Highlights
Two late Spotted Flycatcher at Highdown and a Whinchat on Cissbury on 2/10 were the last reports of the year. Wheatears continued to pass through with records from Goring Gap (1/10), Cissbury (2/10), Marine Gardens x2 (9/10) and Steyning Round Hill 13-15/10, which also are likely to be the last sightings until next March as any Wheatear in November may be prove to be something significantly better.
The first Redwings (5) were at Highdown on 11/10 and Fieldfare (3) at Steyning Round Hill on 13/10 but after that very few others records during the month. Hopefully there will be a decent arrival in November as there are plenty of berries around this year.
There was a small arrival of Dartford Warblers with birds passing through as they move from the inland heaths to coastal wintering grounds. The first was seen on Cissbury on 2/10 followed by a surprising find in an East Preston garden on 14/10. Finally a third bird was present at Goring Gap on 25-26/10 keeping company with six Stonechats and a Black Redstart.
A sure sign of the approaching winter was an increase in raptor sightings on the Downs with Merlin at Steyning Round Hill on 13/10, two Marsh Harriers at same location on 15/10 and a female Hen Harrier at No Man’s Land on 31/10. A late Hobby was also seen over Cissbury on 16/10.
Seawatching
A reasonable count of Gannets (184w) including 19 all dark juveniles were seen from Brougham Road on Friday 3rd October along with Common Scoter (3w), Mediterranean Gull (2w), Kittiwake (1e), Fulmar (1w) and four unidentified auks.
On Saturday 18th October a Sooty Shearwater was seen heading east from Goring Gap having been initially reported from Selsey 35 minutes earlier. Also noted were Brent Geese (9w), Wigeon (18w) and several Gannets offshore.
The following day a Red throated Diver and a near full summer plumage Great Northern Diver headed east from Brougham Road. There was a large group of gulls and Gannets (100+) feeding offshore whilst a passage of Brent Goose (5e,7w), Common Scoter (5e), Wigeon (8w) and Teal (2w) were noted along with Mediterranean Gull (13), Razorbill (7e,10w) and distant auk sp. (54e,8w).
Finally on Friday 31st October a very late Arctic Skua went west along with Sandwich Tern (1w), Auk sp. (138w), (Razorbill (8w) , Brent Goose (3w), Common Scoter (3e), Red-throated Diver (1e) and Shelduck (1w).
A Yellow-legged Gull was in the roost at Goring Gap on 19/10 whilst Paul James went one better and found a first winter Caspian Gull there the next day.
The Downs
Whilst most of the action was along the coast there was still evidence of visible migration on the higher ground to the north of the town. Crossbills were reported from Cissbury (4) - 1/10 & 9/10 and Highdown (4) on 1/10 along with a small number of Siskins. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps which continued to be reported from Highdown and Cissbury and other Downland sites up until 11/10 after which numbers reduced significantly. Meanwhile Swallows and House Martins trickled south over the Downs with the last notable counts from Cissbury being House Martins (125) on 10/10 Swallows (150) on 18/10
There was a good arrival of Goldcrests with Firecrest (2) amongst a flock at Highdown on 11/10. A Golden Plover along Monarch’s Way on 7/10 and Lapwings (9) over Steyning Round Hill on 14/10 were good records as was a count of Corn Bunting (150) on Monarch’s Way on 2/10.
Finally Black Redstarts (2) were a good find in a Steyning Alloment on 16/10.
Wheatear Goring Gap (Ralph Simpson)
