A few twitches

Cirl Bunting at Mile Oak Farm – 28 March 2026

A short visit to the South Downs delivered exactly what I was hoping for: my first Cirl Bunting of the year. I picked it up near Mile Oak Farm, along the track heading north, in almost the same spot it has favoured for the past two winters. It really does seem to have adopted this little corner of the Downs as its regular overwintering patch.

The conditions were far from ideal — a chilly, blustery wind sweeping across the slope — and it took over an hour of waiting before the bird finally appeared. When it did, it chose the top of a tree just behind its usual favourite perch, giving me enough time to confirm it was indeed the same returning individual.

I came back the following Friday — Good Friday — with the Ashdown Bird Group, and Phil Aylen managed to capture these lovely photos of the bird despite the weather being even worse with rain to contend with as well as the wind and cold.

A Cirl Bunting this far east is always a treat, but just seeing this bird in Sussex adds something special.

Weir Wood Reservoir – Early Spring Sightings

My Tuesday voluntary sessions at Weir Wood Reservoir have also begun to reflect the shift in seasons, with a couple of notable sightings.

31 March 2026 – First Blackcap of the Year

While heading to Whillets Meadow to carry out a reptile survey, I heard the bright, fluting song of my first Blackcap of the year. It was singing confidently from a hedgerow — a classic marker of early spring and a sure sign that migration is now underway.

7 April 2026– Waders at the Dam End

A week later, on 7th April, Martin and I stopped at the dam end of the reservoir on our way home. Along the concrete edge we picked out at least two Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper feeding at the water’s edge. A lovely trio of early waders and a rewarding end to the morning’s work.

RSPB Pulborough Brooks

8 April 2026  Nightingales & Garganey

I decided to visit Pulborough Brooks after closing time, hoping for the best chance to hear the Nightingales. Their song is one of the great joys of spring, and catching up with them was high on my list.

It didn’t take long. Just minutes into my walk, I heard the first bird, and even managed a brief glimpse as it dropped down into cover. In total, I encountered at least three of the seven birds known to have returned so far. The highlight came right at the end of my visit to Fattengates, where I simply sat and waited. Before long, a Nightingale appeared around twenty feet up in a tree and launched into full song — a magical, ringing performance and a perfect way to round off the evening. I can’t wait to return with the Ashdown Bird Group, when our photographers will be able to capture the moment properly.

Earlier in the visit, I had twitched two Garganey on the North Brooks, first from The Hanger and then even closer from Little Hanger Hide. A lovely supporting cast to an already memorable evening.

New species for the 2026 Year List:

128  Cirl Bunting

129  Blackcap

130  Little Ringed Plover

131  Common Sandpiper

132  Nightingale

133 Garganey