Local Patch

[RockyRacoon]

The areas that make up my local patch are:

Brighton Marina
Castle Hill and nearby areas
The South Downs West of Brighton
Ladies Mile Local Nature Reserve
My School fields

[RockyRacoon]

Common Gulls have been numerous
I have heard a Goldcrest
A flock of Linnets
Three Redwings
Flocks of Pied Wagtails, possibly reaching 40+

[RockyRacoon]

I got to the Marina at about 10:30, and went straight for the West Arm, I saw a few Carrion Crows, Starlings and a Pied Wagtails. I checked the beach in the inner harbour, and saw Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls, no Med. Gull unfortunatly. However after watching the Mute Swans swimming around on the water a strange gull caught my attention, it flew straight towards me, revealing its identity as a 'white-winged' gull of some sort. It circled the outer harbour area and headed towards the inner habour, this is where I went next.
I walked through the harbour out onto the East Arm, I saw a Rock Pipit, Great Black-Backed Gull and a few Cormorants, just off the East arm I saw a single Guillmot, which soon came up onto the sea defence blocks, it was oiled. There was also a Razorbill nearby. From here started back towards the West Arm, on the way seeing a familiar bird... The 'white-winged' gull. I got good, lengthly views of the bird from here, flying overhead, it was attacked at times by two Herring Gulls. At this point I was edging towards the bird was an Iceland Gull, after taking notes on the shape and wing span.

The next day I arrived at the same time, and again went straight for the West Arm, hoping for an ID for the WW Gull. As soon as I looked out onto the beach I saw the bird perched on the sea defence blocks, it was soon obvious that the bird was second winter Iceland Gull. After the bird took off I saw a Rock pipit on the same beach, aswell as a Pied Wagtail. The Purple Sandpipers were showing well on the sea defence blocks on the outside of the East Arm, and there was also a few Razorbills and Guillmots here. I also got a second lifer (the gull being the first lifer), a Shag was swimming just out to sea, at one point it came up with a fish and I got great views of the bird eating the fish and resting afterwards. I also saw a Kingfisher and Mute Swans on that day.

[RockyRacoon]

I went for a walk yesterday with Pugsie, and was surpised at how quiet my local patch was, with just a Great tit heard singing and a Dunnock calling. The only numerous birds were Blackbirds and Great tits, however I did get a good view of a Dunnock and a Green Woodpecker. There was also a couple of Blue tits, and a patch first (believe it or not) Rook! (well a first for this patch anyway)

[RockyRacoon]

I woke up this morning and saw lots of birds of different species feeding right in front of my house! I don't know why they were feeding there, because I have never seen that many in front of my house before there was:

1 Pied wagtail
1 Blackbird
3 House Sparrows
3 Starlings
2 Blue tits
2 Great tits


(There was a sighting of a Twite near my Local Patch at Brighton Marina a couple of days ago so I am going down there later today)

[RockyRacoon]

I went down to Brighton Marina today, no sign of a Twite on any of the nearby beaches, perhaps I'll go tomorrow because the footpaths were closed. However, I did see at least four Purple Sandpipers and three Guillemots, one in winter plumage, one moulting into summer plumage and one in full summer plumage! I also heard a Blackbird singing aswell as a Dunnock, the Dunnock was a patch tick, for Brighton Marina at least...

[RockyRacoon]

I had the chance to get a lift to Brighton Marina whilst my folks were off shopping, only for 45 minutes, but I still saw lots of great birds, even before I got in the car a flock of five Long-Tailed Tits buzzed in the treetops opposite my house!

At the Marina I saw:

A very High Tide!
3 Guillemots, two in Summer Plumage :eat:
A roost of 30 Black-headed Gulls, with one curious Common Gull with them
1 Great Black-Backed Gull
1 Shag off the arm
A Brilliant Kingfisher came shooting across the harbour
11 Herring Gulls
And 1 Ringed Plover sleeping on the beach!

[John o'Sullivan]

Jake thats a good local area. There used to be a regular update from brighton marina in birdwatching magazine. It was regularly covered. I have a recollection of a number of good birds from there. The iceland gull is a good sighting. Well done.

[RockyRacoon]

I had a great walk through Ladies Mile Local Nature Reserve today, and came up with a relatively big number of species.

Blue tit
Great tit
Robin
Dunnock, including one singing a metre away from me as I walked past
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Wren, including one singing in a bush a couple of metres away, oblivious to my presence!
Redwing
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Long-tailed tit
Bullfinch, a single male (second for patch!)

I also had a Green Woodpecker pecking away at the tree in our garden yesterday, and the Song Thrush is still coming back often, I think he might have an anvil because I saw a few snail shells near a rock behind a bush in my garden! :t:

[RockyRacoon]

Yesterday I saw a Meadow Pipit in my school fields! I saw the bird flying up and immediatly identified it by its call! I also saw another patch first for Ladies Mile LNR Common Gull!

[mini-colster]

Nice patch you've got there. You get great birds.

Mark

[RockyRacoon]

Yesterday I went out to Brighton Marina, I wasn't there long, but I saw a few very nice birds!

I started out on the West Arm, and saw Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls and Mew Gulls, as well as a Great-crested Grebe, a patch lifer, out to sea!
I then went to the East Arm, from there I saw a strange, rather large looking bird on the sea. I took a closer look at it, and realised it was a Red-throated Diver (Lifer!). A birder next to me said that there is a Med. Gull on the rock pools, I had a look amongst the Black-headed Gulls but couldn't find it. He then said: Its in the water just in front of that flock, and it sure was, a breeding plumage Med. Gull! There was also a few distant Cormorants, Great-Crested Grebes and a Razorbill off the nearby rock pools.
I then went up to the golf course, where frequently there has been a second Iceland Gull, possibly Kumlien's subspecies, I saw a few Common, Herring and Black-headed Gulls, and then I saw a pure white bird dive from the roof of a house and circle the golf course, Iceland Gull! I managed to get good views of the bird, and realised I was being re-united with the one I saw in the Marina a month back!
On my loooong walk home, through Hollingbury Camp, I saw lots of Long-tailed Tits, a large, growing flock of at least 80 Redwings, a Great-Spotted Woodpecker, and what appeared to be a female Merlin?!, On the edge of the woods?!, shape and size was right and so was the plumage, but I decided as I didn't get good enough views of the bird I couldn't really get an ID on it.

If anyone thinks they can help with the Brighton Marina Iceland Gull/Kumlien's Gull I have posted a link below ( scroll down a little and you should see a photos page ). Please do: http://www.thebirdsofsussex.co.uk/

[RockyRacoon]

I found a link to the photos page of the mystery Gull:

http://www.thebirdsofsussex.co.uk/Thumbnails/icelandgull1.htm

[RockyRacoon]

Also a couple more at the bottom of this page:

http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/search.cgi

Thanks

[RockyRacoon]

I went birdwatching without binoculars at Brighton Marina today, I saw:

1 Great Black-Backed Gull
3 Razorbills
1 Ruddy Turnstone
7 Purple Sandpipers
1 Mute Swan
Lots of Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls
3 Dunnocks
Lots of House Sparrows and Starlings
2 Woodpigeons (Patch tick! Well it had hardly any vegetation)