A third visit to Whiteley, ostensibly for shopping, turned into a people watching exercise; and watching people watching Waxwing watchers!! A coffee and toastie at Costas while the five Waxwings were being 'papped' outside Wagamammas.
Peregrines much in evidence at Pulborough where the male and (presumed) young female 84 were again paired up. Will they try to find a nest site for this season or loiter around the Arun valley?? At Blashford two Peregrines appeared singly and made gull watching hard going as they flushed everything. Finally a male Peregrine scattered all birds including eight Golden Plover from Titchfield's scrapes.
In Langstone Harbour 14 Black-necked Grebes, the most I've seen in a while, and a sudden appearance of stacks of Med Gulls on the oysterbeds, 100+ on my visit and 170 ish on the next day via Goingbirding.
Blashford produced some nice Kingfisher sightings including one from the classroom and photographed across the pop up picnic's table, through a three inch gap in the open window!! The White-fronted Goose again came in with Greylags and the two Black-necked Grebes were tough to find in choppy grey conditions. Just the odd Yellow-legged Gull but no Ring-bills; maybe they've moved on. A day roosting Tawny Owl from Ivy South was distant but just doable with a scope and earlier in the week a distant drake Scaup, another new bird on the reserve for me. Rather more, and better developed, Scarlet Elf Cup this week.
Back at Titchfield, two Marsh Harriers (one a young male) and a distant brief fly-by Bittern, although I left too early for Amy's three Spoonbills.
At Chichester Ivy Lake the Scaup still present, although venturing down the road to Church Norton was fruitless.
Still no hoverflies and no further butterflies.
