An exceptionally tame Grey Wagtail at Blatchington Pond today was nice, but overshadowed by much better news.
I FINALLY HAVE A CAMERA!!!
It's a Pentax X70, and it cost just £260 (it would have been around £350 but it was on sale in the seaford camera shop.) It has HD movie , 24x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, 12 megapixels and plenty of other details I don't want to bore anyone with. So now hopefully I will have a few photos to put on the blog!
Monday, 8 March 2010
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Arundel WWT
Dad went to Arundel today to buy a new scope, happy news for me as I can now inherit his battered old one for seawatching this spring! (hardly perfect but a good scope would cost about £600 at the very least.) Seeing as he was going to the WWT reserve anyway, I decided to go along and see what was around. Wild birds were hard to come by, 2 Buzzards displaying over the wooded hill by the car park, 3 Snipe from one of the hides and a few Reed Bunting in the reedbed were among the best, while two singing Cetti's Warblers from in here were at long, long last a year tick, my first since 17 Feb(!!!) and taking my sussex year list up to 107. While many 'real birders' may not be too interested in visiting Arundel just for the wildfowl collections, I personally don't care if they have their wings clipped, it was still brilliant to see adult male Spectatcled Eider, Harlequin Duck, Scaly-sided Merganser, Red-breasted Goose, Nene Goose, Phillipine Duck and many others, while the seaduck enclosure gives brilliant views of the afromentioned Harlequins and Mergansers, along with a rare chance to see Common Scoter and Long-tailed Duck up close.
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Catch Up
The past week and a bit has been so unspeakably dull I couldn't even be bothered to post anything on here, other than the two singing chiffchaffs. However, now I finally have enough interesting birds to collate together to make a post more than a few words long, so here goes:
On the 26th February, I saw a Cormorant flying NE over Seaford Head School, presumably en route to the Cuckmere, along with the already mentioned Chifchaff singing in a garden near School.
On the 27th, I got out and up to Seaford Head and the Cuckmere, hoping for an early migrant of some type. Highlights of a dull day were Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew and Shelduck.
On March 1st, another singing Chiffchaff was heard from my bedroom, somewhere in one of the gardens backing onto ours. A few Redwing were also in this area, and a Grey Wagtail was on rooftops along Sherwood Road.
On March 2nd, the Grey Wagtail was again seen along our road, and a pair of Rook were also present, not very common in any urban areas along the South Coast. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was the first I had seen in Seaford since January.
The pair of Rooks were again seen on March 3rd, perhaps looking for a territory. Another Greatspot was present along Southdown Road, Seaford, where a Goldcrest was calling, the first I've heard in a while.
The Goldcrest was heard again on Southdown Road on March 5th
Today, a walk in the Cuckmere produced no sign of the Glaucous Gull seen yesterday, but on Seaford Head 3 Meadow Pipits came in off the sea and there was a Stonechat.
On the 26th February, I saw a Cormorant flying NE over Seaford Head School, presumably en route to the Cuckmere, along with the already mentioned Chifchaff singing in a garden near School.
On the 27th, I got out and up to Seaford Head and the Cuckmere, hoping for an early migrant of some type. Highlights of a dull day were Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew and Shelduck.
On March 1st, another singing Chiffchaff was heard from my bedroom, somewhere in one of the gardens backing onto ours. A few Redwing were also in this area, and a Grey Wagtail was on rooftops along Sherwood Road.
On March 2nd, the Grey Wagtail was again seen along our road, and a pair of Rook were also present, not very common in any urban areas along the South Coast. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was the first I had seen in Seaford since January.
The pair of Rooks were again seen on March 3rd, perhaps looking for a territory. Another Greatspot was present along Southdown Road, Seaford, where a Goldcrest was calling, the first I've heard in a while.
The Goldcrest was heard again on Southdown Road on March 5th
Today, a walk in the Cuckmere produced no sign of the Glaucous Gull seen yesterday, but on Seaford Head 3 Meadow Pipits came in off the sea and there was a Stonechat.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Another Chiff
A Chiffchaff heard singing from my bedroom this afternoon, somewhere out in a nearby garden. Blackbirds are also beginning to sing properly for the first time now.
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Review of February 2010
on the whole, february was a dull, dreary month, with few birds, rubbish weather and many days stuck in the house doing nothing. My Sussex year list increased by just eight during this time, five of which were on one day. However, a few birding trips outside the county did putosme bulk onto an otherwise unremarkable month.
For me, the first five days of February were spent in school, so unsurprisingly I saw nothing more notable than the wintering Grey Wagtail. On the 6th, a report from the previous day of a Common Crane in the Ouse sent me off to Lewes for a lengthy walk down the valley, 6 and a half hours later, no Crane but four year ticks, which had taken my sussex and british year list into three figures. These were Common and Green Sandpiper (with four of the latter a fantastic count), Chiffchaff and Kingfisher. I then got on the train home, and immediately saw a Cattle Egret! Unfortuantely, unlike the crane this bird would make no reappearance for other observers, although I saw what might well have been it near Rodmell the follwing day, though it was a very distant view.
In the following week, brief snow showers brought nothing into Seaford bar a few fly-over Fieldfares. On the 13th, I took a field trip into Northern France with several other birders, the highlights of the trip were Hen Harrier, Whooper Swan, Purple Sandpiper, Snow Bunting, Black-throated Diver, Crested Lark, Water Rail, Goldeneye, Black Redstart, Pintail, Black-necked, Red-necked and Slavonian Grebe, Razorbill, White-fronted Goose, Barnacle Goose, Ruff, Smew and Red-breasted Merganser.
The following day, back in Seaford, I saw the returning Crane near Piddinghoe, on the way to the New forest for several days. On the first birding day we spent there, the highlight was an obliging Woodlark, while Crossbill, Siskin, Lapwing, Nuthatch and Treecreeper where the ther highlights. On the secnd day, the main highlight was a GREAT GREY SHRIKE at Holmsley inclosure, while other birds seen included
Siskin, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Buzzard, Little Egret and Jay.
During the secnd half of February, I saw hardly anything. A brief and unsuccessful morning visit to the Ouse to look for the Crane was as far as I got from home in a period where the weather has horrible for the most part. I saw Blackcaps on three dates in Seaford, on 17th, 19th and 23rd, with a Chiffchaff on the 26th and two Grey Partridge on the downs on the 17th. However, it was an uninspiring end to an uninspiring month.
For me, the first five days of February were spent in school, so unsurprisingly I saw nothing more notable than the wintering Grey Wagtail. On the 6th, a report from the previous day of a Common Crane in the Ouse sent me off to Lewes for a lengthy walk down the valley, 6 and a half hours later, no Crane but four year ticks, which had taken my sussex and british year list into three figures. These were Common and Green Sandpiper (with four of the latter a fantastic count), Chiffchaff and Kingfisher. I then got on the train home, and immediately saw a Cattle Egret! Unfortuantely, unlike the crane this bird would make no reappearance for other observers, although I saw what might well have been it near Rodmell the follwing day, though it was a very distant view.
In the following week, brief snow showers brought nothing into Seaford bar a few fly-over Fieldfares. On the 13th, I took a field trip into Northern France with several other birders, the highlights of the trip were Hen Harrier, Whooper Swan, Purple Sandpiper, Snow Bunting, Black-throated Diver, Crested Lark, Water Rail, Goldeneye, Black Redstart, Pintail, Black-necked, Red-necked and Slavonian Grebe, Razorbill, White-fronted Goose, Barnacle Goose, Ruff, Smew and Red-breasted Merganser.
The following day, back in Seaford, I saw the returning Crane near Piddinghoe, on the way to the New forest for several days. On the first birding day we spent there, the highlight was an obliging Woodlark, while Crossbill, Siskin, Lapwing, Nuthatch and Treecreeper where the ther highlights. On the secnd day, the main highlight was a GREAT GREY SHRIKE at Holmsley inclosure, while other birds seen included
Siskin, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Buzzard, Little Egret and Jay.
During the secnd half of February, I saw hardly anything. A brief and unsuccessful morning visit to the Ouse to look for the Crane was as far as I got from home in a period where the weather has horrible for the most part. I saw Blackcaps on three dates in Seaford, on 17th, 19th and 23rd, with a Chiffchaff on the 26th and two Grey Partridge on the downs on the 17th. However, it was an uninspiring end to an uninspiring month.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
A Very Early Migrant
According to my dad (Jon Curson), there have been no Chiffchaffs wintering in Seaford this year, as they, like other insect feeders, had to move to snow-free zones or starve. So did this bird somehow survive the snow, and slip under the radar when I am at school five days most weeks, was it an extremely early migrant or did it realise the snow had thawed and come back to its original winter territory? For me the jury's out, but please leave a comment if you have any ideas.
Nice but Ironic
six days in whcih I have seen nothing at all interesting except for a few Blackcaps. After literally praying to the overlords with my last blog post, I found today things brightened up, both birdily and with the weather. It was nice and sunny and I heard ...A CHIFFCHAFF! That's right, for six days all I was capable of seeing was Blackcaps, but that has expanded to include other warblers as well. I shouldn't complain, but Jesus H Christ can't I see something interesting that isn't a warbler! However, I shall stop grumbling and divulge more light-hearted words concerning the Chiff, I heard it singing from one of the gardens that back onto my school. Some may say this is slightly unseasonal, but around this time, wintering Chiffs often begin to sing (I heard one near my house on 28 February last year.) Indeed, despite other observers apparently encountering them fairly frequently around Seaford during winter, I have only ever noted Chiffchaffs being present during Nov-Feb when they begin to sing around about now!
For exact map of were I heard the chiff click here
For exact map of were I heard the chiff click here
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Dear overlords o' the sky, I feel I should have a bit more variety!
The three days before now have been pouring down with more rain than could logically have fallen in the allotted time. Seriously, It was so heavy I thought at one point the roof on our house would cave in! So birds were even less varied than is usual in February, and with the rain I couldn't even get out of town to see nothing in the Cuckmere, nothing in the Ouse or nothing at Splash Point, because there would be nothing I assure you! Today I was back at school, and expected a wondrous four days of nothing, but after school I had to walk a certain dog down to Blatchington Pond for a while, and nothing was again turned into something by Blackcaps! This time there were two of them tacking away from opposite sides of the road as dusk quickly approached. This was almost worse than nothing though, as now it seems the only interesting birds I will ever see again will be these effing Blackcaps! one day in the far future I will see something that isn't a Blackcap and I will scream with joy. But for now, Adios and I hope you have better luck than me
Friday, 19 February 2010
Deja Vu
A visit to Splash Point today, ignoring the ominous signs of the West wind, proved worthless. A few Kittikwake were offshore and the Rock Pipits performed well as always, with one heard singing and seen displaying, but in half an hour I did not see a single seabird pass through! However, It was Deja Vu again, as another Blackcap saved some grace, tacking away around Blatchington Pond. (where the arrow is though you can't see it on the map). A few Crocuses are also now appearing around Seaford, the second flowers to appear as usual after the snowdrops.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
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