Gales and Stilts!

 RSPB Pulborough Brooks, is a favourite of ours but it tends to be a go to place when we get up late or nothing else is about, it's always good without being spectacular. That is until April comes along and the Nightingales return, it is a great place for them for two reasons, one, there are lots and two, you have a reasonable chance of seeing one, rather than just hearing them! So with that in mind I decided to give it full respect and dragged my carcass out of bed at 5.15AM😱!!  Turned out to be a good decision, not just Nightingales singing, but also heard, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcaps, Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Song Thrush, Blackbirds and nice to hear several Greenfinch trying their best to join in! While wonderful to hear, it's a bit depressing as you realise what is missing from the rest of the countryside! A  Green Woodpecker also sat still long enough for a picture which is a miracle!

Whilst on site I had the bonus of a couple of Black-winged Stilts turning up, which after some confusion worthy of a Carry On film and far to much walking I managed long range views of! 

Things started well, when this fella popped up only posed for a couple of seconds and the light wasn't very good!

Can't believe Mr White-eye has followed me to the Brooks!

Common Whitethroat, loads about

Chiffalow, can't decided whether a Chichaff or a Willow Warbler, there were a lot of Chiffies about but the legs look fairly light!

Goldfinch, no mistaking these guys!

Grey Heron

Green Woodpecker, amazingly spotted it before it saw me! Went full ninja and got a few pics!

Little Ringed Plover, one of four but very distant

Lapwing, some lovely close ones from the hide!

Song Thrush, several singing around the reserve, but a bit out classed by the Gales!

Lesser Whitethroat, never seem to show for long or close enough!

Avocet, several pairs dotted around the reserve

Reed Bunting showed very well!

Sedge Warbler, wouldn't come out of the Reeds

Long-tailed Tit

Pulborough Brooks

Female Blackcap, on my last visit the males were singing and showing quite well, however whilst still singing they were playing hard to get

Common Buzzard, no sign of any Eagles, a few Buzzards about, a Peregrine that was miles up in the air and a couple of Red Kites cruising but all pretty out of range

So after some frustrating Nightingale encounters, where I just couldn't get on em, one finally showed pity on me! Though still lurked in the shadows blooming birds with their survival instincts getting in the way of a good photo op!😀

lovely to him them belting out their songs!

Greenfinch heard several around the site

99% sure this is a Willow Warbler

So by now I was six hours in and flagging a bit. Not helped by all the running about after Stilts, basically I walked into Winpenny hide to be told about the birds, which had just flown off! Typical! Then another guy in the hide thought he had seen one fly into West Mead, but he didn't seem very sure! He went off in pursuit I foolishly stayed in Winpenny, casually scoped West Mead to see the back of the head of a Black-winged Stilt!! I hot-footed it back to West Mead, to be told they'd just flown off, the bloke even got a pic on his phone!😞😞😞😞😡At this point I had given up and continued with my walk! On returning to the VC I saw they were showing at Hail's View, this is on the heathland side of the reserve and a blooming long walk! Against all common sense and doctor's advice, I went for it!! It was a pleasant enough walk, some lovely Bluebells in the woods which my pics don't do justice to! Where's Margie when you need her, couldn't get out of bed that's where she is! As I was approaching the viewpoint an aeroplane towing a glider went over low, typical bet it's flushed em I thought! Luckily not and the birds showed quite well although sadly they were miles away!!! 

Bluebells, seemed to be lots this year, seeing them all over the place

Wren

Black-winged Stilts, honest Guv!

That was me done, it was getting quite warm and the thermal trousers, which came in handy at first light were beginning to take their toll! Was glad I didn't go for the thermal top as well! Even the news of a Woodchat Shrike at Pagham couldn't motivate me, the thought of the traffic alone sending shivers down me spine, so I headed home!! Fantastic day, though Corn Bunting song is still me fav, Nightingales are so impressive, for me not as tuneful as a Song Thrush but the sheer power of the Gales makes them The Slayer 🤘😈of the bird world!!