Early August continued to deliver a trickle of departing summer visitors pausing on the Downs or along the coastal strip to feed up prior to heading out across the Channel.
Goring Gap
Cattle Egrets Goring Gap (Ralph Simpson)
On Friday 1st August Ralph Simpson photographed five Cattle Egrets flying in from the east, which nearly landed on the beach with 30+ Little Egrets before having second thoughts and continuing west. Presumably one of these was the bird he had found on 30/7 returning with its friends. Also present on the beach were Wheatears (2), whilst waders included Turnstone (18) and Dunlin and Sanderlings (7). Nearby Swifts (8) and Swallows (15) were hawking insects over Ferring County Centre.
Cissbury
There seemed to be an arrival of Willow Warblers on Friday 1st August with 20+ birds recorded around The Ring but no other migrants could be located with them. The next day (2/8) four Redstarts were found in the north east corner and the ringing station on the northern flanks caught a Nightingale, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and lots of Willow Warblers. However a day later (3/8) the same area was virtually birdless with only a single Redstart remaining.
Monarch’s Way to Steyning Round Hill
The first Whinchat of the autumn was found near the Farmer’s Memorial on 2/8 and the following day two birds were present in the set aside fields at the bottom of Monarch’s Way just north of Cissbury and a Hobby flew over Stump Bottom.
The area around the Farmer’s Memorial held Redstarts (2), Wheatear (2), Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat (12) and Willow Warblers (2) on 5/8 with at least one Redstart and the Lesser Whitethroat still present the following day.
Sompting
Two Wheatears were present on the Downs above Sompting Church on 2/8.
Town Centre
Two Crossbills flew south west over King Edward Avenue (2/8) and a Wheatear was on the beach opposite Marine Gardens (5/8). The two escaped Common Mynas on the grass outside Durrington Health Centre (2/8) were a surprise for the finder but are probably best ignored.
