22/04/14. Nightingale, Swallows and Sand Martins at Pulborough Brooks

Tuesday 22 April 2024
Pulborough Brooks

Arrived home from USA at 11.00.  After a good nap I joined Paul, Ian and Brenda at Pulborough Brooks f or an evening jaunt to look for Nightingales.  The weather overcast but dry and cool.

• Within the first 5 minutes we had superb views of  our target bird.  A beautiful Nightingale sat at the top of the bushes 20m away and gave us some great singing.

Nightingale
Library picture

This was my first sighting of this beauty in 2014.

• With our main objective completed we decided to tour the whole of the reserve.  No further Nightingales were seen but we did manage to observe my fist Hirundines of the year as Swallows

Swallows
Library picture

and  Sand Martins flew over the waters a few hundred metres away.

Sand Martins
Library picture

   Apparently there was a House Martin in the flock but I missed it; fortunately I was luckier next day when a lone one circled overhead in Uckfield.

House Martin
Library picture

• There was no sign of the Garganey that had been seen here earlier but we did see a Green Sandpiper.

All in all this was a pleasant trip adding four more birds to my year list, all of which were migrants, showing that Spring is really here.




Additions to 2014 UK Bird List:
Nightingale  (187)
Swallow   (188)
Sand Martin   (189)

Species list for today
Nightingale
Swallow
Sand Martin
Coot
Chaffinch
Greenshank
Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Mallard
Pochard
Shelduck
Grey Heron
Dunnock
Mute Swan
Brent Goose
Gadwall
Tufted Duck
Little Egret
Chiffchaff 
Willow Warbler