Being married to an Australian monarchist meant there was no way that yesterdays Royal festivities were going to be avoided, so joining all the wedding fun was the only way through...... and could be in trouble when she reads this .... mention of Pom Skua's only causes confusion, and no acceptable excuse, as she presumes I must be referring to Englishman on a stick which after marinating go on the barb'cue.
So Saturday was a birding day, although the start was a little slower than expected , due to the required intake of beverage as demanded, and somehow still toasting the bride and groom some 10 hours after the wedding !! , so decided to stay inland and save my Selsey trip for Monday.
I arrived at Waltham Brooks at 7.15am and was the only sole around for the next couple of hours in a blue sky but breezy morning, a great little Wildlife Trust reserve comprising a river valley with a bit of flood, reeds and scrub. The warblers were in full voice with
Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and
Whitethroat all within the first hundred yards, a
Little Egret was flushed then
3 Greenshank took flight calling loudly, shortly followed by
10 Whimbrel. 3 Little Ringed Plovers were establishing territories on the muddy fringes of the river along with a
Green Sandpiper. I then saw a crow mobbing a bird quite high which through the scope turned out to be a
Short-Eared Owl. The crow and Owl continued the scrap until the Owl gradually decreased height until it went down out of view a few hundred yards away. I crossed the railway to Coldwaltham sewage plant where
2 Nightingales were in song and a
Cuckoo was calling.
I moved onto Pulborough, where again warblers were the highlight, counted at least 7 singing
Nightingales, of which 2 gave themselves up and appeared from their normal hidden songposts.
Lesser Whitethroat and
Garden Warbler were the additions to those already seen at Waltham. Waders were represented by 2
Ruff, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Snipe and
Greenshank and
2 Swifts were the first for the year. A Barnacle Goose and 2 Snow Geese went into the feral category.
Reports from the coast showed a significant movement of seabirds (with great counts of Pom Skuas !), but I headed East staying inland and did a circuit of Arlington Reservoir which added little to the bird list but was a pleasant walk and then called in at Old Lodge, where a smart pair of
Redstart were nice, with lots of
Lesser Redpolls buzzing around and a couple of
Ravens rounded of the day.
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| Whitethroat - Pulborough |
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| Little-Ringed Plover - Waltham Brooks |
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| Sedge Warbler - Waltham Brooks |
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| Nightingale- Pulborough |
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| Garden Warbler - Pulborough |
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| Pulborough from the 'Hanger' |
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