Thanks to Gary for this week's update...
Pulborough Brooks came up trumps again today. It started well with a song thrush belting out its song in the car park, and then good views of the dartford warbler and I hadn't left the visitor centre yet. Bullfinches were much in evidence down the zigzag (and generally around the reserve), at West Mead a mixed flock of redwing and fieldfare were feeding at the waters edge looking rather splendid in the sunshine. Winpenny gave good views of massed ranks of wildfowl which were regularly disturbed by a peregrine, this disturbance helped to pick out a ruff and golden plover among the flying lapwing flocks.
A call on the radio about a firecrest and water rail at Nettleys had us move on, but somebody must have been doing the Tuesday rain dance again so we diverted into Little Hanger and were rewarded with a little grebe diving in the deepening water right in front of the hide.
The weather improved so we continued or walk to the hanger where a rainbow arched over the town of Pulborough. A spotty backed female sparrowhawk was siting in the peregrines tree surveying the many targets, but the rain started again so she just sat there looking angry; but come to think of it sparrowhawks always look angry.
Time to move on to Nettleys. A huge number of black-tailed godwits were occupying some of the islands and a further group were behind some vegetation making it difficult to count them, but I would estimate at least 450. Just one dunlin was doing its best to keep out of the way, but at least 10 snipe were dotted about, including one that was almost swimming. I took a quick look for the sparrowhawk again but it had morphed into peregrine sitting in the same place. There must be something very special about the view from that particular tree that is so attractive to raptors.
Five goldcrests on the way back but no firecrest – oh well, next time perhaps.
Goldcrest photo from volunteer Anne