As the April dates get into the final week of the month, there is somehow an expectation the weather will have distinctly warmed by now. Unfortunately, we have been stuck in a northerly airflow with temperatures ranging from 3-10c, so still plenty of layers needed when out and about.
I returned to Pulborough late morning on the 17th as a Green-winged Teal had been seen there the previous day, I made my way to the hangar viewpoint overlooking the North brooks and it didn't take long before I managed to pick out the Green-winged Teal amongst Eurasian Teal and Shoveler, although it was pretty distant. The drake is distinctive enough with a white side breast crescent and no white wing marking which separate it from the Eurasian Teal.. There was also a Little Ringed Plover, which was my first in the UK this Spring. The surrounding scrub, as per last week, had Nightingales, Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps in plentiful numbers and 2 House Martin flew over the car just as I left the place.
Visit to Selsey on the 20th was in bright conditions but cold enough with a brisk Northerly wind. The sea was ultimately very quiet, not unexpectedly given the conditions with just the regular species including 2 Brent Geese, 5 Great Northern Divers and a couple of Little Terns with the more numerous Sandwich Terns but the morning highlight was a Hobby seen fairly close into shore but rising higher before plucking a passerine out of the sky and drifting inland with it's prey. There was a marked influx of smaller passerines with 2 Wheatear, , 20+ Willow Warblers, Whitethroat, Redstart, Blackcap all seen in the small area of bushes along the seafront, with some spotted on their final approach over the shingle.
I relocated to the North Wall at Pagham via Halsey's Farm, there had been a Purple Heron in the area but typically only seen early morning or very late evening before spending the day hidden in the reeds, I waited for over an hour but no Purple Heron, there was consolation in a smart Whinchat, the Cattle Egrets in the herony along with Little Egrets a fine looking male Marsh Harrier and my first Lesser Whitethroat of Spring.
At home on the 21st it was dull and dreary most of the day but I did see my first Common Swift of the Spring.
A further visit to Pulborough on Monday 22nd and despite the cold, I think there were even more warblers having arrived since last week. There were at least 6 Nightingale territories, more Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. The nice surprise on the quieter North brooks were 3 Garganey (2 drakes) again my first sighting this Spring in the UK. The South brooks had a Great Egret, and a small number of Swifts, House Martin and Sand Martin were hawking above the brooks. A great Spring morning here.
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| North Brooks from the Hanger |
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| Shockingly distant picture, but a distinctive white flash on the side of the Green-winged Teal just visible below the Shoveler on the bank. |
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| Gannet |
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| Wheatear just arrived |
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| Willow Warbler - just arrived |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Redstart |
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| Whimbrel |
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| My own Bluebell Wood |
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