1st October 2020

ADUR ESTUARY: Just before high tide were two Grey Plover, a Bar-tailed Godwit and 14 Oystercatcher. Alan Kitson via SOS

As the tide fell this afternoon an adult and a juvenile Sandwich Terns were flying back and forth between the Toll Bridge and the railway. Although they were often apart, over a ten minute period the adult successfully dived for small fish on three or four occasions, upon which the two birds joined one another on the water and the adult fed the fish to the juvenile. Suddenly the young bird attracted the hostile attention of a Black-headed Gull, which chased it at close range up and down the river for a couple of minutes before losing interest. Five Ringed Plovers flew upstream. A Cetti's Warbler singing intermittently near New Salts Farm. Steve Gilbert via SOS

ANGMERING: Male LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER briefly in garden on Downs Way, male Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, Siskin, 4 House Martins, 3 Swallows, Meadow Pipits over. Garry Messenbird

BROOKLANDS PARK: Again a few Siskin moving west calling and a Coal Tit in the northern end of the park. Chiffchaff numbers were low with around 10 birds calling, overhead a Grey Wagtail flew over and on the lake a pair of Little Grebe with a single Teal. Bernie Forbes via SOS

CISSBURY RING: A steady morning's ringing with Val and Finch produced, alongside the continued torrent of Blackcaps, some variety in the nets, including a Marsh Tit, a Bullfinch and two Song Thrushes. Overhead passage involved my first Redwing of the autumn, seven Crossbills, at least eight redpolls, 12 Siskins, 30 Meadow Pipits, 50 House Martins, three Swallows and five Pied/White Wagtails. Three Ravens and a Sparrowhawk also flew over, a Mistle Thrush errupted from the trees and a male Stonechat was unusual below our ringing station. David Campbell

At Cissbury Ring 25 Stonechats counted in the area with a few Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Overhead a small number of Siskin and low numbers of Swallow and House Martin were on the move west. A late Spotted Flycatcher was the highlight sunning itself on the lower northeast slope. A Clouded Yellow butterfly was noted with a delightful Wall Brown. Bernie Forbes via SOS

GORING GAP: 2 Spotted Flycatchers together were a nice surprise, 5 Stonechat were between the rough field femchline and the east side, a few Chiffchaffs were heard and seen and a fair number of Meadow Pipits were around, 2 large parties (c100birds) of House Martin headed west early on with smaller numbers of Swallows. Other birds of note included a Kestrel, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 6 Skylark, 2 small groups of Siskins, 15 Sanderling, c30 Ringed Plover and 100+ Turnstones. Nick Bond. Other reports include a Wheatear on the beach, a single Red-throated Diver on the sea and a handful of Sandwich Terns in the gull roost this afternoon. John Dodd/Andy Ashdown

Mediterranean Gull (N.Bond)

FERRING RIFE: 12 Moorhens, three Grey Herons, four Chiffchaffs, three Swallows, 16 Goldfinches, a Greenfinch, a Little Egret, a Sparrowhawk and a House Martin. Gareth James

SHOREHAM HARBOUR: 6 Sandwich with a single Common Tern perched on the railings out from the Lifeboat Station. On one of the lighting gantries a male Peregrine was perched. Ten Sandwich Terns flew west with 20 Gannet offshore. Around the beach 3 Wheatear, 3 Rock Pipit with a few Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail, 2 Swallows flew west. Bernie Forbes via SOS