The last few days

1 of 4 Tree Sparrows I came across in The desert on Sunday 

 The sea watch highlight on Sunday morning was a Sooty Shearwater that moved West at great speed, little else was seen. 10 Tree Sparrows had dropped into a private garden but soon left, so I was surprised when I was walking through The Desert to come across 4 feeding on Blackberries. Apart from Wheatears and handful of Willow warblers, Common and Lesser whitethroats and Blackcaps I saw little else. Late morning I received a call from PT saying that there was White Stork over the Beehives, I quickly went up stairs and set my scope up on the small balcony and spotted the bird almost instantly, it drifted around for a few minutes before seemingly heading off NE. Late afternoon a message on the local WhatsApp group from Dave Scott saying he had 30-40 White storks high over his house at Greatstone, once again I set my scope up on the balcony only this time it it took me an agonisingly long time to find them through the murk and heat haze over The lade Desert, although they were quite distant they were still a superb spectacle even if they are the Knepp birds. many thanks to Chis who got much better views and sent me his photographs. Thanks again to Dave for putting the news out on the local group enabling most the members to see them.

Most of the flock of White Storks that toured the peninsular late Sunday afternoon. Both these images were taken by Chris Philpot as they flew in front of his house at St Mary in The Marsh

This mornings sea watch was slight improvement than of late.

07.00-08.30 AJG who kindly kept the log.

Common Scoter: 2W

Great-crested Grebe: 1W

Gannet: 13E

Cormorant: 6W

Kittiwake: 1W   1E

Sandwich tern: 9E   c20 around

Great Skua: 1E

Arctic Skua: 3W     14E

Gret Seal; 1

Harbour Porpoise: 2

 

Wheatear in The Desert this morning

Black Kite over the fields in front of my house late morning, Honest!!!

When I finished going through the moths in my trap, I took the egg boxes a few 100 yds down the track opposite my house to empty the moths out. As I was doing this I noticed a large raptor coming towards 

me, thankfully as I wear my binoculars most of the time, I lifted them and immediately realised the bird was a Black Kite, I immediately called Colin T as he lives a few doors up from me and would easily see it, unfortunately for him he was not at home, I cursed at myself for carrying my camera, but tried with the phone, as you can see from the image above the results were woeful.

Pity this Clouded Yellow at The ARC was just out of focus

Great White Egret catching Marsh Froglets at The ARC early afternoon

Glossy Ibis on its usual island this afternoon

Another very poor sea watch

14.05- 15.05 MC

Common Scoter: 2E

Gannet: 5E

Cormorant: 2E    4W

Sandwich tern: 57E

Arctic Skua: 1W

Harbour Porpoise: 6

Cattle Egrets at the southern end of the ARC this afternoon