A day at Pagham Harbour & Medmerry with the dogs

Wednesday 3rd December as I was on holiday, and the sun was shining, I loaded up the dogs and drove down to the Pagham visitor centre. First birds seen, Magpie, Blue & Great tit a short walk to view Ferry Pool, adding Shelduck, RUDDY SHELDUCK, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Pheasant, Moorhen, Lapwing, Black-tailed godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed gull, Skylark, Rook, Carrion crow & Starling.

I then walked around this part of the harbour back to the visitor centre seeing on the way, Little egret, Mallard, Green woodpecker, Back in the car and of to Church Norton, where in one of the fields where a covey of Red-legged partridges as we neared Greenlease farm.

When at the Severals, a Cetti's warbler was heard, Woodpigeons in the trees and a Sparrowhawk low over the reeds. Then up on to the beach, for Turnstone, Oystercatcher & Herring gull.

Once at the harbour itself, soon added, Great crested grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Spoonbill (3), Dark-bellied brent goose, Red-breasted merganser, Ringed plover, Grey plover, Dunlin, Bar-tailed godwit, Common gull, Great black-backed gull & the Leucistic Curlew.

Near to the hide and church car park were, Robin, Blackbird & Great spotted woodpecker, and down Rectory lane  on the way back to the car, Dunnock, three types of finch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch & a pair of Ravens flew noisily over, Then off the see Medmerry for the first time, I drove into Bunn Leisure, West sands holiday park, Past The Oasis complex and as far as I could go before parking up. Walked to view Medmerry returning to the car via the beach, seeing Meadow pipit, Pied wagtail, Black redstart, Stonechat & Jackdaw.

Then off to the North Wall, where the last birds added to the days list were, Little grebe, Canada goose, Pintail, Water rail, Coot, Golden plover, Snipe & Collared dove, 62 bird species.
2014 Year List = 233

White Ibis at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve Kent

As I was on holiday, went to Sevenoaks wildlife reserve in the afternoon of Tuesday 2nd December, as it had stopped raining in Farnborough. I arrived around 15:00 and started the walk to the field, passing other birders on their way back to the car park. I arrived at the field and found nobody else there, so I started to look for the White ibis, as the rain started again and the wind was coming straight at me, it was freezing. At 15:27 (time taken from record shots) I found the WHITE IBIS, so I took some record shots, watched it for a while through my scope and then went and found some shelter.

The rain stopped for a while so I went for another look, I was joined but two other birders but we could not relocate the White ibis, so I took a photo of the field and then headed home.  

2014 Year List = 232

Rough-legged Buzzard at Jevington

Started Friday 21st November working near Coventry, and I managed to complete the days work earlier, so I drive to Jevington East Sussex to look for the Rough-legged buzzard, after missing the one at Braughing Hertfordshire the week before. I made good time arriving around 16:15 at Oxendean Barn, so I put on my warm clothing and was soon looking over the set-aside. Birds seen while looking for the RLB were Buzzard, Kestrel, Black-headed gull, Pheasant, Stock dove, Woodpigeon, Meadow pipit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook & Carrion crow. After about 30 minutes the ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD, turned up and put on a great aerial display as it hunted over the set-aside and avoiding the mobbing by corvids

2014 Year List = 231

Lunchtime walk around Hurley

Wednesday 19th November I spent my lunchtime walking around Hurley, seeing 37 species of bird.

Great crested grebe, Cormorant, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose, Egyptian goose, Mallard, Tufted duck, Red kite, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Feral pigeon, Woodpigeon, Collared dove, Ring-necked parakeet, Green woodpecker, Grey wagtail, Pied wagtail, wren, Robin, Blackbird, Redwing, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Nuthatch, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Domestic White Greylag goose & Mallard Hybrids.