With Margie practicing her skydiving technique off the kitchen worktops😱😲😭😢, it didn't end well, 7 hours in A&E , meant I have been employing my nursing skills to the upmost, so compassionate and empathetic have I been that it makes Florence Nightingale look like Torquemada, not only that but I've learnt how the washing machine works😲😲! Unfortunately this has left little time for birding, however with the patient recovering I decided a couple of hours wouldn't hurt!! With Wood Sandpipers and a Green-winged Teal present, as well as the returning Nightingales, it was a no-brainer to head for RSPB Pulborough Brooks. It was a good decision, Garden Warbler and Blackcap, singing in the Car Park, the advantage of a 6 AM start! It was a bit misty on the Brooks, but the Zig-Zags were clear, more Blackcaps, another Garden Warbler, a couple of Greenfinch and a few Chiffies were calling/singing on the way down, though the first Nightingale of the walk, at the top, eclipsed them all, though sadly it was well hidden and a Bullfinch,pointed out by another early bird birder was also of note!
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| Bullfinch |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Pied Wagtail on the Visitor Center roof |
Fattengates was quiet although there was a Nightingale, possibly two but they weren't going for it! West Mead hide looking over the now mist free Brooks, Avocets, Redshanks and Tufted Ducks on the pools!
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| Avocet |
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| Bit of a Barney between pairs! |
The walk from West Mead too Winpenny was productive, with Whitethroats, Stonechat and Sedge Warbler all showing well!
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| Common Whitethroat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Song Thrush |
Winpenny Hide was where things started to get going, with 4 Wood Sandpipers, 3 Greenshanks, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, a Ruff in smart plumage, lots of Redshank and Lapwings with some cute chicks running a round, a couple of Snipe and lots more!!
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| Greenshank, closest, Wood Sandpiper behind, Redshank to the right! As ever with the Brooks everything was a bit distant |
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| Little Ringed Plover |
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| 3 of the Wood Sandpipers |
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| 2 Wood Sandpiper |
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| Lapwing Chick |
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| Snipe |
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| Canada Goose, giving some back to an irate Lapwing |
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| Lapwing, using diversionary behaviour to distract a Canada Goose that got to close to it's chicks |
Heading around to the North Brooks, down Adder Alley, another Nightingale was giving it large and this one actually posed for some pics, sadly a bit distant!
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| Nightingale posed beautifully for a good 5 mins, been handy had it been a bit closer, but you can't win em all! |
From the Hanger the Brooks looked lovely, the Cuckoo that had been calling all morning gave a nice fly past and a Sedge Warbler showed well from the viewpoint!
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| Little Egret |
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| Cuckoo, yes I missed the shot, this was the best I managed!😢 |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Common Whitethroat nipped onto the perch |
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| Sedge Warbler reclaimed it! |
From Nettley's Hide the search for the Green-winged Teal began, all the Teal were asleep at the end of a short finger of land facing away from the hide, it was also covered in vegetation, which didn't help, every bird that appeared was a Eurasian Teal. I was distracted by another even closer Sedge Warbler and some flyby Avocets!
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| A Highland Cow, on the walk between the Hangar and Nettley's |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Avocets |
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| Stonechat |
The three of us in the hide kept at it and eventually got a brief glimpse of the target bird, which promptly disappeared. Luckily a Peregrine did a flypast, which caused all the Teal to hit the water!! With the American interloper leading the way, He then proceeded to display to the ladies much to the chagrin of the locals!!
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| Peregrine |
I decided to retrace my steps, lots more people about and the temperature was hotting up, more of the same really, couple of Red Kites and several Buzzards soared high but no sign of the Eagles, heard several more Nightingales on the way back, with a brief glimpse of one at the top of the Zig-Zags
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| Channelling Margie |
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| Common Whitethroat plenty about |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Greenshank |
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| Wigeon |
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| Ruff |
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| Ruff and Wood Sand |
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| Chiffchaff eyeing up dinner |
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| Nightingale, bit closer, but light was pants and it didn't hang around! I know I'm never happy |
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| Some views of the Brooks looking lovely in the sunshine and plenty of water going into the Summer |
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| Plenty of Newts in the Pond by the VC also had great views of a Great Diving Beetle in the raised pond in Fattengates Courtyard |
Highly enjoyable morning, lovely to hear so much birdsong! Back to nursing duties, although Margie thankfully seems to be a on the mend, though still in pain, with bruises the size of dinner plates!! Though luckily she has nurse Paul ( I actually have no medical qualifications😲😱) to look after her!! 💓💕💖💘 After Birding Obvs, I'm not perfect!!😀😀
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