Bottom yielded very little with the most notable sighting being Painted Lady near the Downs Barn and a Peacock on the Monarch’s Way.  Apart from that a mixed flock of Redwings, Fieldfare and Mistle Thrush near No Man’s Land was the only interest.

The cold weather was presumably responsible for a flock of Lapwings (20) flying north up Findon Valley on 24/12 with further reports of  44 heading north over Angmering on 27/12.

Two adult White-tailed Eagles  displaying over Long Furlong were an impressive sight on 24/12 though they drifted north towards Chantry Hill rather than towards the observers enjoying a mince pie with their coffee on the west side of Cissbury Ring. Also present were Redwing (6), Blackbird (6), Song Thrush (2) both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker and a flock of Lapwings  (6) heading east over the trigpoint.

30th December Downland circuit north of Cissbury: Following a similar route to 19/12, though also taking in No Man’s Land and Stump Bottom, produced similar numbers of finches, buntings and thrushes. However additionally the cold weather had brought a flock of Lapwings (39) feeding on tilled fields and the Wiston Estate workers reported 8+ Woodcocks flushed by the morning pheasant shoot. 

Many thanks to all local observers who have contributed to helping ensure news is spread quickly and responsibly via the Worthing Birding WhatsApp group. We start again in the morning - Happy New Year and good birding in 2026.

Look to the East - December Highlights

In November we featured two star birds (Tale of Two Shrikes) in the Adur Valley though technically they failed to meet the 10km criteria. This month three scarcities in the far east livened up the dreary short damp days of December.  These very popular birds were all in the well watched environs of the Adur Estuary, though all were viewable inside the Worthing 10km boundary. 

Widewater

The shallow saline lagoons of the Widewater LNR always hold good numbers of Mute Swans and Little Grebes and can be a regular haunt for Grey Heron, Little Egret and Kingfisher. It is very well watched and occasionally something much scarcer drops in though often birds move on all too quickly, the male Citrine Wagtail being an all too painful example, evading all the local birders.

A female Goosander took up residence on 10th November and was still present at year end. More excitingly a male and female Goldeneye dropped into Widewater on 20th November but unfortunately this locally scarce bird didn’t linger. Three Goosander including a male were present on 7th-8th December.

                                                        Slavonian Grebe ( Nick Oliver)

Much more obliging was a Slavonian Grebe found by Jenny Holter on the 23rd November and remained until 30th November, which delighted observers and locals alike for several days, often giving very close views. A single Brent Goose was also present with up to 15 Little Grebes and 6 Coots.

Southwick Canal

The heavily industrialised canal basin of Southwick Canal lies on the border of the Worthing 10 km radius (anything west of Power Station is included). It can attract wintering seabirds and this December played host to a popular Red-necked Grebe between 8th-11th December, which although difficult to see at times did the decent thing being seen as far west as the lock gates. 

Also present for much of December was a Great Northern Diver and up to two Shag.

                                                    Red-necked Grebe ( Jerry Campbell) 

Southwick Beach

The final treat in the east were two first winter Little Gulls feeding along the tideline from Southwick Beach. The first sighting was a single 1st year bird on 17th December from the west breakwater of the harbour before two birds were relocated off the Power Station between 19th-23rd December. These delicate gulls proved popular during their five day stay with three birds seen briefly on 22/12.

Also noted was Black Redstart (21/12) and an early easterly movement of Brent Geese (c 350e) on 23/12.

                                                       1w  Little Gull ( Nick Oliver)

November - Best of Rest

Predictably as November progressed things settled down into a winter routine with most rewards to be found along the coastal strip. A Woodlark was probably the highlight of the month but there was still a trickle of finches and a few late Swallows. It was very quiet on the Downs with a notable absence of winter thrushes though a female Hen Harrier along Monarchs Way on 26th November was a good record. 

A Purple Sandpiper roosting on Worthing Pier from 24th-26th November was unusual as this species is rarely reported away from the regular winter roosts further east at Shoreham Harbour and Brighton Marina. After the excitement of the Pallas’s Warblers at the start of the month the best Brooklands could offer were Firecrest (2), Goldcrest (6+), Treecreeper, Blackcap and Chiffchaff ( 10th November).

Purple Sandpiper ( Nick Oliver)

Goring Gap and Ferring Rife

5th November : 34 Oystercatchers and 20 Turnstones were on the beach and 2 Stonechats in the rough field. Overhead passage was light but included Goldfinch (165e), Siskin (35e), Meadow Pipits (26e), Reed Bunting and Swallow. 

6th November :  Goldfinch (75e) at Goring with Swallow (2), Linnet (c.60),  Skylark (12) along west side of Ferring Rife. 

7th November : A Swallow south and Goldfinch (241e) flew over Goring Gap, whilst on the beach Bar-tailed Godwit (1), Redshank (4), Grey Plover (4), Oystercatcher (43), Sanderling (5), Dunlin (5) but only a handful of Turnstones were counted before the high tide. Passage included Wigeon (10w),  Brent Geese (34w), Common Scoter (5e), Red-breasted Merganser (3w) and Shelduck (2w). 

The gull roost contained Lesser Black-backed Gulls (4) , Med Gulls (5) and Common Gulls (4). 

8th November : The pick of the visible migration at Goring Gap was a Woodlark, with a steady trickle of Redpoll and Siskin and a couple of Grey Wagtails overhead. The plantation held good numbers of Goldcrest and four Chiffchaffs. 

14th November : Goring Gap: Firecrest (3), a couple of Chiffchaffs and several Goldcrests around the Plantation. 

15th November : A walk along Ferring Rife produced Water Rail, Snipe (3), Chiffchaff (8), Cetti’s Warbler (2), Goldcrest (25), Firecrest (2), Stonechat (2), Linnet (30) and a Reed Bunting.

17th November : There was still a few small flocks of Goldfinches and Redpoll heading east at Goring Gap with Lapwing (6) flying north. On the sea late Sandwich Terns (3w) were a surprise with Gannets (11) feeding close offshore. Red-breasted Mergansers (7), Red-throated Diver (1), and Great Crested Grebe (5) were also noted. 

19th November : A brief seawatch at Goring Gap (0900-0930) only produced Red-breasted Merganser (8w, 2e),  Great Crested Grebe (1e) and Common Scoter (1e).

21st November : A single Brent Goose in the western field at Goring Gap, whilst the beach held Ringed Plover (1), Dunlin (1), Sanderlings (17), Turnstone (39), Grey Plover (8) and Oystercatcher (64). A Kingfisher flew west over the beach, whilst on the sea Common Scoters (2), Red-breasted Merganser (11) and Great Crested Grebe (3) were noted. 

26 November : An influx of finches along the west side of Ferring Rife  was mostly Chaffinches, Linnets and Goldfinches but attracted Reed Buntings (8) a Blackcap and a couple of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes

30th November : A walk around Ferring Country Centre and Ferring Rife this morning produced Water Rail, Little Egrets (2), Stonechat, Reed Buntings (4), Skylarks (6) and a Peregrine. 

The Downs

A Black Redstart at Maudlin Farm Steyning Bowl (13th November) was a nice find away from the coast.

                                                         Black Redstart (Richard Phillips)

A decent southwesterly movement of Wood Pigeon (4100) and Stock Dove (110) on 8th November was the only significant report from Highdown with Crossbill (2e) and Reed Buntings (2) also noted.

Apart from a few roving Long-tailed tit flocks and the odd Stonechat very little was reported from Cissbury during the month. As winter thrushes were in short supply an arrival of 25+ Redwing (15th November) was most welcome being virtually the only reports all month.

A long circuit of the Downland north of Cissbury on 25th November eventually produced wintering finch & bunting flocks, but numbers were generally low with Reed Bunting (1), Corn Bunting (40+), Yellowhammer (25+), Chaffinch (15+). A Firecrest and a single Chiffchaff were seen along Worthing GC track but the continued absence of winter thrushes, despite plenty of berries, was perplexing. 

A Tale of Two Shrikes - so near yet so far !

When the Worthing Birding blog was launched the boundaries were drawn as a 10 km radius centered around Worthing Pier. This covers a lot of sea to the south and a semi-circle stretching from Sea Lane, Rustington in the west to Shoreham Power Station in the east. (See map in About/Contact). The north east boundary lies on the River Adur several hundred metres north of the recently reopened footbridge across the river.

Two of the best local birds of the autumn arrived in late October / early November in the Adur Valley and teased us by holding territories right on the limits of our self imposed 10km boundary. Admittedly the Isabelline Shrike at Woods Mill was closer to 10 miles rather than 10 km from the pier, but the Great Grey Shrike was only just outside the semi circle (and would have been comfortably in if the centre point was The Cricketers, Broadwater).

However Shrikes are such good birds we thought they deserved an honorary mention.

Isabelline / Red-tailed Shrike Woods Mill ( 26th October - 2nd November)

                                                              Isabelline Shrike ( Nick Oliver)

Things used to be simpler,  and a pale sandy coloured 1st winter shrike with a reddish tail found in late autumn would historically have been called an Isabelline Shrike. However these days even DNA  is not a 100% reliable way of separating 1st year Isabelline (Daurian) from Turkestan (Red-tailed) Shrikes and we can’t even agree on a name never mind the identification features. What hasn’t changed is the fact that either species is extremely rare  in Sussex with only four previous records. This meant a confiding and long staying bird found by Alex Rosenfeld at Woods Mill was extremely popular during its 8 day stay. 

Great Grey Shrike - Beeding Brooks (12th-18th November)

                                             Great Grey Shrike Beeding Brooks (Richard Phillips)

Great Grey Shrike was once an almost annual winter occurrence somewhere on the heaths and forests of Surrey, Sussex or Hampshire but in recent years it has become much harder to catch up with. A typically mobile bird was found by Bob Eade in the Adur Valley, on Beeding Brooks 3/4 mile north of the footbridge, on Wednesday12th November. This bird showed well for much of the following day but then moved further back and proved frustratingly difficult to see over the rest of its stay.