COOMBES-BOTOLPHS: A satisfying morning's birding along the Adur between Coombes and Botolphs featured a Canada Goose with a flock of nine Greylags overhead, and a flock of 32 Fieldfares. An adult male Peregrine was on the cement works tower. Other observations included four Little Grebes, a Grey Wagtail, five Meadow Pipits, three Reed Buntings, two Grey Herons, two Little Egrets, four Buzzards, 97 Common Gulls, 25 Collared Doves (including a flock of 20), five Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Green Woodpeckers, three Kestrels, 120 Rooks, two Skylarks, five Goldcrests and nine Mallards (DKC).
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| Greylag Geese and Canada Goose over Botolphs (DKC) |
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| male Green Woodpecker at Passies Pond (DKC) |
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| adult male Peregrine on the cement works tower (DKC) |
GORING GAP: Highlight on the sea today was a LONG-TAILED DUCK which was on the sea briefly and in view for around 20 minutes before flying and drifting out to sea on the ebbing tide (approx 12.30pm). The bird was initially seen flying in from the west before landing and was associating with Red breasted Mergansers and seemed happily feeding, eventually lost to view along with most other birds that were on the water, there was certainly an increase in birds on the sea today with a c60 Red breasted Mergansers and 30c Great crested Grebes. A Red-throated Diver flew east and 14 Sanderling flew west along the tideline. In the fields, 6 Mediterranean Gulls were around (all adults except a 1st winter bird), the Kestrel and 2 Stonechats around the rough field and 6 Skylark (NB/GDM).
LANCING: Four Dark-bellied Brent Geese, six Red-throated Divers, a Gannet, 13 Razorbills and a Great Crested Grebe offshore (SOS).
SHOREHAM HARBOUR: Three Purple Sandpipers still on jetty, five Turnstones and an Oystercatcher (BirdTrack).
WIDEWATER LAGOON: Six Teal and two Redshanks (SOS).
WORTHING: Blackcap in garden (BirdTrack).
