Birding update

24th April 2024

RSPB Pulborough Brooks, Sussex

A late afternoon/early evening jaunt:

• A great view from Jupp's of 1 of the 3 garganeys known to be present today.  It was swimming in the centre of one of the pools on the brooks.  
• I saw a second by the edges of the water from Little Hanger.
• There were scores of hirundines around - among them my first sand martins of 2024.
• There was no sign of the spotted redshank.

Sunday 28th April 2024.

Splash Point, Seaford, Sussex

8 of us from the Ashdown Bird Group joined over 20 of the SOS group for the annual, early morning seawatch.  This proved to be one of the worst ever with little passage of birds and some very unseasonal cold weather.  I was so out of touch that I missed out on some of the scraps that were on offer. 

• Pick of the bunch of my sightings was a dark phase Arctic skua passing through around 06.40.
• I managed to see my first common scoters of the year.

Thaank goodness we had Simon Linington with us from the SOS!

Monday 29th April 2024

Angmering, Sussex

My first "lifer" of the year!  A woodchat shrike was reported at Angmering this morning so I took the first opportunity to drive down there to see it.

• It had a favourite bush where it returned to every so often.  The rest of the time it could be seen on the fence near this tree.

Courtesy of Alastair Gray

• The shrike only stayed one day and drew lots of birders, being the first in Sussex since 2007.

The woodchat shrike is a scarce visitor to Britain & Ireland.  It is a migrant bird that has a predominantly European distribution - though extending through Turkey and on into Iran - and winters in a belt across central Africa. 

Weir Wood Reservoir

30th April 2024

Whilst doing my usual duties with the working party, I managed to add common tern and garden warbler to my 2024 year list.

2024 species count=167