Snow Bunting at East Head

22 January 2017

Snow Bunting

It was a bright, cold sunny Sunday and there were hundreds of people walking dogs on the beach at low tide, so our expectation of seeing any birds was very low, but there was a single and entirely unexpected Snow Bunting on the beach at the tip of the head.  It seemed quite unconcerned, skipping a short distance away when anyone came too close.  A male, I would have thought.  There was also a single Sanderling on the shoreline nearby.  Usually we see them here in larger numbers, but then, there are usually far fewer people about.

In the field next to the car park there were, as so often, a few Lapwing, and a Curlew, some Oystercatchers but also three Snipe.

There were three Oystercatchers on Snowshill running around together making a terrific racket.  Eventually one flew off leaving the other two running around together.   What was it all about? There was a typical collection of waders on the mud – Grey Plover, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, etc.

Driving back through Chichester we were surprised to see the River Lavant dry on a late January Day.

Nine trout in the Mill Stream, Snipe in Clays Field and much else

18 January 2017

We noted 23 species of birds on a brisk walk up the riverbank on a freezing cold day.  Despite the cold, we heard a Dunnock singing for the first time this year.  Meadow Pipits were out in numbers and there were a few winter thrushes about.  Nearly 50 Greylag flew north in small groups, presumably from the Beeding fishponds.

JW contacted me to report no less than 6 Goldcrest on Steyning Downland Scheme.  Two Buzzards were in a tree over the targets and there was a small flock of Fieldfares about.

19 January 2017

Teal were on the Lower Pond, and Green Woodpecker on the Rifle Range, but apart from that it was very quiet in the late afternoon.  However, we did see that the Dexters were all at the top of the north side of the Rifle Range where the sun was still shining.  The south side was in deep shade and still covered in frost.  No wonder the north side is being grazed down more than the south side.

On the way over we looked in the mill stream where it emerges by the Star Inn.  The water was clear and fast flowing (after recent rain) and we counted nine trout and what might well have been a redd.

On the way back we crossed Clays Field and were astonished to put up a pair of Snipe from the middle of the field.  We have not been around Clays Field for some time and were surprised by the amount of Reedmace (Bulrush) invading the pond.

Finally, on the corner we saw a single early violet.  I do not know what spp.

Siskins at Fitzlea and Barrows exposed on Lavington Common

There were at least three Buzzards circling about at various times during the walk.  On Lavington Common a possible Snipe took off - or was it a Woodcock?  A Green Woodpecker was very noisy.

A lot of trees have been cleared on Lavington Common and the southern half has had a brush cutter over it, exposing the barrows.  We were a bit surprised that there were four of them.  Are these the ones that Miss Keefe excavated?  (no, they were not.  Miss Keefe published an excavation of barrows on Iping Common, but P does remember her father meeting Miss K there to discuss them) It seems odd now that the Forestry Commision would have been allowed to plant trees all over them, or that they would even consider it a good idea.  Thank goodness attitudes have changed and the policy now is to expose the archaeology so that people can see it.

There were a few Snowdrops in flower on Graffham Common and at Fitzlea Pond we saw Siskins on the Alder trees in company with a flock of Goldfinches. No sign of the Gadwall that we saw there last year.

Two Short-eared and One Barn Owl on Bramber Brooks

A late afternoon walk across Bramber Brooks and there was a Barn Owl and two Short-eared Owls busy hunting, flying back and forth and clashing a little when they got too close - although no actual contact.  At one point the Barn Owl disturbed a bird among some rushes which flew straight up to a height of about 2 metres and dropped back down again.  Longish legs, big feet and a longish beak - Water Rail?  It was such a brief glimpse that I could not be sure.

I got a better view of a Sparrowhawk. It cruised towards me very low along the side of a hedge as I stood on the riverbank, diverted to cross the pond and then flipped over the river to disappear below the bank.  Good views also of a Kestrel, but a flock of small birds was more problematic.  At least three Reed Buntings, eight others were more difficult to identify with any certainty.  Altogether 25 species.

Steyning Downland Scheme Bird Survey

Twelve birders turned out today and we were able to cover all three areas.  The team that covered area 1 (Nightingale Lane and the Rifle Range) did best with 29 species including Water Rail, Bullfinch, Teal and Mistle Thrush.  I took a group up to Steyning Coombe and we had a quiet time of it, enlivened by the brief appearance of a Firecrest.  We heard two Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming.  The third group headed up to the top woodland area and as so often had a long walk for a modest reward, recording just 13 species including Goldcrest.  But, altogether it was a good start to the year.

Home

We have added a fat block to our garden bird feeding arrangements.  We only put this up when we have a spell of cold weather as it attracts squirrels.  I attach it to the top of a metal pole stuck upright in the lawn more than a squirrel’s jump away from the apple tree.  I then apply a coat of grease to it so that if they try to shin up it they slip down again without reaching the fat block.  I have to monitor this regularly to ensure that there is still enough grease to stop them.  So far so good and the block has attracted a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a flock of Long-tailed tits and a Goldcrest.

Pagham Harbour

Our arrival at Church Lane, Pagham was greeted by some very noisy House Sparrows and a couple of cooing Collared Doves.  There were quite a lot of blackbirds about too, mostly males.  The tide was right out and there was a thick frost and a perfectly blue sky.  The first birds we saw in the harbour were a couple of Black-tailed Godwits.  Down the west side there were Teal and Wigeon, about 100 Shelduck, a few Pintail, Dunlin, Redshank and Grey Plover.  A large flock of Brent Geese flew in at one point making a tremendous fuss and I put up a Snipe from the marsh edge.

Brent Geese in the western channel

Down on the lagoon there were Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, and, best of all a couple of Pochard, the numbers of which have been in decline in recent years, so it was nice to see them here.  A fox was among the reeds on the edge of the lagoon, curled up, tail wrapped around nose, fast asleep.

There was little on the beach.  About 25 Cormorants on the wreck offshore had to vacate while we watched as the tide come in and submerged their perch.  A single Great-crested Grebe rode the waves further out.  There were a few Oystercatchers and some Turnstones around and lots more - about 25 of the latter on the shingle of the harbour mouth lagoon.  They seemed oblivious to us just a few yards away as they lived up to their name, turning over the pebbles, making a continuous rattling noise.

The tide was running in rapidly now and we walked up to where the old hide used to be.  A male Goosander was being washed in on the flowing water while energetically preening.  Later he met up with a female, which might have been the reason for all of the preening activity.

On the way back we saw six Reed Buntings and the main interest on the North Wall were Black-tailed Godwits in the fields with a few Curlew and the afternoon rounded of nicely with a brief glimpse of a Kingfisher nipping over the top of a sluice.

Altogether we saw 40 species of birds.  A lovely day!

Steyning Downland Scheme Bird Surveys results for 2016

In 2016 we carried out one survey each month and accumulated 552 records of 66 species.  Since we began in 2012 we have accumulated 2900 records of 89 species.
The surveys are carried out on the second Sunday of each month, weather permitting, starting half an hour after sunrise.  We follow two or three set routes (depending on how many people turn up) and record all of the species we see.  Records are entered into Birdtrack.
Surveys focus on the Rifle Range and Steyning Combe areas.  This year we are considering additional surveys in the Pepperscoombe area, mainly in the breeding season.
If you would like to take part, check details on the Steyningdownland.org website.