Friday 15 December 2017

Goring/Ferring, 15th December 2017

During a 1.5-hour seawatch, a Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 34 Red-throated Divers, 59 Gannets, three Kittiwakes, two Great Crested Grebes, three Guillemots and 19 distant auks flew past the Gap. Meanwhile, 15 Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore. Sanderlings rose further to 170, while 353 Dunlin, 48 Ringed Plovers, 50 Grey Plovers, 48 Turnstones and six Oystercatchers were also counted. A 1cy Red Kite and a Mistle Thrush were patch ticks. Three adult Mediterranean Gulls were in the area, along with a Sparrowhawk, a Green Woodpecker, two Skylarks, a Song Thrush and 30 Goldfinches.

A swift visit to Ferring Rife produced a Grey Heron, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, three Redwings, two Song Thrushes, two Green Woodpeckers and a Linnet.