Thursday 21 December 2017

Goring/Ferring, 21st December 2017

A couple of pleasant wader surprises this morning with a Black-tailed Godwit on the shore and a flock of five westbound Golden Plovers. More regular species included a Redshank, 54 Oystercatchers, 23 Grey Plovers, 58 Ringed Plovers, 62 Turnstones, 26 Sanderlings and 390 Dunlin. The adult Kittiwake again joined four adult Mediterranean Gulls in the roost field but was starting to look weary. A couple of cursory looks offshore produced eight Teal, three Common Scoters, 16 Red-breasted Mergansers and 10 Great Crested Grebes. Other sightings included a male Blackcap, 19 Redwings, a Fieldfare, two Mistle Thrushes, the two wintering Stonechats, two Meadow Pipits, three Skylarks, a Moorhen, a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. 35 Greenfinches included a flock of 27, the largest gathering I can remember seeing anywhere for a long time.

A hasty walk up and down Ferring Rife produced two Water Rails, a Little Egret, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, a Pheasant, a Moorhen, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and three Redwings.

Black-tailed Godwit at Goring
adult Kittiwake at Goring
roosting Dunlin at Goring
adult Mediterranean Gull at Goring