Pulborough

Today, a drive over to PB was in fine weather conditions with glorious blue sky until Houghton when, like last visit, the river valley mist thickened enough for front and rear fog lights. On arrival PW was 'booting up' and with none of the reserve visible we killed half an hour over coffee. Luckily the mist lifted remarkably quickly.

Out on the south brooks lots of wildfowl but nothing more interesting than two distant Marsh Harriers, both cream-crowns. Talking to others its seems most likely that last weekend's five Water Pipits were Meadows!!

At lunch one of the eagles was soaring out of view but went high and well behind us out of sight.

Nothing else of note although the usual Adder site had been well mown; only a few weeks until they reappear unless we have a cold snap.

What looked like another day of chaos on the A27 saw a police car running a rolling roadblock from Chichester until just after the four-miles-from-Havant sign due to a broken down vehicle.

Below a view of the floooding with at least four sections of the riverbank overtopping.

First of the year

Still trying to throw off the cough/cold I picked up in Portugal saw my first outing of the year today - a visit to collect outstanding post, return/swap the duplicate jigsaw and catch up with Kate over a coffee at Liss. A Buzzard on a lamppost, a couple of Red Kites soaring west of the A3 and a Little Egret flying up into a bare tree on the bend in to the cafe carpark were it for birds.

Later locally, the frozen pond held zero Shovelers and only a handful of Tufties; presumably most birds relocated to less frozen water. The refuge field was empty apart from a single Curlew and a Kestrel flew in from the east. Although a little chilly the lack of wind made it bearable. Still no sight nor sound of any Water Rails.

Hopefully it might still be possible to catch up with the remains of the grey goose influx which started prior to Xmas. Maybe try Titchfield tomorrow.