12th March

Goring Gap
A Wheatear was at the gap this morning along the fenceline near the pumping station, keeping a Stonechat company, although there was no further sign by mid-morning, There was one also seen yesterday by 2 observers (Stephen Simpson/Tricia Ryder) NB/CH

Skylarks were up with there display song and several Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails were around the fields along with 2 Stock Doves and a pair of Mallard flew west. 32 Grey Plover were roosting whilst 52 Sanderling were offshore. Good number of gulls to sort through with good numbers of Black-headed Gulls both in the fields and offshore included 10 Mediterranean Gulls(6ads, 2 x2ndw, 2 x1st w)

The sea did not produce much 1 Red-throated Diver, and a very distant large flock of around 100 Brent Geese went east whilst 2 Gannets, 50c Great-crested Grebes and 10 Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea. NB/GJ
Later on a Sandwich Tern was roosting with the gulls on the Western most field MH/LH

2nd winter Mediterranean Gulls - Goring Gap - the bird in top picture moulting into 2nd summer

11th March

Goring/Marine Gardens
Just a couple reports from sea-watches today. With migration kicking in it was no surprise Wheatears have started appear along the coast today so we should expect the first for spring for the area any day now and also appears a few bits starting to move up-channel and the following was logged. Redwings and several Blackbirds were heard migrating through the night along with several Blackbirds in Worthing Town Centre

Seawatch from 0700 to 0900 at the Marine Gardens Shelter, Worthing today:

Brent Goose 177 E; Common Scoter 8E; Shoveler 7E; Shelduck 11E; Red-throated Diver 8E; Gannet 2 E; Oystercatcher 8E; Skylark 2E; Meadow pipit 2E.

On the sea were 52 Great Crested Grebes and c.40 Red-breasted Mergansers several of which flew E.

Later at the Gap on beach a Bar-tailed Godwit with the usual waders and 3 Med Gulls CH

A good variety of birds were moving east this morning although only Brent Geese were passing in any numbers.  Totals were: 1 Curlew, 231 Brent Geese, 8 Common Scoter, 1 Little Gull, 5 Wigeon, 5 Red-throated Divers, 2 Shoveler, 3 Shelducks, 2 Pintail and a Velvet Scoter.  Other unidentified ducks were moving a long way out.  A Sandwich Tern was resting on a piece of driftwood before flying off west, my first of the year.  Also on the sea were 16+ Red-breasted Mergansers and 24 Great Crested Grebes.  On the beach were 66 Sanderlings, 42 Grey Plovers, 44 Turnstones, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and up to 12 Oystercatchers but only 3 Dunlins and 1 Ringed Plover.  9 Mediterranean Gulls were in the cultivated fields and 2 Stonechats were in the overgrown field RS

10th March 2018

GORING GAP: 
A circular walk around the area in the rain was reasonably productive, the best bird being a Red Kite that flew East to West at 10.15am, my first site record of this species. There were also five Mediterranean Gulls on Goring Greensward (3 adults, 1 2w and 1 1w) with others in the gull roost. Also a Goldcrest was seen flitting around in the bushes on the edge of the Holm Oak plantation near the beach so possibly a migrant. Other totals included 2 Great Spotted and a Green Woodpecker, 2 Redwings, 3 Stock Doves and a Stonechat in the NW corner. GJ/PJ

A seawatch (06.40-08.40) by DKC added a Goosander on the sea that flew off East, 18 Common Scoter E, 16 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Fulmars W, 15 Red-throated Divers, 16 Gannets, 6 Kittiwakes, 7 Great Crested Grebes and 38 Red-breasted Mergansers. A Bar-tailed Godwit was on the beach also in the area was a male Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylarks, 11 Mediterranean Gulls (8 adults, 2x3cy, 2cy), 4 Lesser-black Backed Gulls and a Pheasant behind the pillbox. DKC

Record shot of Goosander by DKC

BROOKLANDS PLEASURE PARK:
No let up in the rain but some interesting birds on offer including 2 Water Rails, 1 of which was very showy by the yellow pump on the Western side, 6 Gadwall, 25 Teal and 7 Mallard, 2 Mute Swans, single Dunlin and Oystercatcher, 105 Herring, 5 Great Black-backed, 1 Lesser Black-backed and 22 Black-headed Gulls. The only passerine of note was a singing Song Thrush at the Northern end near the sewage works. GJ/PJ

9th March 2018

FERRING RIFE: 
A calm morning at the Rife, ideal conditions to be out birding. The highlight was a showy Water Rail about 100m North of the car park on the West side. Other sightings included a Sparrowhawk, 2 different Grey Herons, 13 Moorhens, 3 Song Thrushes, a Goldcrest, a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, 2 Green Woodpeckers (heard only), a pair of Reed Buntings, 3 Mallard and 3 Canada Geese which flew South down the rife, before heading back North again. GJ/DKC


KING GEORGE V AVENUE:
A seawatch from the beach shelter (06.45-07.45) produced 4 Mute Swans, 6 Wigeon, 4 Shelduck, 2 Common Scoter and 2 Gannets all West. 11 Red-throated Divers E and 39 Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea. DKC

8th March 2018

FERRING RIFE: 
An hours search in a strong westerly wind yielded 12 Redwing feeding on the edges of the Western fields towards Kingston Gorse and a Skylark was heard singing in the same field aswell as a calling Pheasant. A bit further North another of the fields to the West held 12 feeding Pied Wagtails and in the bushes nearby a Jay. A Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Green Woodpecker were also logged flying over the rife whilst another Green Woodpecker was heard calling. 

Other highlights included a Cormorant struggling in the strong winds at the Northern end before eventually landing on the pond aswell as a lone Common Gull in the fields to the West. 

The horse paddocks at the Northern end held 32 Black-headed Gulls, 9 Herring Gulls, 1 Carrion Crow and 2 Woodpigeon before all being spooked by a flyover Sparrowhawk. Walking back towards the seafront down the rife, 2 Long-tailed Tits were seen aswell as a Chaffinch and 18 Goldfinch. Other totals of my visit included 61 Starling, 3 flyover Mallard, 7 Blackbird and 11 Moorhen. GJ


FERRING: 
110 Pied Wagtails and 2 Canada Geese over Asda early evening. DKC

7th March 2018

FERRING RIFE: 
Highlights included a Water Rail, a Goldcrest, a pair of Reed Buntings, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Kestrel was seen hovering over the rife and a single Little Egret flew along the rife before landing in the pond at the Northern end. The horse paddocks at the Northern end held 25 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Herring Gulls and 3 Moorhen. Walking back towards the seafront down the rife, the pair of wintering Stonechat were logged aswell as 2 Song Thrush and a Sparrowhawk which flew over spooking a Green Woodpecker. GJ



PATCHING POND: 
2 Canada Goose and 3 Coot were present at 12.53pm. GJ




WORTHING:
2 Red Kite flew over Titnore Lane at 12.57pm. GJ

6th March 2018

Goring Gap/Ferring -
A decent day weather wise but on the whole much quieter on land and sea today. Just a handful of reports. The gull/ wader roost did not get going mainly due to disturbance from our fair weather plane flying/drone friends! 13 Mediterranean Gulls were in the area including a 2nd winter bird, 3 close in Brent Geese flew east at mid-day, good numbers of Dunlin were around with at least 32 Grey Plover. The 3 Stonechat's were still in the rough field area,  NB/GDM

Reports from a couple of sea-watches produced the following -

6.40 - 7.10am Goring
Shoveler 4e, Red-throated Diver 1e, Gannet 1e. 8 Red-breasted Mergansers and 4 Great-crested Grebes were on the sea GJ

7.00 - 8.30am at Ferring
Red-throated Diver 12 E and one close inshore on the sea
Mediterranean Gull  44 E in parties of up to five
Curlew one E
Common Scoter one flock of 12 E
Red-breasted Merganser c. 25 offshore on sea or in flight
Great Crested Grebe c. 6  on sea CH