Rain again, but I decided to visit Ham Wall, hopefully to see a decent Starling murmuration before winter's end. Managed to hit the jackpot! A million birds? Who knows? Just before dusk I counted 6 Marsh Harriers, I heard the clarion call of Common Cranes and a booming Bittern. #UKBirding

R. Adur estuary, falling tide, Railway Br. To Toll Br: Goosander, single Med Gull this afternoon.

2 hour Seawatch off Widewater, Sussex this morning: Red-throated Diver 73e, 10w, 10 o/s, Auk 60e, Razorbill 1e close, Gannet 28e, Brent Geese 71e, Kittiwake 3e, C. Scoter 5e, Great Crested Grebe 3 o/s, Turnstone 2e, Red-head Goosander still on the lagoon.

The current preponderance of wet & gloomy days have been enlivened by appearances of a Marsh Tit in the garden. There's a decent population of them half a mile away in woods at the foot of the north scarp of the downs, but they are very sedentary & we don't often see one at home. #ukbirding

This morning, just after this big fella flew over me and landed in the tree, I was treated to a fly-past of 32 of the 40+ Russian White-fronted Geese present on Amberley Wild Brooks SWT, viewed from Rackham Viewpoint, Sussex.

Little Gull in the roost yesterday afternoon on the falling tide, near Footbridge to Shoreham Beach @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

GREEN SANDPIPER again on muddy patch at Maudlin Lane / Bramber Castle A283 roundabout. A bit of sunshine this morning.

Green Sandpiper again on muddy patch at Maudlin Lane / Bramber Castle Rdbt.

Redpoll on the garden feeders with Goldfinches - 1st I’ve seen in my Bramber/Steyning garden (late yesterday and again this morning).

Green Sandpiper again on muddy patch at Maudlin Lane / Bramber Castle Rdbt. Photo taken in poor light.

Bramber: Grey Wagtail

2 Little Gull (1st winter) feeding along the surf line, near Southwick Power Station this afternoon. Thanks for all the updates and messages on the local Whatsapp group @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Nice to find this female type Black Redstart on the beach rocks near Southwick Power Station this afternoon. Shortest day of the year, grainy exposure etc etc 😊 @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Southwick Canal: Red-necked Grebe and Great Northern Diver

Monarch’s Way, No Man’s Land to Steyning Round Hill: Ringtail Hen Harrier this morning @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Ten Years in West Dorset is less a blog post, more a chapter in my life. Hopefully an inspiration for those who prefer the paths less trodden. Bit of an epic, so well done if you get through it all. #DorsetBirds

Smart winter plumage Slavonian Grebe found by Jenny H late this afternoon at Widewater lagoon (w)

Male and Ring-tail Hen Harrier coming in to roost at Arundel WWT (18th Nov 2025)

Lovely afternoon walk at Sherwood Rough with Richard F, gave 1 HAWFINCH, a Firecrest, a couple of heard-not-seen Crossbill, a Coal Tit and 2 Mistle Thrush with one in song. Nice sky too

Great Grey Shrike - Upper Beeding this morning. Viewing from east bank of river. Thanks to the finder @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Black Rabbit / Arundel Wetlands: 2 Hen Harrier (Male and Ringtail), 5 Marsh Harrier, 43 Cattle Egret, 1 Great Egret @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Coal tit has not been one of the more usual visitors to the garden feeders … until the last few days that is 🙂 #changingseasons

Scilly’s first EYEBROWED THRUSH in 32 years! A real Scilly ‘Golden Era’ grip back for those of us not fortunate enough, or old enough, to be around for the remarkable run of SIX through the 80s & 90s. A proper stonker of a bird & a long overdue mega eastern thrush for the islands! #ScillyBirds

First returning Purple Sandpiper to the area - a single bird, on wooden Jetty at Shoreham Fort over the high tide at 10.40hrs today @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

First returning single Purple Sandpiper on Wooden Jetty at Shoreham Fort over the high tide at 10.40hrs. BOC shot. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Adult Yellow-legged Gull from the Toll Bridge, R. Adur found by Richard F. this evening.

SNOW BUNTING distantly on the north shore of Great Deep, Thorney Island.

Snow Bunting, Thorney - record shot

Back from Isles of Scilly and a new bird for me has been waiting patiently at Woods Mill, 5 miles from home in W. Sussex - DAURIAN ISABELLINE SHRIKE

Tresco, New Grimsby and Back Lane: 2 Black Redstart on beach. Golden Plover.

And a little iPhone video of some of the 3,000 Great Shearwater rafting with Manxies and Sooties, SW of Bishop Rock lighthouse IOS, yesterday. Sound up to hear them.

A couple of the 3,000 or so Great Shearwater SW of IOS yesterday on Joe Pender’s Sapphire mini-pelagic.

Steyning Round Hill: 2 Wheatear on harrowed and rolled cereal field, 9 Lapwing, Greenfinch.

Foggy on Steyning RH when I arrived but clearing later, the morning exceeded expectations with 5 Fieldfare (3+2)(1st of the winter), a flythrough Merlin (w), a Reed Bunting and a few Common Gull beginning to return (feeding with Herring Gulls on the fields)

Local downland late afternoon and towards dusk: Part of the flock of 100+ Goldfinch which came in to drink before heading off to roost. 7 out of 8 Red Kite which went to roost this evening.

Been out most of the day. Nothing much moving overhead at Roundhill first thing. 48 Skylarks best in a loose flock on site. A few Chiffs dotted about there & at Steyning WTW. And the same story at Bramber Brooks & along the edge of the ‘scarp. Disappointing day with *Little* to show for it 😀

Wouldn’t be a trip to S. Portugal without a Hoopoe… or 2! These with one of the ubiquitous Iberian (Azure - winged) Magpie. A great but brief trip. Scored with a new bird for me too with a distant Iberian Shrike (Lanius Meridionalis)

What are the ecological consequences of using different grazing species? In this video I discuss the issue with Lee Schofield, author of Wild Fell. youtu.be/ozHdOKKtpzU?...

Sagres, Portugal, 1/10/25: Eagles - 11+ Booted, 3 Short-toed, 1 Bonelli’s; Goshawk, Egyptian Vulture, 18 Black Storks, 6 Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, 2 Kestrel, 2 HenH, Wryneck, Bee-eater (heard), Iberian Grey Shrike, Golden Plover, 2 Hoopoe, 10+ Chough, Robin (50 species)

Steyning Round Hill, South Downs Way (w) & return: Redstart in new spot, 3 Wheatear, 12 Stonechat, 150 mixed flock of Linnet & Goldfinch, 100 Corn Bunting (remarkable), 10 Chiffs, 50 Mipits & 25 Skylark. c48 Corn Buntings in this 1 bush with same no. in hedgerow

Does anyone know if there's a local WhatsApp for Hanningfield Res? Had a Casp there this afternoon and a couple other bits. Be useful to contribute as will checking it more regularly! #ukbirding #essexbirding

Steyning Round Hill, South Downs Way (w) & return: Redstart in a new spot, 3 Wheatear, 12 Stonechat, 150 Mixed flock of Linnet and Goldfinch, 100 Corn Bunting (remarkable) , 10 Chiffs, 50 Mipits and 25 Skylark.

Round Hill, migration less frantic today. Grounded: 20 Chiffs, 150+ Mipit, 9 Wheatear, 10 Stonechat, 3 Lapwing, 500 mainly HGs following the plough. Flew over: 15 Siskin, 25+ Skylark, 1 Great Spot, 6 small waders (Dunlin size), 14 Canada Goose, 1 Grey Lag, few Swallows, 5 HMs, 1 Sand Martin

R. Adur valley: Nothing on the Dacre Gardens/Botolph’s wader pool but this Great White Egret was nice to see at Coombes (Relocated by local birder Jerry C). 3 Common Sandpipers, 4 Little Egret and a Kingfisher on the river at the Cement Works.

Steyning Round Hill, 08.00 - 12.15: Migration not quite so frenzied today; 250+ Mipits, 40+ Chiffs, 16 Stonechat, 2 Wheatear, 16 Skylark, 150+ Swallow, 5 HM. 6 Crossbill flew over N at 08.20

Steyning Round Hill: 500+ Mipits, 50+ Chiffs, 12+ Stonechat, 6 Wheatear, Hobby, 6 Skylark, 2 Blackcap, 1 WW, 150+ Swallow, c25 HM. Chiffs, Mipits & Wheatear moving through fast in strong NW breeze. Checkout those Mipit long hind claws #AutumnMigration

Lifeboat Station Shoreham Harbour: Kingfisher ♀ with successful catch (low tide this afternoon)

Got on to it a bit late - HOBBY flew over Brighton Marina at 12.31 heading South East (big crop) @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Adult ♂ Kestrel - Steyning Round Hill this afternoon

A few pixels of 2 different (distant) male COMMON REDSTART on Steyning Round Hill this afternoon @sussexornitholo.bsky.social