Today, I had half a day free, before needing to get to Petersfield, The weather was 7c and very overcast with a bit of drizzle. I started in Arundel overlooking the Arun, near the WWT centre and as it got light, 10 Bewick Swans left their roost to head out to the fields. A Tawny Owl was hooting away and 2 Barn Owls were hunting on the field edges, with one successfully catching a vole. Also a couple of Marsh Harriers headed out form the WWT centre.
At around 8.30 I went round to Burpham and walked out from the car park, seeing the Bewick Swans below the church in their fields. The small sewage works had a dozen or more Chiffchaff and a Grey Wagtail, one distinct Chiffchaff was very much of the tristis race, and another couple were likely abietinus.
From the triangle viewpoint a Merlin was perched up on a distant hedge was a good find and plenty of Buzzards and Red Kites and Ravens were over the fields. As I walked up beyond Peppering Farm a few small groups of Reed Bunting fed on the track, but surprisingly no other buntings were visible and only 2 Skylark were seen all morning. A flock of Lapwing numbering around 75 birds were scattered on one field and 3 Red-legged Partridge and one covey of Grey Partridge were added, but generally the area was very quiet.
I headed back, stopping briefly to overlook Amberley Wildbrooks from the Rackham viewpoint, but found the area very dry, only a small group of Wigeon in one ditch and a single Little Egret were of interest.
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| Grey Heron in garden pond |
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| Nuthatch, already nest prospecting. |
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| Lapwing |
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| Grey Partridge |
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