14th February 2010 Wivelsfield, Pett, Castle Water, Ternery Pool and Northiam

Went out with Doreen & David. First stop to photograph Fieldfares at Wivelsfield. We saw 100 Fieldfares & 10 Yellow Hammers. Onto Pett Level: 20 White Fronted Geese, 6 Brent Geese, 1 Knot plus the usual selection of common waders etc. Moved onto Castle Water: 2 Bitterns one of which showed very very well, nice views also of a Water Rail, 3 Smew (1 drake), 6 Pintail, 70 Grey-lag Geese, 2 Marsh Harriers, 3 Ravens, & 30 Fieldfares, plus 40 Gadwall and good numbers of Shovelers etc.. On our way home went via Northiam and saw the adult Whooper Swan.

Ternery Pool, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

Shoveler on Castle Water, Rye.

Fieldfare at Wivelsfield.

Bitterns.

Water Rail at Castle Water, Rye.

Smew at Castle Water, Rye.

Flock of Grey-lags over Castle Water, Rye.

Cormorant at Castle Water, Rye.

Great Crested Grebe on Castle Water, Rye.

Gadwall & Shoveler on Castle Water, Rye.

Adult Herring Gull at Rye.

13th February, 2010. Piddinghoe, Selsey & West Dean.

Went with David to see the Common Crane at Piddinghoe. also saw 50 Stock Doves, 10 Fieldfares, & 1 Common Buzzard. Then drove to Selsey Bill, and spent sometime potographing the Med. Gulls which were sowing very well. Also saw 10 Red Breasted Mergansers, 2 Diver Sp's, & 3 Sandwich Terns. Very little at West Dean other than 2 Siskins, & 750 Woodpigeons.

Common Crane at Piddinghoe.

Adult summer plumage Med. Gull at Selsey.

Adult transitional plumage Med. Gull at Selsey.

Adult in almost full summer plumage Med. Gull at Selsey.

2nd Winter Med. Gull at Selsey.

Various Med Gulls at Selsey.

Turnstone at Selsey.

7th February 2010 Burton Mill Pond, Coates Common & Arundel

First visited Burton Mill Pond with David & Doreen as a Lesser Scaup had been reported yesterday. Needless to say it proved to be a Aythya hybrid with a reddish head!! We also saw 1 Kingfisher, 4 Mandarin Ducks, & 1 Little Egret.

Moved onto Coates Common where we had some nice views of a single Woodlark, also 1 Common Buzzard. Then onto Arundel, no sign of any Hawfinches but 1 Tree Creeper and 43 Bewick's Swans.

Coates Common.

View of Arundel Castle with the flock of Bewick's Swans.

Woodlark on Coates Common (DC)

Aythya hybrid on Burton Mill Pond. (DC)

Bewick's Swans at Burpham

6th February, 2010 Ashdown Forest

Visited Ashdown Forest with David. First stopped at Long Car Park, Chelwood and had nice views of the Great Grey Shrike. We then visited Old Lodge and had 6 Lesser Redpolls feeding around the car park, also 16 Crossbills, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Sparrow Hawk and 70 Fieldfares.

Lesser Redpoll

Great Grey Shrike (DC).

4th February, 2010, Ouse Project, Newhaven.

Called in on our way back from Beachy. 250 Lapwings, 2 Common Snipe, 12 English race of Lesser Black Back Gulls standing in the field, 3 Green Woodpeckers & Cetti's singing in the usual site.