Two visits today were more rewarding than expected. July is often the quietest month of the year. First thing at the dam produced the by now usual Common Terns, a total of seven seen today, two seen later at the west end appear to be holding territory still. Over the dam 23 House Martins, eight Swallows and ca40 Swifts. On the dam the Little-ringed Plover pair plus two Common Sandpipers also several Pied Wagtails plus two Grey wagtails, seven were seen together in the overflow feeding in the drainage tube. In this area both Common Whitethroat and a Yellowhammer in song also at least three Great spotted Woodpeckers were seen. Returning back to view the water 22 early Black-headed Gull and an adult Herring Gull arrived, with them an adult Sandwich Tern came in and after a short stay it carried on south. This species is less than annual here. At the west end little had changed although at Whillett's two Reed Warblers and two singing Reed Buntings were noted plus several Chiffchaffs singing. Around the car park a pair of Bullfinches were nice to see, whilst from the hide juvenile Moorhens, Mandarins, Common Buzzard and Stock Doves were all noted. At midday I left quite happy that after all the recent poor days birding here July occasionally produces a fairly good day.

Hobby low over Millais School (Depot Road) this morning at the end of Period 3!

Bewl Water: 66 pairs of Great Crested Grebes seen during a 3 hour boat survey either at nest or close to breeding habitat with a further 52 singles on open water in 3 groups or on their own. This reservoir site has seen a remarkable transformation of water level from late March when the level was 48% with no nesting habitat available due to record low level for time of year, to 90% now, with a large influx of birds as a result of water being pumped at unprecedented rate from the river Medway. This level is very unusual for the time of year and if the weather continues to be wet for a further month with stable water levels, as pumping in has ceased, then there is unlikely to be a fast drawdown of water and the prospect of a successful late breeding season. Three pairs Little Grebes recorded and more probably present. The shoreline of Bewl Water is 15 miles with suitable nesting habitat for grebes on about half that length. Another survey is planned in a month's time.

Here are the edited highlights of our day out birding in and around West Sussex -Church Norton: 2 Arctic Skuas harassing the terns in the harbour. North Wall: 1 Common Sandpiper. West Dean: Little Owl in its "usual" tree at Staple Ash Farm. Ambersham Common: 2 Hobbies. Burpham: 1 Quail calling in the field east of TQ042095. (David (quizmaster) Potter and Nigel Barnes).

When out shopping in Horsham today, I was very pleased to spot (at least) a pair of house martins that are nesting in busy West Street. A wonderful sight.

Cliff Dean reports that he had ten members on his walk at Crowhurst today. The weather was better than forecast and they saw a total of 46 species including Sedge Warbler, Treecreeper and ten Yellowhammers. Afterwards, lunch was eaten in the local pub in a very convivial atmosphere.

Buzzard sitting on top of telegraph pole beside the road at Udimore at 17.00 gave all the appearance of being a juvenile. Feathers rather dishevelled, breast noticeably streaked and lighter markings on the back.

Pair of peregrines on the Lloyds bank building north of Durrington railway station sitting on the Lloyds sign on north face of building. Fist seen at 06.30 still there at 18.00.

A ROSEATE TERN in among the larger Sandwich terns at the quarry, Rye Harbour at 4.25pm.

A lovely Sunday evening at Romany Ridge, North Chailey, concluded with a superb display from a male Nightjar. The bird announced its arrival at 9.50pm with two soft ‘goo-ip’ calls and then proceeded to 'churr' about five minutes later from the middle of the Common, After a second burst of 'churring' from a different location, the male alighted about twenty yards away at the top of a dead birch. It briefly 'churred' from its perch before taking off with a couple of 'wing claps'. The bird then hawked for insects before disappearing, only to 'churr' at least twice more between 10.15pm and 10.30pm. Quite a wonderful display! The East Sussex County Council Rangers are hosting an event at Chailey on Thursday 12th July when they will hopefully re-connect with this bird and seek out some of the other wildlife to be enjoyed of an evening at this site. Meeting is at the Red House Common car park on Warrs Hill Road at 8.30 pm. Please 'phone 01273 482670 to confirm attendance. Further details can be found in "Exploring East Sussex".

Following on from yesterday’s movement of Manxies off Selsey Bill, we completed two short sea watches form the Bill today but with few birds recorded. Just a single Manx Shearwater that was only seen by one in our group. Otherwise just the normal terns offshore and 40 Gannets W and11 Common Scoter. Church Norton: 65 Sandwich, 12 Common and 20+ Little Terns feeding in or around the harbour. Sidlesham Ferry: Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers and three Black-tailed Godwits. Bee & Pyramidal Orchid. North Wall: 100 Curlew, single Yellow-legged Gull. (Bernie Forbes & Dave Smith).

A ROSEATE TERN in among the larger Sandwich terns at the quarry, Rye Harbour at 4.55pm.

Bird was sat on fence ahead of us as we walked north from Exceat. My wife and I were both astonished as although we are not experts in birds, we both knew this was a bird we had not seen before either outside or in a book. But it was so distinctive it was easy to remember, and when we looked it up a little later, we both had no hesitation in recognising it on the relevant page of our bird book.

On Sunday I went for a walk around Ardingly Reservoir, of note were at least 4 reed warblers singing, a very conspicuous Whitethroat, a Blackcap and some female Mandarins.

On the way to work yesterday a Carrion Crow was seen dropping an almost empty plastic milk bottle onto Southwick Beach. It took it to a height of 2-3m before dropping it. After doing so twice on the beach without the desired result it did the same on the road. The second drop there cracked the bottle sufficiently so that when the crow turned it over some of the contents spilled out which it then drank. The colouri-ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls seen on the River Adur in successive weeks are from Guernsey not Estonia. A disappointing outcome but not a great surprise when the second bird was seen. See http://birdingneversleeps.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/25-30-june-southwick-and-shoreham-and.html

The latest Sussex record decisions from the SOSRC and BBRC are available in the Records section of the site.

With a forecast of strong wind and heavy rain all morning, the only thing worth considering was to hunker down in a sheltered spot at Selsey Bill and sea-watch for a while. In the event it was a dry morning and drizzly rain didn't roll in until noon, but then it went rapidly downhill weather and bird-wise. I ended up doing 5 hrs, logging the following:- Manx Shearwater 5E and 56W, Arctic Skua 1E (dark phase), Common Scoter 32E, Gannet 45E & 70W, Sandwich Tern 6W and Common Tern 6 offshore. (I felt sure there had to be some Balearics amongst the Manx, but saw none (apart from one possible which I couldn't clinch as it was too distant and only briefly seen); still, an interesting morning's birding.

Off Ferring this morning between 09.30 and 10.00, 28 Manx Shearwaters flew W in groups of up to eleven. Also two Curlew W and a flock of 32 Common Scoter E.

Red kite over Southwater village at 10.15.

I thought I would note a flock of 20+ House Sparrow hanging around the mature hedge this evening.