An uneventful drive into Pulborough via Waltham today, the first nice, still, sunny day for a while - gorgeous visibility.
With none in Hants this winter and so very few in Sussex I mused that I may not see Bewick's Swan this winter. On arrival at the tearoom for a reviving coffee and - low and behold - 10 sleeping white blobs out on the south brooks could only be Bewicks!!
A pair of local, and territorial, Mute Swans sailed in and the Bewick's woke up but 10v2 dissuaded the Mute's from kicking off!!
The odd flyover Siskin call and a few Redwings but sadly no Hawfinches on the way to Westmead with Ann. In the hide Graham and Alan pointed me to the ridiculously distant Little Owl; five Golden Plovers called and wheeled around with a single Ruff amongst 1000+ Lapwing when disturbed by the four post-sitting Buzzards and single Peregrine doing the same. A handful of Skylarks were silent but obvious.
Three Reed Buntings after Redstart Corner were also NfY.
Mike Tucker told me the Temminck's was on view from the hanger but just as distant as usual but with good light you could just imagine yellow legs!! A Treecreeper was on the big tree behind the seat and another 1000 Lapwing were nervous with the (or another) Peregrine circling and stooping off out to the east.
Nothing on the way back via the church barring a group of four Jays.
Lunch (Pork Casserole) while chatting to Gary about Argentina, Falklands cruise - Penguins and Albatrosses😀😀
Later at WWT the usual Firecrest with three Goldcrests , a couple more flyover Siskins and two very noisy Peregrines - not the usual pair but one of the pair chasing off an intruder with lots of 'kekking' sounding really 'wild country' with no wind nor background noise. Caught up with Janet and David and his daughter as the first of two Marsh Harriers came into roost from Scrape Hide and finally, from the wicker view screen, two pairs of Mandarins. No passerines roosting in the reeds other than the odd Reed Bunting.
