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.

Old Lodge N.R., Ashdown Forest & Weirwood Reservoir

Went to Old Lodge Nature Reserve in the Ashdown Forest with Doreen and David and we then went onto Weirwood Reservoir. Very little seen at the Old Lodge, 2 Redpolls, and David had poor views of flyover Crossbills.

Weirwood Reservoir: 1 Marsh Tit, 6 Long Tailed Tits, 70 Pochard 12 Tufted Ducks.

Views taken from the Old Lodge Nature Reserve.

Weirwood Reservoir.

Two record shots of a Marsh Tit at Weirwood Reservoir.

24th January 2009 Castle Water and Pannel Valley

Visited Castle Water, and Pannel Valley today with David.

Castle Water: 2 Bitterns, 3 Marsh Harriers, 2 Ravens, 1 Bearded Tit, 1 Stonechat, 1 Little Egret, 10 Pintail, 5 Smew including 2 drakes, Water Rail seen by DC, 30 Gadwall, 1Merlin, 4 Cetti's Warblers, saw 1 briefly, plus the commoner ducks. On our walk back to the car, a resting flock of large gulls sat in a field, produced a 2nd W. Caspian Gull. After 15 minutes all the gulls took flight and disappeared to the South.

Pannel Valley: No sign of the Great Grey Shrike, 2-3 Barn Owls, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Cetti's Warblers singing, 60 Fieldfares.

Looking from the Bittern Lookout at Castle Water.

Western end of Castle Water.

Camber Castle.

Looking towards Rye from Castle Water.

Smew on Castle Water.

2nd W. Caspian Gull at Castle Water Water taken by DC.

Shovelers on Castle Water.

Marsh Harrier over Castle Water.

Fieldfare in Pannel Valley.

Raven over Castle Water.

23rd January, 2010. Plumpton,Arlington Reservoir, Cuckmere, Ouse Project, Newhaven Harbour, Ashdow Forest.

Went out locally with Doreen & David.

Plumpton: 1 Barn Owl sat on a fence post right next to the road, superb.

Arlington Reservoir:

80 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 1 male Goldeneye, 10 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 50 Fieldfares & 2 Ravens.

Cuckmere: 1 1stW female Scaup, 120 Wigeon, 1 Tufted Duck.

Ouse Project: Heard 1 Cetti's Warbler singing.

Newhaven Harbour: 6 Purple Sandpipers.

Ashdown Forest late afternoon. No Hen Harriers at the usual roost site. 1 Goldcrest & 3 Redpoll.

Winter plumage Black Headed Gull at Arlington Reservoir.

1st W female Scaup on a pool in the Cuckmere.

Scaup taken by DC

Drake Goldeneye at Arlington Reservoir.

17th January 2010 Pagham Lagoon, Pagham Harbour, Chichester GPs and Selsey Bill

Visited Pagham with Doreen & David.

Pagham Lagoon:

1 drake Greater Scaup

8 Red Breasted Mergansers

3 Ruddy Ducks

40 Med. Gulls

1 Kingfisher

Pagham Harbour:

500 Brent Geese

17 Avocets

500 Knot

10 Med Gulls.

Chichester Gravel Pits:

1 drake Red Crested Pochard

1 drake Smew

1 Water Rail calling

View of Pagham Harbour at high tide.

Red Breasted Mergansers on Pagham Lagoon.

Drake Scaup with 3 Ruddy Ducks on Pagham Lagoon.

Curlew

Little Grebe

Drake Smew on Chichester Gravel Pits (DC).

Drake Red Crested Pochard on Chichester Gravel Pits.

Drake Teal.

Shelduck