Saturday
Lunch with KM at Southwick with Sparrowhawk and Buzzard overhead. Later, a walk at Portsdown produced just Clouded Yellows and tatty Common Blues.
It wasn't until later when I got home and enquired via social media that I found out from PG that the recent Long-tailed Blues were a few hundred yards further west from where we walked!!
Monday
Home with car in for MOT. Phew... passed, not even any advisories.
Wednesday
Popped to Arundel where MJ was the only cafe customer in a pleasantly quiet cafe. A female Kingfisher entertained us whilst we 'swapped notes'.
At SMH a Great White Egret fished briefly before flying off to perch in the egret/Cormorant tree. One of the adult White-tailed Eagles was very distant over the estate. A juvenile Peregrine flew past and a Hobby put in a couple of displays during the morning.
Plenty of Chiffchaffs all over the reserve and a Clouded Yellow but little else.
(Digiscoped Mallard and GWE, Dark Bush-cricket)
Thursday
Short walk at Butser in glorious weather where, yawn(!) Clouded Yellows, about 25+ Skylarks, 100+ M'ipits, three kites, two Kestrels, one flyover Siskin and a couple of heard-only Yellowhamers. Sadly, no 'tuck-tuck' of Ring Ouzels from the Yews near the carpark and, worst of all, no cafe!! EDIT Four R'ouzels behind cafe Saturday and two or more Sunday.
Lunch at SC with heard-only Marsh Tit, Goldcrest and Firecrest and just three or so remaining Hummingbird Hawkmoths on the now gone-over Buddleia. Despite the nice weather that may be the last of them for me.
(Possibly Phaeolus schweinitzii, Stictopleurus spp and Tachina fera)
Friday
Coffee at SHP with M. The only wildlife being a noisy Buzzard and a lady in the carpark rescuing a Pale Tussock moth caterpillar. I'd never seen one before but two days ago, and indeed today after returning home, there were videos and pictures of these caterpillars elsewhere. Had it not been for that I wouldn't have been able to provide the lady with a confident ID.
Saturday
Pagham ringing session. Too tired so failed to attend
Sunday
Locally, Cetti's Warbler, several Chiffchaffs, a surprise calling Chaffinch - uncommon here - one very high Buzzard, a Grey Heron and a few Migrant Hawkers.
