Appearing to miss 2 days - The weather on Saturday and Sunday was nothing but appalling. Heavy rain and wind throughout with leaden grey skies, the only respite for Vitamin D lovers was a short window of around an hour late morning on Sunday, so all I managed was a short walk around the fields in the dry spell. A Grey Heron dropped into the pond early in the morning and there were still several Redwing darting around and a Sparrowhawk charging through the garden put the wind up the few birds that had ventured out.
I had to start the new week on a better note and needed some brief respite from the local wet and muddy fields and woods, so I went to Rackham to view the Wildbrooks this morning. It was still very grey and windy but at least dry. There is a great view over the brooks from the viewpoint, but it does make everything rather distant, but the birds that were there didn't disappoint.
With all the rain we have had since last week I was surprised that the floods weren't higher, but maybe they haven't quite reached the brooks yet as driving back through Pulborough and Fittleworth there was a significant water covering.
The waterfowl numbers were good with a large number of Wigeon, probably c400, with c200 Teal and c100 Pintail, but only 2 Shoveler ! and a good gathering of c250 Lapwing. I had a vague hope of seeing some raptors but the wind was strong and not ideal for hunting (or viewing), there were however 4-5 Red Kite, a single Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and a distant male Marsh Harrier with the best being a Merlin, briefly perched on a gate before flying off on a hunting mission and putting up all the Lapwing. The brooks has a large gathering of Canada and Greylag Goose, nothing too exciting there but a careful scan through revealed 2 White-fronted Geese, which remained distant and reasonably hidden.
I also saw 4 Ruff, one of which a very distinctive mainly white-plumaged bird, the Ruff were with some Black-tailed Godwit, only a few birds and nothing like the big flocks slightly up the valley at Pulborough Brooks.
After a satisfying couple of hours I headed towards home, stopping briefly at Burton Mill Pond, hoping for some more duck species. There were only 4 Tufted Duck on the pond with 2 Little Grebe and 3 Great Crested Grebe. A roost of 10 Little Egrets in one tree was a decent count but more of a surprise was a Great White Egret on the edge of the reeds, although one has been reported here over the last week.
A fairly good morning in dull conditions, at least increasing my lock-down list to 75.
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| Rackham viewpoint over Amberley Wildbrooks |
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| Lower down within Rackham woods |
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| Burton Mill Pond |
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| Burton Mill Pond |
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