01/02/14 Around the Arun Valley.

01/02/14  Around the Arun Valley.  Six more year ticks.
Paul James' Group

9 of us decided to risk the wet conditions and spend a day in and around the flooded Arun valley.  We were well rewarded with sunny spells up until 2 pm when the heavy showers arrived.  There were plenty of birds to see and I was able to add 6 species to my year list.

We started at Swanbourne Lake where we saw and heard quite a few birds.  Pick of the bunch were the Mandarins which skulked under the trees by the waters edge making it hard to see them.  However they eventually took to flight enabling us to get fleeting but good enough views to make the ID.  Try though we did we failed to see one of our target birds, the Firecrest.  However we did see a Grey Wagtail which was also on our list.

Grey Wagtail
Library picture

Next stop was Canada Barn and the Burgh where the birds came thick and fast.  First to show were the Yellowhammers off to our left in the trees.

Yellowhammer
Library picture

 There must have been at least a dozen busily going about their business.  Soon after we saw Corn Buntings in roughly similar numbers, on the track and fences ahead of us.

Corn Bunting
Library picture

 Red Kites were showing really well on the horizon and we were able to admire their elegant flight.

Red Kite
Libray picture

 All in all we saw at least 6 of them including a super ground show they put on with up to 3 Ravens and other corvids.  Back at the car we saw a small group of Grey Partridge keeping their heads well down in the strong winds here on top of the South Downs.  

Grey Partridge
Library picture

At Amberley Castle we saw 16 Bewick Swans on the flooded fields to our right.  In the superb lighting conditions and supported by a large cast of other water birds they looked truly regal.

By now the weather was deteriorating fast so we relocated to Rackham Woods and then  to Greatham Bridge hoping to carry on birding in the sunny intervals between the showers.  There was little to see in the woods with a surprising lack of birds like Treecreeper and Firecrest.  For the second time this year we were unable to observe the Great Grey Shrike at the railway bridge near Greatham.  However a fly-over Egyptian Goose was gratefully ticked off to complete our business for the day. 

Egyptian Goose
library picture

A rather flat, but not unexpected, end to what had been a lovely day.  Surely it has to stop raining soon!


Today's species list:
Goldcrest
Wren
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Marsh Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Nuthatch
Robin
Stonechat   (10)
House Sparrow
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Reed Bunting
Yellowhammer
Corn Bunting
Grey Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Skylark
Starling   (20)
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Raven
Green Woodpecker
Woodpigeon
Grey Partridge
Golden Plover   (30)
Lapwing
Dunlin
Moorhen
Coot
Little Grebe
Teal
Wigeon
Pintail
Shoveler
Gadwall   (40)
Mallard
Shellduck
Tufted Duck
Pochard
Brent Goose
Canada Goose
Egyptian Goose
Bewicks Swan
Mute Swan
Black-headed Gull    (50)
Common Gull  
Herring Gull
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Red Kite




Today's species count = 56 (minimum)


Additions to UK 2014 Bird List:
Grey Wagtail   (141)
Yellowhammer   (142)
Corn Bunting   (143)
Red Kite   (144)
Grey Partridge   (145)
Egyptian Goose   (146)