Hoopoe Double-dip

Another Hoopoe was reported from Church Norton this morning and another dip from me then ensued. Several other Hoopoes were also recorded today in Sussex and surrounds so these are either new birds or birds from the west reorienting. A couple of Wrynecks on the south coast today suggests they might be new. 

There was certainly an arrival of common migrants today- I started the day off in the garden where I had the first Willow Warbler and Blackcap of the year for the Lodge and then walked to Ferry where there was a Reed Warbler singing (year tick, now on 147 locally) and 4 Sedge Warblers singing on Long Pool. A few Swallows and Sand Martins were moving through (Migrant Ebird list from this morning HERE) in the continuing clear skies (the wind has abated fortunately). Then Andrew and I met a visiting birder that told us about the Hoopoe so we went to Church Norton and  dipped it and this evening I went back to Church Norton, no Hoopoe again but there was a Black Redstart, 2 Wheatear, 7 Willow Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap and 1 Whitethroat.

So another day and another Hoopoe dip. Considering this is a record breaking year for them regionally I'm still hopeful I might catch up with one yet. We're in Cyprus from Monday for family holiday so presumably will get one, one way or another. 

Sedge Warbler

White Wagtail 

A blurry Black Redstart

Swallows on the Keynor Estate- presumably locally breeding birds

There is a constant sound of calling Mediterranean Gulls at the moment with birds moving around the Peninsula. They are quite handy as they get even more vocal when a raptor goes over. There were 400 at Itchenor again recently, about 300 at the bill, 100 or so in Pagham harbour and numbers elsewhere so there are probably over 1000 around here at the moment. 

The last two Brents in the harbour 

Black-tailed Godwits (above and below with Avocet) on Ferry Pool- nice light this morning 

The light was so good this morning I couldn't resist a couple of shots of a Great Crested Grebe on Long Pool and the pair of Gadwall which have set up territory there