Difficult Morning by the River

 So with shopping on the agenda later, thought I would have a little early morning trot around the local patch ,however was raining when I got up contrary to last nights forecast, resisting the urge to go to back to bed I checked the phone which suggested Seaford would be dry, the rain stopped as I got to the A27 so halfway down the A26 I changed plan and decided a walk along the river at Southease would be in order. Parked near the youth hostel and headed towards the railway station at this point I noted it was bloody windy, this is worse than windy but not as bad as Kin windy! The walk to Southease Bridge was largely birdless apart from a couple of Dunnocks and few hardy Swallows optimistically heading North??! Deciding to head South along the East Bank ,mainly so I would have the wind behind me I set off , a Green Sandpiper flew up calling from a ditch on the opposite side of the river and a Whinchat flew up from the river bank and crossed the river ,posing on the far bank just long enough to clinch the ID but not long enough to get a pic ,indeed the only birds that posed at all were a couple of hardy Swans, a flock of approximately 30 Linnets swirled about without settling but it was all a bit frantic with any bird that showed it's face being whipped away by the wind in seconds,  a couple of Little Egrets battled the wind and a Grey Heron looked very ungainly as it tried to take off befoe giving up and disappearing into a reed filled ditch, a few Sandmartins headed up river but my ban on photographing Hirundines remains in place until such time as they decide to pose nicely, they've only themselves to blame, so no pics! At this point I decided to head back and try the other bank, this decision had nothing to do with the large herd of Bovines that were occupying the path the other side of the stile, I took this as a sign from the Birding Gods to try another path! By the time I made it back to the bridge the wind had eased somewhat, but by this point I realised I had only taken a couple of Pics of the Swans and nothing else ,dire times indeed, things could only get better!!

Mute Swan

Large Bovine taken from the safety of the opposite bank!

First thing I noticed when I got the other side of the bridge was a noisly flock of Goldfinches , a few Warblers were in the bushes mostly Chiffies and Whitethroats but also a Reed Warbler and a couple of Blue Tits, I also managed to refind my Whinchat from the other side of the river perched in a Hawthorn bush. Things were improving!

Whinchat

Whinchat

I proceeded south along the West Bank ,two Common Sandpipers took off noisily and flew down stream before I could get a shot, another smaller bird also flushed off the bank and flew ahead of me before landing on the path, Wheatear! Soon realised there were three of them consorting with a Pied Wagtail, I followed them along the river bank ,staying a respectful distance away as they chased each other and whatever it was they were eating , for approximately 15 minutes before they got tired of the game and flew across the river before heading back north the way we had come, I thanked them for their patience and headed on south.

The most Cooperative of the Wheatears

Think probably a Juvenile

The other two were a bit more flighty

The two Common Sandpipers flushed again from the bank, again before I'd even seen them for about the fourth time ,although this time they flew back up the river giving me the opportunity for a couple of ropey flight shots and one of several Little Egrets in the area ,flew passed close enough for a couple of decent pics.

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper, never saw them on the deck continuously landing just out of sight!

Little Egret

Little Egret

Had reach the place where the path reaches the road and buffeted by the wind decided to call it a day and retrace my steps, ran into the Wheatears again which had increased in number to 5 ,presumably the other 2 had been lurking on the other side of the river, they played the just staying out of quality picture range ,game again for about 10 minutes before once again flying over the river! Although one actually sat in a Hawthorn for a couple of minutes which was nice of it!

Wheatear photobombing my Berry shot!

Wheatear

The more usual pose

I carryed on up the river when three more waders flushed and flew across the river and landed! Getting all excited about the possibility of seeing the Common Sands on the deck (yes I know it's very sad to be excited about Common Sandpiper although it shows you how slow it had been!) however getting the bins on them it was clear they were not Common Sandpipers, now at this point other Sussex Birders flushing 3 waders across the river would put the bins on them to find a Bairds Sand, a Buff Breasted Sand and a Slender-billed Curlew I however ended up with a Dunlin and two Ringed Plovers, no doubt if I put in the effort they do I would get luckier!! 😀😀😁 Still nice to see anything in these conditions!

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plovers

Dunlin & Ringed Plover

Just before I reached the bridge a tight flock of about 30 Housemartins crossed the river behind me they seemed to be reacting to something all bunched up, but the expected Hobby never materialised ,so maybe they were just winding me up!! A couple of Linnets on the cycle path and the flock of Goldfinches looking miserable in the bushes were the last notable sightings,it comes to something when even Goldfinch won't pose nicely!!

Linnets

Unenthusiastic Goldfinch

So that was about it, a day, that won't live long in the memory ,where every Osprey I got the bins on turned into a Gull or a Cormorant, buffeted by the wind and largely avoided by the birds!! Although any day with Wheatears and Whinchats can't be said to be all bad and of course it's better than shopping!! Though I've now got that to come !! 😟😢 Sorry about the quality of the pics, Dull overcast conditions and strong wind don't make for stunning results!! Let's hope the weather improves for  rest of the Bank Holiday weekend !!