Purple Sandpipers

With my mobility still restricted I had to find somewhere to go where I could use a lighter set of equipment. Fortunately the three things you need to get Purple Sandpipers occurred today - sunshine, a midday tide  and of sufficient height to push the birds on to the top of the East Pier at Newhaven. As the tide peaked at 6.8 metres several of the 16 birds that were hiding under the pier popped up and the conditions were perfect.

If the water doesn't come up high enough you have to shoot down and it can be quite dark.

However, when they come up they are happy to pose for the camera.

 

 Turnstones too, ever on the lookout for a fisherman discarding a lump of bait.

Mediterranean Gull at Goring Gap

I started out after the morning rush hour and made my way to the Widewater at Shoreham for the drake Goosander that was reported yesterday. Several other birders who were in attendance showed that glum face that indicates an absent bird.  I hung around for about an hour and apart from four Red-breasted Mergansers there was precious little to record. On the way home I decided to give the gull roost at Goring Gap the once over. For once conditions were ideal, high tide, strong winds and lots of overnight rain to create some decent puddles. I parked opposite the one nearest to the roadside and scanned the whole field. Apart from the obvious Herring, Great Black-backed, Common and Black-headed Gulls there were hordes of Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Sanderlings and Turnstones happily searching the muddy field for some form of food.

Then it finally dawned on me that one of the gulls was a tad different, even though it had its bill between its wings it was obvious that it was a Mediterranean Gull.

 

The other birds were taking advantage of the fresh water and having a bath and I spent an hour or so snapping away. I felt duty bound to inspect Groyne No.4 and wasn't surprised to find only a few Turnstones, the wind was whipping the sea into foam and salt spray, that isn't an ideal environment for birds or for that matter my camera - time for home!

One of the Sanderlings, rather distant, was carrying colour rings.

Snow Bunting

Today we went east in search of a Brambling, a bird that has been somewhat elusive this year. With only twenty three days birding left in the year we are definitely "tick hunting". As we pulled into the car park at Friston Forest we were happy to see flocks of Chaffinches on the move. Sure enough, after some searching, we found two female Bramblings foraging in the deep leaf litter. We parked away from the birds to get the cameras out, the intention to use the car as a hide and obtain some record shots. No way! As soon as we got out of the car every bird did a vanishing act, never to return. We hung about for the best part of a couple of hours but a chill wind had sprung up and the area remained  a birding desert.

We decided that the Cuckmere was worth a look but on parking at the Golden Galleon it was obvious that neither of us fancied a long muddy slog down the river. So we decided that we should visit Arundel, in search of the reportedly numerous Firecrests, another bird on the "wanted" list. As we passed Tidemills there seemed to be lots of bird activity so we decided to give it "two coats of looking at". Sure enough, two photographers lying on the shingle obviously focussing on a bird that wasn't too far away, after some time I finally located the bird - Snow Bunting.

Nice to meet Gideon Knight and his cousin Caleb, graciously they shared the bird with us. Checkout Gideon's cracking photography here

 

I had been meaning to visit the East Pier again to catch the obliging Purple Sandpipers and today was an ideal opportunity as the light was just right, Unfortunately our activities with the Snowy meant that we arrived on the pier after high water and the Purplies had relocated from the top deck to the concrete pilings underneath. This meant we were shooting down and into shade rather than catching the birds in full sun. Never mind a return visit with a packet of squid in hand will no doubt give the right result.

Newhaven East Pier

My 250th Blog - doesn't time fly when you are enjoying yourself!

Another attempt to kill two birds with one stone and I didn't even give one of them a good fright. I had been ignoring the Newhaven Tidemills Spoonbill because I figured that I would wait for things to quieten down - everyone has photographed it at ridiculously close range. Secondly, Paul Loader has published some cracking shots of the Eiders in the harbour. So I set out in the grey gloom of the morning, confident that the BBC weather forecast was accurate and that we would have some decent sunshine by lunchtime. Well, I arrived at the Tidemills and of course being high tide the water levels in the pool were high and the Spoonbill nowhere to be seen. No matter, off to the East Pier as I could plainly see one large Eider Duck from the beach and a friendly birder advised that there were four more in the harbour.

On the pier itself was a lone angler with single Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone to keep him company. The previous night there had been several fishermen present and on leaving  had left bits of bait everywhere. Squid, Mackerel and Lugworm were on the menu for two very confiding birds. Out in the harbour the Eiders were staying as far away as possible, all were diving and obviously tucking into the crab population. I waited for more than a couple of hours for them to come close but they stubbornly remained at a distance.

Ah mackerel head - my favourite!.....................

.....................especially the eye!!

 

 Yet again I was taken by surprise as another seal surfaced in front of me, not sure that this one isn't following me.

 

 

With the tide well on the ebb I made my way back to the Tidemills for another shot at the Spoonbill, alas, nothing but Redshanks on the pool.

Goring and Ferring

I hope my seven readers will forgive me, as today is not really about birding. After some twenty four hours of snow the sky brightened and as I was feeling much better I decided to take my camera for a walk. One of my favourite perambulations is via Ilex Way to Ferring beach, taking in Groyne No.4 of course and along to the Bluebird cafe. Here, I normally turn up the western side of Ferring Rife, today I had to take the eastern path as the footbridge where I normally cross over is closed for repairs. I then continue through Ferring Churchyard to the cricket ground and back along Ilex Way to home.

 
So first up was Ilex Way, a canopy of huge evergeen Holm oak over a carpet of snow. Holm oak, Quercus ilex, or Holly Oak is a native to the Mediterranean region and thrives in Sussex, I have no idea who planted these trees but I would like to thank him or her, they are host to lots of wildlife.





The information board only considers summer!

 

On via the turn for Goring Hall and The Plantation to the gull roost at Ferring. At first I thought the fields to be devoid of gulls then I realised the white lumps of snow in the north west corner were birds hunkered down to avoid the vicious easterly wind. A majority of the flock were  Common Gulls with a sprinkling of Black-headed Gulls. I did manage to spot a Mediterranean Gull, albeit after I had downloaded the photos at home.

 



 

From a distance - just like snow





Mainly Common Gulls



3 species of gull present



A single Med Gull

Groyne No.4 was almost devoid of birds, just solitary Turnstone and Ringed Plover with a few Black-headed Gulls loafing offshore.

 

By the Bluebird cafe the beach huts looked incongruous with snow in front of them and icicles hanging from the roof. Even the shingle strand looked different with a covering of drifted snow.

On to a snow covered footpath on the eastern side.

Along the rife just a few Meadow Pipits were struggling to find something edible.

 

These snow covered tussocks gave me the impression of some alien form of hedgehog!!

 Back into Ilex Way accompanied by dogs and walkers enjoying the sunshine

 

That's not a stick  - it's a log!!

Finally, home for a hot mug of tea!