Two Buzzards in a blue sky over the SHGC car park and later a Raven into one of the very tall ornamental conifers; ten minutes later it headed off - looked good for a nest site.

At Warblington St Thomas's car park was basically one big pond and exit from the south west gate was impossible without wellies.

All the fields seemed to be empty of cattle and hence the only Cattie Egret was a singleton from the east heading towards the mill pond.

Locally the pond has overtopped, mostly into the fishing bays. Shovelers at exactly twenty are probably as high as they'll get this winter. In the sunnier, warmer spells three terrapins have been taking advantage of the rising temperatures.

Today the Brent numbered 650 ish.

  Birdtrack entry 

And as usual none of days have been dry; the day after tomorrow looks the best bet.

WWT again

With so much flooding and only a few hours available it was off to Arundel again rather than PB. Both Peregrines perched up on arrival at 10:30 were still sat there at 13:30 when I left. Much the same as last week in terms of numbers although the usual geese were joined by three partially white 'farmyard' types creatures which apparently arrived Monday.

Still about twenty or so Snipe in the usual spot, two Cattle Egrets, male and female Marsh Harriers getting frisky and chasing each other around out over the river and a brief Kingfisher flyby.

Passerine-wise pretty thin pickings with just male Stonechat, single calling Reed Bunting and three Skylarks.

Brief chat with Alex.

Birdtrack list here

Today was the first time in months I'd taken a camera out so a few pictures below.

A new month

After one of the wettest Januarys (6th wettest since records began), February has started with more of the same until today when a much quieter, brighter forecast was on offer.

The west side footpath from the castle northwards was so flooded you'd need wellies to reach the park benches and inside WWT the pumps were working full time.

The silt removal from the front pond seems complete and all the entrance reeds have been cut down so no Reed Warblers here in the summer!

Rather busier than usual with this weeks free entry due to World Wetlands Day.

The two Peregrines were soaring above the restaurant when I sat down disturbing a handful of Lapwing - over 100 were present later. Geese totalled 130+ mostly Greylags but including the regular four Cackling/Barnacle hybrids.

The scrape was birdless due to cutting and burning but the main pool held plenty of Teal and Shoveler, three Pochards and a single Pintail. Snipe were about 25 in the usual place and about 15 Cattle Egrets were flying over the river.

A brief fly past of one Kingfisher into the sun was just a tiny  black shape zipping past just inches off the water and it or another heard a couple of more times later.

Nice to meet up with GK and wife for the first time since well before Covid and also Lizzie although very sad to hear that Sam had left for pastures new a while back; it'll take them a long time to replace her expertise and enthusiasm.

Small birds were pretty absent although I think I could hear one or two Firecrests but drowned out by either people noise or the pump.

At least eight Buzzards were overhead intent on playing on the wind on such a nice almost spring-like day.

Snowdrops were just flowering.

A very brief visit two days ago in the rain to QECP prior to  bank visit saw the pond, leaking since it was installed a couple of years back, now being redone, hopefully better than last time. It will be interesting to see what might have survived this work come the summer.

Postcript:- According to staff this attempt is using a natural clay bottom rather than another liner

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.

Day 8 And home

A pre-dawn start with minibuses loaded and off back to Faro with just a brief comfort stop en route. Sadly, the poshly bagged picnic breakfast from the hotel was mostly binned.

I must have been bone tired because I've no recollection of the baggage drop, passport control and security!! After some confusion about which gate the flight was from we eventually boarded the Easyjet flight back to Gatwick which, like the in bound flight, was smooth, fault-free and slightly early.

It was nice to look out and see the coastline of home, Southampton Water, Hayling, Thorney and West Wittering below and, just a little later, a well-flooded Pulborough Brooks.

Apart from the usual hike back to baggage reclaim the journey through Gatwick was very swift. A shuttle bus was waiting so it was a reasonably quick trip back to the car.

Headed home via M23, Pulborough village and then the A29/A27 just like a normal day at PB.

Day 2 - Christmas Eve