Yesterday saw some year firsts with :-
First (local) singing Chiffchaff in the allotments
First returning adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the pond and
First butterfly of the year in the midday sunshine - unsurprisingly a Red Admiral
Adding to that today were three sunbathing Terrapins.
The local Shovelers are up to twenty and a Raven was over the A3 in the usual spot on the way to Pe'ef
The last Pulborough visit was dull as ditchwater with nothing better than six Fieldfare and a Marsh Harrier on a grey and uninspiring day with just a few Snowdrops and Primroses in flower.
A coffee jaunt to GWH on the 3rd had the ubiquitous Buzzards and kites en route and on site where the remains of two Woodpigeons were presumably downed by Sparrowhawk, one of which was circling overhead a few minutes later. Mistle Thrushes sang and Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch were very audible in the trees at the bottom. The Snowdrop display here was impressive and warranted a special 'Snowdrop Weekend' event yesterday and today.
Finally, on the 5th, three sleepy Spoonbills were on TH's south scrape with five Avocet and another couple of distant flyby Ravens but little else. Both here and Arundel are still getting occasional Bittern sightings but it seems as if Waxwings are determined to avoid the south-east of the county.
So far the return to mostly poor weather plus a degree of apathy has seen no year ticks yet in February.
And urban Cormorant, Sparrowhawk and Grey Heron, below.
