Views of south brooks from reception above.

A very late start whilst waiting in for news of the eagle but, with none forthcoming and rather better weather than initially forecast, it was off to Pulborough for the last time this year.

The walk to Westmead was eerily quiet with no wind noise, no people and pretty much no bird noise other than the explosive clattering of Wood Pigeons disturbed from Upperton's field. Pipe Pond was now well flooded gushing through the channel to Westmead; heavy rain coinciding with high tides near Xmas could see an overtopping of the Arun.

From the hide it was disappointing that the only waterbird in a now very full pond was a Little Grebe. Two Peregrines were perched up on adjacent fence posts and a cream-crown was quartering the river bank and later also perched on a post; the male harrier had been seen a little earlier.

Returning for an early lunch was fortuitous; 'engaging' with visitors kept me out just long enough to pick up the distant flight call of a Woodlark. It seemed as if it might go down as a 'heard-only' record when a flock of NINETEEN flew over, presumably heading to some better feeding areas maybe out in the agricultural land to the south. Certainly the largest flock I've ever seen.

Later, in rapidly greying conditions on the north brooks, about 500 godwit and enough disturbance to flush up four Ruff and three Dunlin. On the walk back some nice Green Woodpecker views perched on the Adder Alley fenceposts followed by an enforced stay in Westmead as a slow moving shower went over.

Caught up with PP for the first time in years which was nice (talk of ringed godwits and reminiscences of FRG days) and tried out the little Kowa 501 with the intention of a self-bought  Xmas pressie - but unfortunately it's no better than the old model I took to Oz 18 years ago and the zoom adjustment was ridiculously stiff. Very affordable but just not good enough.

P.S. The eagle was back at Picket Post briefly just prior to midday but vanished to the south-west.