Trip reports

MINIBUS TRIP TO PORTLAND & WEYMOUTH, TUESDAY OCTOBER 20TH 2009

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Because of the atrocious weather forecast for our destination, a decision was taken to head east to PAGHAM to try for some coastal birding before the rain and strong winds arrived. This turned out to be a good decision as Portland had dismal conditions and few birds.

We started at Sidlesham Ferry pool which hosted lapwing, shelduck and a few teal. 17 golden plovers, the first of the winter for most, were with more lapwing on an adjacent field. We also enjoyed the spectacle of several hundred wigeon overflying along with a small number of pintail. A short drive to Church Norton had us watching a good selection of waders on the rising tide, including grey plovers, redshank, dunlin and a few knot. Some members spotted an overflying little gull. The churchyard attracted a few small birds, although only your correspondent found the firecrest, but several others saw a female blackcap and a redwing. A late lunch was taken in deteriorating conditions at Selsey, where 2 kittiwakes and a razorbill flew right past the car park. Just below the sea wall was a small flock of turnstone and a single sanderling - all delightfully close. Drifting on the by now rough sea were several Mediterranean gulls, mostly adults, but also a first winter bird, with their black headed cousins allowing easy comparison. A heavy shower had us back in the vehicles to drive up to the Chichester gravel pits where tufted ducks, pochard and gadwall were added to our surprisingly long list of species recorded. We finished early at 3pm as the rain finally arrived.

Species Recorded :- Cormorant, Shag, Gannet, Razorbill, Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Curlew, Redshank, Knot, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin, Little Egret, Black tailed Godwit, Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Pintail, Coot, Moorhen, Great crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Black headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser black backed Gull, Greater black backed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Kittiwake Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Red legged Partridge, Pheasant, Great spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Redwing, Skylark, Starling, Grey Wagtail, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Blackcap, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long tailed Tit, Wren, Robin, Jay, Rook, Magpie, Jackdaw, Cetti's Warbler (h)
(Total = 70)

Reported by Steve Oakes