West Sussex's best

[mike nesbitt]

Hi all,
I am visiting west Sussex - Chichester in a couple of weeks time. I usually go to Pullborough brooks or Pagham.
Can anyone recommend any other Gems. Also any good photographic locations would be usefull.
Thanks in anticipation,
Mike.

[joannec]

Hi Mike

There are lots of good places in West Sussex. I live in East Sussex so it's a bit out of my area. Pagham is very good. Chichester Harbour too. The Arun and Adur valleys are good too. Check out the sightings on the SOS site. It's updated pretty regularly:

http://www.sos.org.uk/recent-sightings/index.php

Perhaps if you say specific target birds you'll get some more detailed places to go.

Joanne

[mike nesbitt]

Hi Joanne,
Thanks for the reply.
Some birds that particularly interest me [as they're scarce / not present in N Wales] are Woodlark, Dartford warbler, Lesser pecker, Corn Bunting, Bearded tits etc. + any long staying rarity.
Thanks, Mike.

[birdboybowley]

Hi Mike

Ambersham/Heyshott Common is a sure bet for Dartfords and quite possibly Woodlark - otherwise try Coates Common near Burton Mill Pond for the latter. Talking of Burton Mill Pond, it has another Bittern on it hopefully for the whole winter again, best seen late afternoons after 4pm and is only about a 10min drive from away Ambersham. Corn Bunting is tricky now - the Downs hold good wintering populations in many places but towards the coast they have all but disappeared. 4 Beardies are present at the moment in the small reedbed on the scrape along the North Wall at Pagham Harbour. 2 Whooper Swans are returning most evenings (and are present very early mornings), although they weren't tonight, on the back of Ivy Lake by Chichester also. Lesser pecker....good luck but the woodlands around Burton and Coates is as good a spot as any. PM me nearer the time if you like and i can give you up-to-date info and maybe i'll be out and about myself
Cheers
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[joannec]

This may not be much help as it's East Sussex. Ashdown Forest is a major stronghold for dartford warbler..... I hardly ever go up there without seeing at least one, even on winter days they show, provided it's not windy. And the Ouse valley between Newhaven and Lewes is pretty reliable for corn bunting.

Ads: I spent the day today birding West Sussex, inland parts, including Burton Mill Pond, plenty of good birds around. But I spent two hours unsuccessfully searching the reeds for the bittern.|=(|

Joanne

[mike nesbitt]

Thanks for the info,
Ads, I will check some of those areas out and I'll take you up on the PM offer.
Joanne, I'll have to dig some road maps out. I'm not sure how far some of those places are from Chichester but I don't really want to travel more than an hour each way.
I am checking the SOS website daily.
Many thanks:t:

[birdboybowley]

No worries Mike - another place for Beardie (and more regular) are the Little Deeps reedbeds on Thorney Island as the ones from the North Wall aren't being reported at the moment.
Joanne - bummer! Did you wait til after 4pm??

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[joannec]

Joanne - bummer! Did you wait til after 4pm??

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The information I had was that it was showing on and off in the afternoons. So we spent awhile, round about 1-2.30, then wandered around the woods and returned about 3.30 until it started to rain at about 4.15.....just unlucky I guess but we, (3 of us with 3 scopes), had a good look, giving it our best on a cold day.

[paulwfromtheden]

West Sussex's best used to live in Bognor Regis, but that was a very long time ago....
Take Joanne's advice, there are loads of good places...Pagham is my favorite, Pulborough...