Monday 21st April - Another Spring catch-up

 I returned last week from another excellent overseas birding trip, this time to the Antilles, specifically Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Again, I will eventually get round to writing up the trip with 225 species seen, but a staggering 123 were new.

In the meantime Spring has happened here, or is in the middle of happening. A flurry of rare and scarce birds had appeared in the warm weather while I was away and hoping that some would be still lingering I went to the Selsey peninsula on the 15th. Starting at Selsey Bill, the morning's sea-watch was fairly modest, but I was happy to pick up a few new birds for the year which included Little Tern, Arctic Skua, Yellow Wagtail, a handful of Swallows and 2 Wheatear. I intended to go to Medmerry where there had been a Least Sandpiper, at least until yesterday, found by Paul B and Sam whilst I was away it had been admired by many birders in the following 2 weeks. I was a little sanguine about the bird, even given it's rarity status in Sussex as 5 days ago in  Puerto Rico I'd seen a flock of 200+ of them !!

However, a small diversion on the way to Medmerry, as a Grasshopper Warbler had been found reeling in a small patch of reedy marsh net to the road in Mill Lane. Paul and I stopped, where Bart had the bird reeling in a small hawthorn, we briefly had a partial view of the Grasshopper Warbler as it intermittently announced it's presence before melting away into the bush, Common Whitethroat and more Swallows were seen here as well. We continued to Medmerry and started the walk down to the Stilt Pools, a Cuckoo was calling, but remained unseen, and a smart Cattle Egret was visible with plenty of Yellowhammers, Reed Bunting and Linnets in the bushes. Neither the Stilt pool or further along at the breach was harbouring the Least Sandpiper, so we had to make do with Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling another couple of Wheatear and a Sand Martin. Just as we were about to leave the car park a message came through that one of yesterdays Hoopoes had been seen near the Church in Pagham, so that was our next stop and even though a little distant there were 2 Hoopoes in the back of the field viewed over the hedge which seemed perfectly content until flushed by a photographer. So a very good morning.

My first Wheatear of Spring

and another

Swallow arriving

A bit of a Grasshopper Warbler

.. and another bit

Yellowhammer

Sanderling

a rare sight in the UK.. 2 Hoopoes together

A bird survey visit to Black Down on the 17th, had no real surprises. It was good to see Dartford Warblers in reasonable numbers and Willow Warblers were nicely vocal as were 2 Common Redstart, but very much down in numbers were Woodlark and Stonechat but again no Tree Pipits for the 3rd year running.

Another Selsey attempt on Good Friday (18th) with the promise of a moderate South Easterly wind started with a small flurry of Sandwich Terns and 4 Arctic Skuas together but other than a very small number of Little and Common Terns, a possible very distant Arctic Tern and a loafing Great Skua, it was then very quiet, even several Whimbrel didn't know which way to go.

Today I visited Lynchmere and Stanley Common for a bird survey, not my favourite local common, but I'd reluctantly agreed to try and cover this as best I could in Spring. I did have at least 5 Garden Warblers, a Cuckoo and best of all a Tree Pipit but again only a single Woodlark and surprisingly no Redstart, and I later discovered that my friend Graham recorded a reeling Grasshopper Warbler, in a field near to where I had been !

At home the local birds are very busy, obvious breeding for Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch and Stock Doves. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker and Nuthatch are regularly seen and there is a singing Firecrest again in the gulley. Occasionally I see a Bullfinch and Siskin. Of the summer migrants, there are 3 Chiffchaff and 2 singing Blackcap in the field edges a pair of House Sparrows appear to be nesting near the barn, Jackdaws are again in the Chimney and the regular local Starlings are particularly busy carrying back tot he nests in the village. I've seen Goshawk, Red Kite, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk and yesterday had my first flyover Swallow... and the Grey Heron is still visiting the pond daily probably nearly finishing what amphibians are left.