There’s a feel of autumn now as the numbers of Willow Warblers, Yellow Wagtails and other migrants begin to build along the coast. There was a rarity as well this week with a Pectoral Sandpiper at Pett Level on 23rd and also the following day when it was accompanied by a Wood Sandpiper (two of which were there on 26th). A Curlew Sandpiper was on the east side of Pagham Hbr on 20th and up to four Spotted Redshanks continue to show regularly at the Breech Pool nearby.
On the subject of waders there was an interesting record of a Curlew, colour-tagged ‘6H’, standing on the mud opposite Town Quay (Shoreham) on 23rd (photo attached by David Park). This is surely a bird from the Duke of Norfolk’s estate at Burpham where a head-starting project is aiming to reintroduce Curlews to the South Downs. It’s the third such individual to have been sighted on the Adur at Shoreham (the others tagged ‘N0’ and ‘P0’).
The pair of Ruddy Shelduck reported last week was still present at Pett Level until 24th.
A juvenile Black Tern was at Rye Hbr on 25th-26th and an adult Roseate Tern was offshore there in the early morning of the 22nd. There was a report of a Little Tern briefly inland at Weir Wood Res on 24th. A Little Gull was at Rye Hbr on 22nd and there were two present on 24th.
A Glossy Ibis was found in the late afternoon of 23rd at the Breech Pool (Pagham Hbr) – it was subsequently seen coming to roost on the two days following. Singing Quails were reported on the South Downs at Chantry Hill on 24th and Kithurst Hill on 25th.
An Osprey flew west over Hickstead on 25th.
