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).
