RockyRacoon
Well-known member
31st of May 2004
Driving to Pulborough brooks RSPB reserve
Mute swans in groups along the river Adur, one group had a Black swan in it! An urban pond next to a busy road held some Canada geese.
Pulborough brooks
At the bird tables there were many Chaffinches feeding on the floor, along with a Dunnock which came once and a Great tit which sometimes was around, we were only here briefly, but for the whole time there was a Common Pheasant male feeding under the bird table. Also from a distance there was a Greater Whitethroat, singing from an open perch on a treetop. After the brief time we decided to go to the visitor centre.
There was a Pied Wagtail perched on a fence post by the tiny pond that was next to the visitor centre. As we left the visitor centre to the reserve we saw a female Linnet fly to the ground on the edge of the experimental fields. There was also a Lapwing we could see attacking a corvid, probably a Carrion crow. As we followed the path down it wasn’t until we got to the small pond just before the circular route that we heard a Chiffchaff singing from the top of a tree with no leaves. We walked to the shaded path that is surrounded by hedges and tall trees, sometimes the opening that we could view Carrion crows in the fields. There was also a nest box that we could hear young calling from, a Blue tit came and poked its head through the nest box hole, and then after seconds flew back down the line of trees.
We didn’t see much else until we came to the nettley’s hide, there were high numbers of Lapwing, Mute Swan, Ruddy Shelduck, Canada goose, Black-headed gull and Mallard. Occasional appearances by Common Redshanks and less numerous Coot and moorhen were all noted. As we left the hide to the woodland I saw a European Nuthatch fly onto a tree branch and then moved out of sight, I didn’t know if it flew or walked away.
Next we came to the Little Hanger hide, where there was much less water birds. However, there was a Shelduck and a Coot on its nest, which after a bit got up and a tiny young followed, there was also another coot that was probably the other of the pair as they came in quite close contact. One Moorhen also came out of the cover, for a brief moment only though. Also every now and then a Coal tit flew back and forth in front of the hide and it was probably feeding its young, whom we could hear every time it went to a nearby large tree.
We then went to a scrub place with lots of cover, a Rabbit ran across our path as we walked down to it. We could hear a Nightingale singing, and whilst waiting for it to burst out from the bushes a European Goldfinch flew into a tree behind the bushes, after about 10 minutes, the Nightingale flew from one bush to another in a blink of the eye. It was all we saw of the Nightingale, but it carried on singing. Behind us from where we were waiting for the Nightingale to burst there was a stream just after another layer of dense bushes. I could see a bird in one of the bushes, which could’ve been a lesser whitethroat from some angles or a Reed warbler from others. A Sedge warbler flew onto the highest perch of that bush scaring the other bird away, a brief moment before it left again, James didn’t see it . We walked back up the path, and again a Rabbit came out of the bushes and went across our path.
As we carried on along the circular route there was a Chiffchaff singing in a treetop, a group of rabbits in a field and a Goldfinch that flew into some bushes that lined the field further down.
We soon reached the Winpenny hide, there was a group of five Little Egrets and a Grey Heron on the banks of a small pool. There was another Grey Heron on a fence post further down a stream that appears connected to the pond. There was also a Lapwing that was on the banks near the pond, and as a Grey Heron came onto the bank it and another Lapwing dive-bombed the Grey Heron. There was also a Greater Whitethroat in the bushes in front of the hide. After about 10 minutes, three of the Little Egrets flew west leaving two, maybe the three Egrets that flew off together were stopping off on a migration. There was also Meadow pipits pipit around here on the plains, and one performed a song flight
Just before we got to the fourth hide, the West Mead hide, we saw another Greater Whitethroat in the bushes lining the fields. The pool that is looked over by the west mead hide was quiet. With a few Lapwings, a few Mallards and some Moorhens and Coots. So it wasn’t long before we decided to return to what we thought was the best hide, the Nettley’s hide.
We didn’t see much on our way to the hide, when we got to the hide, however, it did seem very wild indeed. There were still high numbers of Shelduck, but fewer Canada Geese, which appeared to have been taken over by a very large flock of Greylag geese. We spied the air feeders, we picked out House Martins and Barn swallows, and some sand martins, noted one group of three sand martins that seemed to keep together. Pied wagtails and Carrion crows had come to feed along the ponds edge, as well as the waders, Redshank and Lapwing. Black-headed gull numbers were still high and so were the numbers of Mute swans and there were still a few Canada geese around. There was a Grey Heron to the side of the pool and noted a Male wigeon in the pool, and often seen around the edge. Mallards were still present and so were Coots and Moorhen.
We soon left the hide and were happy to see a Treecreeper spiral a few smaller trees before flying off, James said that there was two. We also looked over a side pool to the one viewed from the nettley’s hide, where there was a female Mallard and a Grey Heron. We walked straight back to the experimental fields near the entrance, there was a Greenfinch that was perched wheezing its call out, a group of Greenfinches then came to the same tree the Greenfinch was in, after a bit they flew off leaving the other Greenfinch to carry on wheezing. As we got walked up the path a Yellowhammer that was singing flew out from the bushes and across the field, where it went out of sight.
We hopped over the fence out of the reserve where at the feeders were Chaffinches and Greenfinches, we went into the visitor centre where a Pied wagtail was seen on the same fence post as at the beginning of the day. We recorded some of our rarer sightings, including the five Little egrets, the sedge warbler, the Nightingale and the Redshanks. I also saw the same day in the reserve someone had seen a Red Kite and a Glaucous gull. We went out onto the tearoom terrace and the Greater Whitethroat sang from the same perch as at the beginning of the day.
Driving home
On the urban park pond there were Canada geese again and a pair of Tufted ducks
Mute swans on the river Adur. Some Starlings on telephone wires.
Total species seen: 45 (Day record)
Driving to Pulborough brooks RSPB reserve
Mute swans in groups along the river Adur, one group had a Black swan in it! An urban pond next to a busy road held some Canada geese.
Pulborough brooks
At the bird tables there were many Chaffinches feeding on the floor, along with a Dunnock which came once and a Great tit which sometimes was around, we were only here briefly, but for the whole time there was a Common Pheasant male feeding under the bird table. Also from a distance there was a Greater Whitethroat, singing from an open perch on a treetop. After the brief time we decided to go to the visitor centre.
There was a Pied Wagtail perched on a fence post by the tiny pond that was next to the visitor centre. As we left the visitor centre to the reserve we saw a female Linnet fly to the ground on the edge of the experimental fields. There was also a Lapwing we could see attacking a corvid, probably a Carrion crow. As we followed the path down it wasn’t until we got to the small pond just before the circular route that we heard a Chiffchaff singing from the top of a tree with no leaves. We walked to the shaded path that is surrounded by hedges and tall trees, sometimes the opening that we could view Carrion crows in the fields. There was also a nest box that we could hear young calling from, a Blue tit came and poked its head through the nest box hole, and then after seconds flew back down the line of trees.
We didn’t see much else until we came to the nettley’s hide, there were high numbers of Lapwing, Mute Swan, Ruddy Shelduck, Canada goose, Black-headed gull and Mallard. Occasional appearances by Common Redshanks and less numerous Coot and moorhen were all noted. As we left the hide to the woodland I saw a European Nuthatch fly onto a tree branch and then moved out of sight, I didn’t know if it flew or walked away.
Next we came to the Little Hanger hide, where there was much less water birds. However, there was a Shelduck and a Coot on its nest, which after a bit got up and a tiny young followed, there was also another coot that was probably the other of the pair as they came in quite close contact. One Moorhen also came out of the cover, for a brief moment only though. Also every now and then a Coal tit flew back and forth in front of the hide and it was probably feeding its young, whom we could hear every time it went to a nearby large tree.
We then went to a scrub place with lots of cover, a Rabbit ran across our path as we walked down to it. We could hear a Nightingale singing, and whilst waiting for it to burst out from the bushes a European Goldfinch flew into a tree behind the bushes, after about 10 minutes, the Nightingale flew from one bush to another in a blink of the eye. It was all we saw of the Nightingale, but it carried on singing. Behind us from where we were waiting for the Nightingale to burst there was a stream just after another layer of dense bushes. I could see a bird in one of the bushes, which could’ve been a lesser whitethroat from some angles or a Reed warbler from others. A Sedge warbler flew onto the highest perch of that bush scaring the other bird away, a brief moment before it left again, James didn’t see it . We walked back up the path, and again a Rabbit came out of the bushes and went across our path.
As we carried on along the circular route there was a Chiffchaff singing in a treetop, a group of rabbits in a field and a Goldfinch that flew into some bushes that lined the field further down.
We soon reached the Winpenny hide, there was a group of five Little Egrets and a Grey Heron on the banks of a small pool. There was another Grey Heron on a fence post further down a stream that appears connected to the pond. There was also a Lapwing that was on the banks near the pond, and as a Grey Heron came onto the bank it and another Lapwing dive-bombed the Grey Heron. There was also a Greater Whitethroat in the bushes in front of the hide. After about 10 minutes, three of the Little Egrets flew west leaving two, maybe the three Egrets that flew off together were stopping off on a migration. There was also Meadow pipits pipit around here on the plains, and one performed a song flight
Just before we got to the fourth hide, the West Mead hide, we saw another Greater Whitethroat in the bushes lining the fields. The pool that is looked over by the west mead hide was quiet. With a few Lapwings, a few Mallards and some Moorhens and Coots. So it wasn’t long before we decided to return to what we thought was the best hide, the Nettley’s hide.
We didn’t see much on our way to the hide, when we got to the hide, however, it did seem very wild indeed. There were still high numbers of Shelduck, but fewer Canada Geese, which appeared to have been taken over by a very large flock of Greylag geese. We spied the air feeders, we picked out House Martins and Barn swallows, and some sand martins, noted one group of three sand martins that seemed to keep together. Pied wagtails and Carrion crows had come to feed along the ponds edge, as well as the waders, Redshank and Lapwing. Black-headed gull numbers were still high and so were the numbers of Mute swans and there were still a few Canada geese around. There was a Grey Heron to the side of the pool and noted a Male wigeon in the pool, and often seen around the edge. Mallards were still present and so were Coots and Moorhen.
We soon left the hide and were happy to see a Treecreeper spiral a few smaller trees before flying off, James said that there was two. We also looked over a side pool to the one viewed from the nettley’s hide, where there was a female Mallard and a Grey Heron. We walked straight back to the experimental fields near the entrance, there was a Greenfinch that was perched wheezing its call out, a group of Greenfinches then came to the same tree the Greenfinch was in, after a bit they flew off leaving the other Greenfinch to carry on wheezing. As we got walked up the path a Yellowhammer that was singing flew out from the bushes and across the field, where it went out of sight.
We hopped over the fence out of the reserve where at the feeders were Chaffinches and Greenfinches, we went into the visitor centre where a Pied wagtail was seen on the same fence post as at the beginning of the day. We recorded some of our rarer sightings, including the five Little egrets, the sedge warbler, the Nightingale and the Redshanks. I also saw the same day in the reserve someone had seen a Red Kite and a Glaucous gull. We went out onto the tearoom terrace and the Greater Whitethroat sang from the same perch as at the beginning of the day.
Driving home
On the urban park pond there were Canada geese again and a pair of Tufted ducks
Mute swans on the river Adur. Some Starlings on telephone wires.
Total species seen: 45 (Day record)
