Friday 15th October - Italian Whites and Pink Fizz

The reference to Italian Whites is a wine tasting evening I went to last night, so the lingering effects of too much Verdicchio made it a slow start but hey I got my Camera lens back yesterday !!!!!  I had an early  wander beyond the back fence in the lane to the trout farm and saw a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in a tit flock, it called several times before revealing itself in the top of an Ash tree. I've had one around the house intermittently for the last 4 years including on the feeders but not seen it since February.

I went down to Newhaven fort mid morning to see the Rosy Starling which was in brambles just below the coast guard tower, it was seriously tucking into the blackberries before it flew further down the cliff. There were also 2 Wheatears, a Chiffchaff , several Blackbirds and Song Thrushes in the cliff bushes but nothing more interesting.

I called in to Cissbury on the way back and managed to locate at least 2 Ring Ouzels in the bushes on the SE side in the gulley before a sheep field, feeding largely in cover but calling frequently and moving between bushes . However, a Sparrowhawk shot into the hedgerow causing commotion between Chaffinches and Ring Ouzels, followed by a curdling sqawking that was definitely from a Thrush rather than a Finch but I couldn't locate where the Hawk ended up - but sadly I fear maybe one less Ouzel. Plenty of Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests around and a group of 11 Fieldfares were the first I've seen this Autumn. Back for Adie's Judo. and to get ready for the Norfolk trip tomorrow.



A recently arrived Fieldfare at Cissbury