Parched Downland near Cissbury ( Nick Oliver)
I’m sure you’ve probably noticed it’s been a long hot summer but as far as the birding calendar is concerned autumn is well and truly underway, which means birds which have bred in Britain and Northern Europe will be beginning their south bound migration. Before we move on to migration, the high days of summer are associated with screaming Swifts, scything Hobbies and invisible Quail singing from the crop fields.
Swifts featured in their own separate blog recently and our local breeders have already departed but noteworthy reports of 50+ over Lancing Ring (29/7), 30+ Angmering (23/7) and 20+ Cissbury (2/8).
Nationally there has been an influx of Quail this summer, although only a few individuals were reported on the Downs around Worthing, with birds near Chanctonbury (3/7), Steep Down (20/7) and north of Cissbury (22/7). Perhaps the most popular was a singing bird, uttering the famous “wet-my-lips” song, just north of our 10km radius at Chantry Hill from 24-27 July.
Reports of Hobbies increased with birds seen over Steep Down (23/6), Findon (24/7), Sompting Brooks (30/7), Chanctonbury (9/8) and Angmering (16/8).
Although the peak time for seeing migrating birds locally is mid August through to October, from late July the first migrants had begun to arrive at downland hotspots before departing our shores. Whilst it hasn’t exactly been raining birds, and lets face it rain of any kind would be most welcome, an increase in Common Whitethroats and yellow tinged juvenile Willow Warblers marked the start of autumn passage.
Amongst them the first Redstarts were noted with an early record from Cissbury (7/7). After that singles were regularly reported from Cissbury (14/7) and Nepcote Gallops (24/7), increasing to four birds (19/7) and a peak count so far this autumn of eight (16/8). Lesser Whitethroats (2) were first reported from Nepcote Gallops (24/7) with singles then being reported regularly around Cissbury from 6/8.
August is an excellent month for Pied Flycatchers, which is always a good bird to find locally as it is much scarcer and more elusive than Spotted Flycatchers, which can be numerous by late August and early September. However so far this year we have done well for Pied Flycatchers with a very early bird found on the north east side of Lancing Ring on 29/7, followed by two records from Cissbury on 11/8 and 17/8. Perhaps the most interesting bird was a well marked Pied Flycatcher found by James Grundy along Ferring Rife on Sunday 16th August, which showed a second wing bar and white primary patch.
The first Spotted Flycatchers were reported from Monarchs Way and Lancing Ring (6/8), Chanctonbury (9/8), and Mill Hill (2 on 16/8) with the biggest count so far coming from Cissbury (6 on 18/8), though numbers will build up as autumn progresses.
Other classic August arrivals are Wheatears and Whinchats with the first Wheatears being reported from Steep Down (20/7) and Whinchat along Monarchs Way (1/8). The set aside and weedy fringes along “The Dip” in Monarch’s Way, north of Cissbury, is particularly good for Whinchat and Wheatear with up to five of each species still present up to 14/8. Both species were also reported from Truleigh Hill (10/8) and Sompting Church (15/8) and again numbers would be expected to peak in late August / early September.
By contrast Yellow Wagtails have been few and far between with a fly over reported from Steep Down (22/7) and small groups along Ferring Rife (25/7) and the Adur near Cuckoo Corner (31/7). Hopefully if we ever get some rain they will start to appear with grazing cattle.
Other noteworthy local records were a migrant Reed Warbler on Mill Hill (9/7), a brief Grasshopper Warbler on the east side of Steepdown (19/7) and a Wood Warbler amongst the phyllosc flock at Ferring Rife (15/8).
The best is yet to come so if you are able head out and find it !
