Bird Sightings

Had a great walk with Tony F this morning, showing him around the area Paula has normally counted for us. It encompasses Broadmare Common, the fields at Lepride, down to the Mill Streaming, along the Downslink then back to the bottom of Grinstead Lane. The highlights of the 43 species seen were a Sparrowhawk dashing along the green lane south of Broadmare, a calling Bullfinch, singing Goldcrest and Nightingale at the same time near Lepride, a pair of Ravens on a pylon, good views of a Lesser Whitethroat along the Mill Stream, a Meadow Pipit doing its display flight, and a pair of Lapwings just east of the Downslink.

Val Bentley, 22nd April 2024

The Furners Lane Cuckoo has been in fine voice for two of the last three mornings ,usually between 5.00 and 7.00 am. I caught a glimpse of him 2 days ago at the top of the trees to the right of the footpath which goes down beside Field House off Furners Lane.

I also witnessed an unusual event the other day (at least we’d never seen it before). Two Herring Gulls mobbing a Red Kite high above the garden. The noise attracted me first of all.

Alan and Anne Burbage, 23rd April 2024

One calling from the Bilsborough area this afternoon.

Val Bentley, 22nd April 2024

Last Saturday I saw my first Great White Egret.

It was on wetlands near the Mill Stream engrossed in catching its dinner.

Eddie Colgate, 20th April 2024

Whilst having an early morning cup of tea and watching the birds a very grey Great Tit arrived, probably an old aged pensioner like me. I thought it might be worth taking a photo of it, by the time I had got my camera it had gone and didn’t return. The next couple of days I kept my camera on the kitchen table, the O.A.P didn’t come back, I took a few photos for practice. This morning I left my camera in its bag. Four baby rabbits came onto the lawn and a Magpie kept sneaking up behind little Bugsy will ill intent but when Bugsy turned round the Magpie backed off. I thought this has got to be worth a shot but my moving spooked the Magpie. I’m glad that I kept my camera on the table because a House Sparrow came to the station, we seldom get Sparrows nowadays so I wanted to photograph the rare event. Imagine my horror when I discovered that the poor little bird had a sheep tick under it’s chin. I know how much blood it takes to fill up a tick so I hope Cock Sparrow can cope with that loss. I did see a Wren with a tick on the back of it’s neck sometime ago, I doubt whether such a small bird could have survived that. A couple of Greenfinch were a welcome sight as we rarely have them visit, in the past we would average nine per day.

John Pointing, 19th April 2024

It’s certainly been an interesting time in the Parish in the past week. Migrants have been taking advantage of the recent southerly winds, so some of the breeding migrants such as Nightingales, Cuckoo, Swallows, House and Sand Martins have all been seen. There are lots of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps while Reed and Sedge Warblers have been recorded, as have Common and Lesser Whitethroats and I heard at least 3 of the latter between Berets Cafe and the heronry yesterday. Speaking of the heronry, I counted 6 Little Egret nests yesterday with at least 3 Grey Herons as well. In addition, a couple of Cattle Egrets have been around as has a Great White Egret. It looks like the 4 remaining White-fronted Geese have finally departed.

A number of more unusual birds have turned up which has attracted birders from as far away as Dorking, a chap who I met on the Downslink yesterday. Top of the rarities were the 2 Black-necked Grebes which were around for a couple of days while a Garganey lasted longer but was quite difficult to find! A Wood Sandpiper was seen yesterday by whom I don’t know nor do I know who reported a Hen Harrier along the Millstream. Also, a report of a Grasshopper Warbler along the Millstream appeared on the SOS website a few days ago. The Dorking Birder said he had also seen a Swift,.

Our garden has been treated to a very colourful five finch feast over the last week. Gold, Green and Chaffinches are the daily visitors but over last weekend we had a very colourful pair of Siskins then on Sunday and Monday a pair of Bullfinches visited the feeders.

Mike Russell, 19th April 2024

The only person living in Henfield on the walk this morning was me. Setting out today were Angela (Small Dole), Lucy (Hurstpierpoint), Rikki (Lancing) and Laura (Indiana) and our possible new dog hails from Birmingham!

The water levels have receded almost completely now – Angela remarked that someone has pulled the plug out – so we were able to walk through the fields which is always much more rewarding. Just as we came out from under the railway line we had both Blackcap and Garden Warbler singing, then along the “limbo” path we heard a Nuthatch and the first Whitethroat of the morning.

On the remaining pools were still plenty of Coots, but other wildfowl except a lone Teal and a pair of Shelduck seem to have departed, or were well hidden. We met someone looking for a Garganey that had been seen previously, but we didn’t find it either. To compensate we had good views through the scope of a Lesser Whitethroat, unusually on top of a bush, there were now 8 Little Egret nests in the heronry, together with 2 visible Grey Heron nests. Lucy noticed two Swallows over the brooks, and we heard a Bullfinch calling from the hedge by the Downslink. Greylag Geese were around the heronry, but couldn’t locate any White-fronted.

While walking along the river, the others all managed to find a Peregrine in flight, there was a Kestrel perched on a telegraph post, and the Cuckoo flew across and landed in a distant tree back towards the railway line. A Mute Swan wandered back into its nest on the overflow pit, which also had very little water today. A lovely collection of Linnets were showing on top of the bushes, and we had yet another view of a Lesser Whitethroat – at one point we could hear both a Whitethroat and Lesser White singing on opposite sides.

Predictably plenty of Chiffchaffs singing and several Blackcaps along the route. Only Laura and I had the time to do the path past Frogshole, admiring the old house at Harwoods, where we met the owner for a chat! There was still a bit of water about over towards Buckwish, which held more Coots, a couple of Little Egrets and herons.

Val Bentley, 18th April 2024

We had a stroll round Woods Mill yesterday afternoon. Not much about but we heard our first Reed Warbler of the year.

Debbie and Nigel Colgate, 18th April 2024

Last night I went to sleep to the beautiful song of a Nightingale for the very first time at the end of West End Lane!

And this morning I woke to my first Cuckoo of the year!

Samantha Bernon, 14th April 2024

Plus at least half a dozen Little Egret nests in the heronry, with three Grey Heron occupied nests. Jannet King was looking at them, and some chaps there said there were also Cattle Egrets there. They had huge lenses so may have been right, but I couldn’t pick them out.

Val Bentley, 13th April 2024