It was another enjoyable birding trip on a fine evening. I headed along the Wey South Path and it seemed a bit quiet, but things livened up on the river bank where there was a young
Reed Warbler being fed by what looked like two adults. In the same clump of reeds there was a
Reed Bunting and a
Sedge Warbler, and on a nearby tree 2
Meadow Pipits were perched. There was a
Buzzard gliding and a
Kestrel hovering in the distance, and a probable
Sparrowhawk perched in a tree. Over towards the swamp I saw
Whitethroats,
Goldfinch and plenty more Reed Bunting. There were 5 or 6
Mute Swans on the river, and a
Little Egret was perched in a tree.
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| Juvenile Reed Warbler |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Buzzard |
Out on the brooks I saw a striking cream-capped Marsh Harrier, probably two, and large numbers of Starlings gathered here and there, periodically mobbing the cattle.
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Starlings |
On the way back I stopped off again at the river bank and as I approached flushed a Common Sandpiper, calling as it pulsated its wing and went off into the distance.
Earlier on, thanks to a tip off from Matt, I saw a Whinchat at Hails View. Also there were 4 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk, and a Marsh Tit in Black Wood. The Whinchat is my 173rd species this year, and the Marsh Tit is, I’m told, quite a rare find at Pulborough.
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