09/01/14. Shoreham then Cuckmere Haven. Spoonbill Sighting

Thursday 9th January 2014

Shoreham
Started off at 11 00 at the Old Fort at Shoreham.  Met up with Paul to look for the Glaucous Gull that has been seen here for a couple of days.  After a fruitless search we made the short trip to the Widewater Lagoon to see if it was there but again we were unsuccessful.  We decided to return to the fort for one last try but this too failed.

All was not in vain as I managed to spot a few birds including 3 additions to my 2014 UK Birds Year list.

Today's species:
Red-breasted Merganser
Little Egret
Redshank
Little Grebe
Mute Swan
Mallard
Great Black-backed Gull
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Gull
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Pied Wagtail
Turnstone
We decided to call it a day at this point but I called in at Cuckmere Haven on the way home to target the Spoonbill that was last seen there a couple of days ago.




Cuckmere Haven
After a 40 minute drive I made my way along the east side of the estuary where the Spoonbill was last seen.  I made the walk out to the sea but could not see it anywhere.  

Spoonbill
Library picture only

On the return leg I found it in a field a good way from it's previous place, with it's bill tucked in.  Shortly it complied and duly showed it's characteristic bill.  This twitch was harder than I expected.

On the way round I managed to add another 7 birds to the year list,nicely bringing the total up to 75.  Actually it's 76 because when I did an audit I realised That I had not included the Gannets we saw at Portland Harbour last week.

Today's species list:
Curlew
Shelduck
Meadow Pipit
Spoonbill
Stonechat
Teal
Wigeon
Great Black-backed Gull
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Starling
Oystercatcher
Cormorant
Redshank
Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Pied Wagtail
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Little Egret
Rook
Carrion Crow



+ Gannet from Dorset trip on 2nd January





Overall species count today = 27


New additions to 2014 UK Bird List:
Little Egret   (66)
Little Grebe   (67)
Redshank   (68)
Curlew   (69)
Shelduck   (70)
Meadow Pipit   (71)
Teal   (72)
Wigeon    (73)
Stonechat   (74)
Spoonbill   (75)
plus
Gannet   (76) overlooked from Dorset trip on 2nd January