Narrowly missed the Great-Grey Shrike at Climping on Thursday but there were a few Ring Ouzels present as there were on Friday morning. At Cissbury Ring, just the one Ring Ouzel being elusive although another was heard, plenty of Stonechats and Goldfinches though as well as Skylarks over the fields. Ambersham produced just a single Stonechat whilst at The Trundle, a male Stonechat, two Chiffchaffs, numerous Greenfinches and Meadow Pipits.



Ring Ouzel (look carefully!):

Stonechat (stretch!!):

The Yellow-Browed Warbler showed well for me yesterday early morning at Selsey. Associating with a mixed flock it fed keenly in a small grey shrub overhanging the caravan park wall at Paddock Lane. 

At Coastguards, no Rock Pipits but a wary Black Redstart was about the gardens and decking.

A look for the Tawny Pipit at Newhaven produced a couple of Whinchats, a Wheatear and a pair of Stonechats, and...what was that bird in the grass? Time will tell...

No more sign of the Red Crested Pochard at Chichester GPs but there have been quite a few Kingfishers and a contender today for a Aythya hybrid, which had to be at least part Scaup, otherwise not much else.



Kingfisher:

Pagham and Selsey still very quiet (when was the last really good bird in West Sussex?). A Wheatear at North Wall and two Peregrines over, several Stonechats along Pagham spit and a Spoonbill the best of a poor bunch-no wonder the Tide Mills Tawny Pipit is proving so popular amongst Sussex birders.


Spoonbill:

Stonechat:

Two birds that I didn't expect today, firstly a juvenile Gannet on the Breach Pool at Pagham North Wall. Initially sat on the pool, it then flew to the field behind, crash landed somewhat but after a few minutes seemed to regain its composure and nestled into the long grass; it was still hunkered down when I left an hour later:

Gannet:

At White's Creek, waders were in short supply but there were at least 200 Wigeon present, here's two!:

Second unusual bird of the day was a Red Crested Pochard, presumably last year's bird, back at Copse Lake (and later New Lake) at the Chichester Gravel Pits complex:

Pleased to see this bird as it was very elusive last year!

Back on home soil as it were and a look around all the usual sites in the Selsey/Pagham area. Not much at North Wall, but a few fairly distant Stonechats and Whinchats, four Snipe on the Breach pool and the odd Reed Bunting & Cetti's Warbler. At the Ferry Pool, the Little Stint and three Green Sandpipers, and at the rubble heaps on West Beach, 18 Wheatears at least and many Meadow Pipits & Linnets. A pair of Stonechats in Warner Lane.


Reed Bunting:

Green Sandpipers:

Little Stint:

Wheatear:

Meadow Pipit:

Stonechats:

A few days in Suffolk last week and although nothing spectacular was about (that was the week before..) a there were a few highlights:


Yellow Wagtail:

Wheatear:

Barnacle Geese:

Bearded Tits:

Red Backed Shrike:

Black Redstart:

Yellow Legged Gull:

Great White Egret: