Extremely windy today at Pulborough Brooks, it was difficult enough to hear yourself think let alone hear birdsong. Even so, it was still possible to hear a garden warbler mumbling away at the top of the zigzag and a few blackcaps that are now much more tentative than the last few weeks. At West Mead, last week's three lapwing chicks were still there and two redshank stalked the far bank; overhead a large group of swifts and a handful of swallows and martins were whizzing backwards and forwards over the pool. Later in the day one, possibly two hobbies were going backwards and forwards dipping low below the river bank.
At Winpenny a red kite was making slow headway down the river, but then turned and hurtled at treetop height towards the visitor centre. A kestrel was hunkered down out of the wind just below the riverbank until it was hassled by a crow. On Adder Alley I was surprised to see several green-veined whites and a couple of orange tips braving the wind - how can something that light fly in a gale? Two nightingales were showing off nicely for some visitors and a lesser whitethroat was singing loudly although elusively.
Little Hanger had a fly-by hobby, and the Hanger itself had a distant green sandpiper plus the usual wildfowl; although nineteen mute swans were a little unusual. The path above Nettley's was thankfully out of the wind and had several speckled woods and large red damselflies, and at the hide itself, a very showy common whitethroat, a beautiful pink linnet and several waves of sand martins. Not bad for such a day.
Thanks to volunteer Gary for braving the wind and for sending in this report.