an avocet was at arlington this afternoon.

pretty quiet at sheepcote this morning, the main interest being the continued passage of mipits with a few thousand in the early morning. at newhaven heights a wryneck and lapland bunting were present on the south side of the lookout station.

a surprise find at balsdean this evening was a lapland bunting which flew up from the field at harveys cross. nearby, 25 wheatears and 4 whinchats were in a field at the top of bazehill road.

today at sheepcote: wryneck (top level north of bmx track), juv ring ouzel, gropper, 25 whinchats, 3 wheatears, 13 willows, 2 spot fly, 6 lesser white, 3 grey wags, great spot, 4 reed w, 8 sedge w, 4 redstart, 8 tree pipit, 2 yellow wags, 2 golden plover, snipe and a clouded yellow.

yday: a turtle dove and single male redstart at the south end of sheepcote.

yday: the monty was still on the downs behind woodingdean in the evening. nearby 7 dotterel were seen at harveys cross flying low over the field calling but couldnt not be found susequently. that makes 20.

late news for sat 4th: the juv monty was still at balsdean in the evening along with a further 6 dotterels (juvs).

highlight of the mornings jaunt around sheepcote was a wryneck found on the top level in bushes N of the old BMX track. not much else to shout about with small numbers of the usual dross plus the first reed bunting of the autumn and a clouded yellow.

yday: the juv monty was still at balsdean in the evening.

nothing more than the usual padders for sheepcote this morning: 34 willow warblers, 54 yellow wags, 2 lesser whites, 2 spot fly, 5 wheatears, 16 tree pipits, 13 whinchats and nightingale amongst other stuff. later in the day arlington produced little egret, ringed plover, buzzard, little gull and 2 pied fly, 2 redstart, 6 spot fly along the hedge between the dam and the road. the best was saved til the evening when 7 dotterels were found at balsdean. there were 5 ad and 2 juvs, most of the ads still retaining much chestnut on the belly. unfortunately i only managed a single shot before they suddenly took flight and flew off high to the SE.

a marsh harrier has just flown over the garden.

late dross:

12 july: 53 med gulls roosting on ovingdean beach (8 ad, 10 2nd sum, 31 1st sum, 4 juvs).

11 july: 33 med gulls roosting on ovingdean beach ( 5 ad, 4 2nd sum, 23 1st sum, single juv). also juv med and lbbg at the marina.

10 july: purple emperor on deck at madgeland master trees (pic to follow at some point)

9 july: still a few med gulls knocking about with 20 (5 ad, 15 1st sums) on ovingdean beach and 15 (3 ad, 2nd sum, 9 1st sum and 2 juvs) on rottingdean beach.

7 july: a massive increase in med gull numbers. 59 were seen comprising 3 flocks of 30, 21 and 7 at ovingdean, rottingdean and the marina respectively. there were 22 ad, 6 2nd sums, 26 1st sums and 5 juvs. i know there only meds but this is still an unprecedented roost count for the area tho large numbers pass E in the spring.

2 july: few pics from goodwood but its probably too boring to put up a load of car pics. i did see the new merc SLS, bugatti (including 'pur sang' edition), ferrari 599 GTO and 458, new noble M15, caparo T1, zonda, mclaren MP4-12c and that weird lambo reventon. oh yeah and a few F1 cars. see i told you its boring.

y'day: a red kite was found near beddingham junction at 5:45am and was also seen by dave cooper who was driving a little way behind me. the gropper was still reeling on willingdon levels but most other sites were pretty lacking in birds.

more late news: a pair of red grouse with 2 young were seen on saddleworth moor on sun (30th).

4 red kites flew over the work site in hove this morning.

perhaps the best of todays birding was the remaining gropper still reeling on willingdon levels and a surprising amount of waders on the midrips included summer plumaged dunlin (23), turnstone (1), knot (2), blackwit (5) and best of all, 2 little stints. a sum plum barwit was at scotney too. slightly amusing was a monumental queue of traffic stretching from camber sands back onto the bridge over the rother in rye!!!

yday: temmincks stint showing well at arlington and a pair yellow wags were at shinewater.

news for weekend 8/9th: 13 ringed plovers flew low over arlington during a rain front on the sat with the 2 rumpers seen early on sunday morn along with a flock of 12 dunlin and 3 ringed plovers which flew low over the water then NE. later in the day 300 swifts were at scotney with c.100 BHG's hawking low over the water, 2 separate pairs of marsh harriers were elsewhere and an oystercatcher flew N over shinewater!

a red kite flew NE over brighton this afternoon.

pretty poor bank holiday so far, depsite arlington brimming with hirundines no rumpers could be found in visits last nite and this morning, just 2 dunlin, common sand and hobby. newhaven fort, shinewater, pevensey levels very quiet and a pair of yellow wags were at rise farm. the jay was found last week on A23.

the day started doing the usual lewes brooks, deans farm and then newhaven fort where 5 male wheatears were too good to resist so went back to get the camera. 2 ravens and a sedge warbler were seen there too. i then picked up some tasty grub from middle farm and headed to arlington. immediately there were 5 little gulls just off the dam but before i could scan the res a birder informed me he just found a bonapartes gull. being a little sceptical it was a few anxious seconds as i scanned the water and soon found the bird in question, a nice adult to boot. being the first confirmed bonapartes gull in the county since the pagham 2002 bird (which i missed due to living in oz) it was a pretty nice grip back. in all 38 little gulls were counted and at no point where there ever 60 as reported. also green sand and greenshank there.