Inland Kittiwake

Sunday 10th April

A Willow Warbler singing in Phoenix Way first thing moved on quickly and wasn't seen/heard again. My first Speckled Wood of the year in the garden.

In the afternoon we paid a first visit to the EPIC Project at Sompting Brooks where we saw Grey Heron, Little Egret, a pair of Kestrels and several Skylarks. It will be interesting to see how this Heritage Lottery funded project develops over the next few years.

A couple of roadside stops in the Adur Valley north of Lancing College to see Purple Toothwort and then a Little Owl.

Saturday 9th April

Two visits to Chichester Gravel Pits with Bridget & Gareth produced an eclectic mix of birds made up of 22 Pochard on East Trout Lake, a Black Swan, 2 Egyptian Geese and the drake Red-crested Pochard on Ivy Lake (the latter later on Runcton Lake but again without its partner), the long staying 2nd winter Bonaparte’s Gull on West Trout Lake early afternoon (albeit distantly), 10 Swallows (my first of the year) over Triangle Lake and the unexpected sight of a 1st winter Kittiwake on Vinnetrow Lake, the first time I can recall seeing an inland Kittiwake in Sussex.


Sandwiched in between was a visit to RSPB Medmerry where we walked from the car park by the now defunct Earnley Concourse to the Stilt Pool and back via Marsh Farm Holiday Village. Most of the action was on the Stilt Pool where we saw 4 Wigeon, 22 Avocets, 3 Ringed Plover, 6 Black-tailed Godwits and a 2cy Mediterranean Gull. A pair of Buzzards and 5 Med Gulls overhead and 2 Great Crested Grebes on the sea.  

On the way home we stopped at Waltham Brooks where the pair of Garganey showed briefly before swimming out of view. Very quiet otherwise bar a Red Kite and a female Stonechat.

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