Itchenor

The Black-throated Diver was still offshore from Itchenor this morning along with two Great Northern Divers and plenty of displaying Red-breasted Mergansers but I couldn't find the Grey Partridges in the rainy conditions.

Black-throated Diver:

Great Northern Diver:

Brent Geese:

Red-breasted Mergansers:

Long Down & Sand Martins

We had to drop a van into the garage this morning so went up to Long Down hill afterwards, this is sort of above Eartham to give you an idea. Last time it was fog-bound but today there were excellent views across to the downs, Chichester & villages and even the offshore windfarms. Some of the habitat looks spot on for Honey-Buzzard later in the year but today we had plenty of Common Buzzards, a few Red Kites, Yellowhammers and Skylarks. Very much an underwatched area this with also plenty of wet woodland and numerous hilltop copses which today held numerous Tit flocks-looks good for Woodcock here too.

Later in the day we went to the Chichester Gravel Pits where Colin Jupp had found at least four Sand Martins, nice to see the first "proper" migrants of the year!

Skylark, note rarity: blue sky!:

Yellowhammers:

The view from Long Down:

Sand Martin:

North Wall

We had a bit of stroll at the North Wall this morning, nothing really of note, a couple of Egyptian Geese at Church Barton and a Chiffchaff here, too, two Marsh Harriers, a cronking Raven (later seen over the Mill Pond) some nice Pintail from the east side and a nice mixed flock of warders. 

I suppose it was nice to be out after the funeral but still not really feeling much like it atm, but tomorrow's another day so hey ho...

Later, an odd report from the data-scrapers (have you noticed how the national bird services never credit their sources...?) of a Red-breasted Goose with c.3000 Brent Geese and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese in the area, I believe they were looked for but without success...I do know if they were there this morning we missed them! UPDATE: well they weren't there but they were in 1986 apparently! A data entry error to blame for today's report, the culprit? well that would be telling lol and no it wasn't me!

Marsh Harrier:

Pintail:

Common Gull and what appears to be a Ruff second left:

West Dean & the Canal

The wife and I went up to Stapleash Farm at West Dean estate on Friday morning while the son was at band rehearsal (just the 26 songs to learn!!) and had a few bits, four displaying Ravens, six Buzzards, two Red Kites, a Hawfinch (possibly more but not certain) and a big flock of mixed finches on the maize crop.

At the Canal on Saturday there were at least a dozen Siskins, probably more as they were well heard before they were seen at the Birdham end. Not a lot else here and at dead low water off the marina all that could be found of note in a brief look were a few Red-breasted Mergansers.

The two White-fronted Geese & the two Egyptian Geese were also still at Oving early on.

Raven:

Siskin:

Egyptian Geese

 Two Egyptian Geese and two White-fronted Geese with the motley band of Greylags and Canada Geese at Drayton, Oving this morning.

Owls

No photos as it was a bit dark but we had a Barn Owl and at least two Tawny Owls in a brief visit to Halsey's Farm at Pagham Hbr on Monday night. The Barn Owl was quartering the field between the two gates up from the Halsey's Farm House end, one Tawny Owl was nearby and another was towards Marsh Farm.

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: