Pulborough Brooks

 Margie and I had a walk around RSPB Pulborough Brooks this morning, we arrived just after 9am (Margie early😀) It was fairly quiet and very dry, the Zigzags held a Greenfinch, a few Bullfinches though only 1 posed in any meaningful way and a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, we saw a couple of Green Woodpeckers as well, but too quick for pics!

View from the centre by Margie

Greenfinch

Bullfinch

Greenfinch

Great Spotted Woodpecker

We headed down to the West Mead hide, Kestrel on a tree in the distance, a family of Whitethroats were in the bushes and a flock of Long-tailed Tits went through, a few Blue Tits and a couple of Chiffchaffs in the flock, I basically got no pictures of any of them, a combination of speedy birds, dense foliage and incompetence my downfall😢

Distant Kestrel

View by Margie

From the hide by Margie, this was full of water last time I was here

Zero birds here either, we walked around to Winpenny hide very quiet, don't think I ever taken fewer pics on a birding outing, Margie found some interesting things to snap. A few of her pics below!

Things were a little better in the hide, a Buzzard on a post, a couple of Stonechats and a big flock of Goldfinch, were nice to see, though all pretty distant. Now you remember last year when I ID'd an Osprey from 12 nautical miles away, well what follows is even more amazing, you know that James Webb telescope they have now which bends light around Galaxies to see stuff? well it was kind of like that😂😱😲! Uncropped photo below can you tell what it is!

Yep Whinchat, confirmed in the hide by a guy, who unlike me had his scope with him!! 

Cropped pics!

It's all in the Jizz!!

Flushed with success, we headed round to the hangar, where there was water!!! Several Green Sandpipers, a few Black-tailed Godwits, a Sparrowhawk and Margie made a friend!

Water!! In the past I have seen this view completely submerged with Tufted Ducks swimming about on it a few years ago, now it's a puddle!!

Margie's friend

Even for a Robin this is one tame bird!

We completed the circuit, taking in Jupps View, just before that we had another big flock of Long-tailed Tits, this time with a lot more Warblers, at least 2 Blackcaps and several Chiffchaffs, could hear a few Nuthatches as well, I didn't bother even trying for pics was hoping for a Lesser Spot tagging on the group but no luck!!

Green Sandpiper from Jupps

Kestrel

We reached the visitor center, a cup of tea the order of the day, I bravely resisted the cake, but couldn't resist the Bacon Baps which were tasty. We ate outside enjoying the view, however it was Waspmeggadon, hundreds of the buggers, I don't mind a Wasp recognising their important role as a predator in the ecosystem, however when one lands on me bap action has to be taken, now you know that expression "face like she's chewing a wasp" well Margie very nearly had that literally, as with one mighty flick, (reactions of  a Star-nosed Mole)(apparently the creature with the fastest reactions in the animal kingdom, after me obvs😂! Yes I googled it😏!) I sent a Wasp spiralling into her face, hitting her flush on the nose, stunned they both survived!! Should stress at this point it was entirely accidental  but Bacon Baps must be defended!!😂😱😲!!!! ( yes I did some severe grovelling afterwards.) Foolishly we went into the shop afterwards where I disgraced myself buying a box of Booja Booja Organic chocolates (they were reduced😀) and a packet of of Organic Salted Caramel Fudge (wasn't reduced😢)!! Margie sneaked in a packet of Jelly Beans which I bought her as I still felt guilty over waspgate😀!!

RSPB Pulborough Brooks is always a good walk, even when it's quiet like today, although it is not particularly good for  bird photography as everything is pretty distant, really a scope is essential, but having walked 6 and a bit miles yesterday I was never going to lug it around today, luckily it's a popular spot so there is usually someone with a scope and the friendly nature of most birders means you can usually get em to look at something interesting, many thanks to the guy in the Winpenny Hide who did just that for the Whinchat.