Back out...

I haven't really felt like doing much birding recently (see previous post for why) but with the boy at Karate class and the wife hill-walking it felt like maybe this was the time for a gentle return...

A Nuthatch had been seen at Saltern's Copse near Chichester Marina in the week (I found one here a couple of years ago) so I though I might as well give that a go. After a muddy walk round I eventually located the bird on the south side path near the seawall and it showed pretty well. Also a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the area, plenty of mixed Tits, a nice flock c.12 Reed Buntings and a few Red-breasted Mergansers out on the water, no sign of the Black-necked Grebe (presumably the same bird as my one from East Head on December 31st) here or at Dell Quay though.

On the way down a quick scan of the Greylag horde found the two White-fronted Geese still with them in the fields adjacent to the railway crossing at Drayton near Oving.

So I'm not going mad and rushing to get out and about but a few gentle strolls with the family are hopefully on the agenda, we shall see how it goes...

Nuthatch:

Song Thrush:

Reed Bunting:

Great Spotted Woodpecker:

Greylags and White-fronted Geese:

Dad

Although it's been a very sad time here as my father passed away last weekend it was heartening to see that his life touched many people... many, many tributes on social media and direct to us have been comforting. He and I were very close and it was him who inspired me to love nature as I do-not some sanitsied Country File nature but a warts-and-all version, the true countryside really, held together by nails and baler twine, old vans full of vegetables, ropes for seatbelts, bodges, welds and repairs and... well I could go on but you get the idea, he was my hero and I became his...and once he even found a Velvet Scoter on Shopwhyke Pit!

I will always miss you Dad & your 100% support but I will honour your legacy, being a bloody good dad, with my son as you would have wished. XX

Peter Ives 1930-2026 requiescat in pace:

More seabirds & gulls

 A look for the Pagham Caspian Gull(s) the other day was susccessful including photos..however the photos seem to be stuck on the camera and won't dowload which is super annoying, might be able to do a BOC shot...

In other news, did get a Sooty Shearwater past the Bill on the 24th January which I forgot to mention, thanks SH for the gentle reminder lol.

The first of February brought an excellent 335 Red-throated Divers west past Selsey Bill, along with three Red-necked Grebes, four Slavonian Grebes, two Fulmars and two Great Northern Divers. ON the way home more surprises included a female Bullfinch and two White-fronted Geese at Drayton Pits, the former consideralbly rarer than the latter on the Peninsula at the moment!

Red-throated Divers:

Great Northern Diver:

Caspian Gull (bird with white head mid-left)

Glossy Ibis & Merlin

A Glossy Ibis was at the "farm" near the substation at Hunston today, not easy viewing as the owners are misreable as sin and don't like birders (what could they be up to??? 🤣) but it was showing niceley really. Also about 20 Cattle Egrets and a few gull sp. there. Probably amused the passing motorists by crouching down by the hedge pointing a camera at a waterlogged field...

Earlier at Honer (I was out delivering to Honer Farm before you though i was bunking work!), a female Merlin was briefly perched up before flying over the fields and being lost to view; presumably one of the birds I had there at the end of last year.

Glossy Ibis video: HERE

Glossy Ibis & Cattle Egrets:

Killdeer

So I ended up with a window of opportunity on Sunday morning which, finally, enabled a run to Ripley Farm Reservoir for the fortunately long-staying Killdeer. 

An easy journey down, apart from incessant 50mph on the M27 (nothing's changed there then), easy parking in the nearby lay-by and a five minute cycle down the farm track to the reservoir found just two birders present. Handily one had a JWT-style Swarowski and picked up the bird roosting with Lapwings in a gully on the far side-sir, i am indebted to you for the look in the scope of revelation. Later, the bird fluffed itself a bit displaying a beautiful orange rump of the colour only nature can produce, lush.

As the gloomy day brightened decent views were had but photography was a bit difficult due to distance-not sure what type of camera you would need but I don't have one, see below...

Also present, six Egyptian Geese, Teal, Mallards, a flyover White-tailed Eagle and some pigs opposite. Respect to the farmer for not getting arsey about the birders, chapeau.

Didn't bother with the Grackle on the way back but did pop into the Hayling Island oysterbeds but there wasn't a lot happening other than a Goldeneye and a few Great Northern Divers, no sign of the SCaup for me but it was low water so I could have easily missed it.

Glad I went, a decent morning out.

Killdeer:

Snow Bunting & Slavonian Grebe

Another tough week all round with work (and other issues!) prevented me from getting over for the Killdeer in Hampshire... but you never know it might fly over to the Ferry and linger for weeks on end and we shall all be eternally grateful!!

Didn't have long today as doing yet more cover driving for veg box deliveries but a quick look at East Head found the Snow Bunting at the far end and an even quicker look found the Slavonian Grebe showing daftly well in Chichester, a five minute cycle from the Westgate end, the latter really did put a smile on my face..good find SR, not often they show so well!

Snow Bunting video: HERE

Slavonian Grebe video: HERE

Snow Bunting:

Slavonian Grebe:

Ruffs and seabirds..

A seawatch at the Bill was rewarded with an Little Gull picked up by JA and a Velvet Scoter found by SH, all I had to do was point the scope in the right direction!!

At the Ferry Pool the North Wall boys had found a Ruff and together we added a couple more for three in total and these were birds that I was glad to see after missing out over the last week or so.

At Drayton there were four Egyptian Geese but no sign of the Bittern (it's probably in the massive reedbeds on the inaccesible pit) but I did pick up Chiffchaff for the year-small steps and all that...an evening look at the Marina for Bittern might be worth a look sometime I was thinking...

Ruff:

Egyptian Geese: