A day spent down on the coast again was very productive. We saw Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, juv/fem Redstart, Blackcap and Spotted Flycatcher to the rear of the hide. Out in the harbour area there were at least 15 Wheatears, Grey Plovers, Dunlin, Knot, Common and Sandwich Tern, Dunlin, Turnstone, and a single Common Sandpiper. A single Gannet flew close inshore and we ended the day with a Whinchat at The Severals (photo attached). (Mick & Val Hunt - Bracknell).

Black-tailed Godwit 8 NE (best sighting of the day?), whimbrel 1, swift 1, sand martin 120+, swallow 100+, house martin 2, yellow wagtail just 3W, tree pipit 1, redstart 8, whinchat 14, wheatear 35, grasshopper warbler 1, reed warbler 2, lesser whitethroat 3, whitethroat 72, garden warbler 2, blackcap 7, chiffchaff 2, willow warbler 42, pied flycatcher 4-5 (pic of one in old trapping area attached), spotted flycatcher 3 and raven 2. (John King & Richard Fairbank).

On the River Adur at low tide this evening 1 greenshank, 4 common sandpipers, 16 ringed plover, 2 dunlin and 500+ herring gulls. no sign of any yellow-legged gulls (again) although a worn colour-ringed lesser black-back was some compensation. Friday evening - 7 common sandpipers, 13 ringed plover, 2 dunlin and 350+ herring gulls. no sign of any yellow-legged gulls although a colour-ringed greater black-back was some compensation.

One probably a pair of spotted flycatchers in the scrub south-west of Newtimber Hill.

On what was a lovely evening a brief visit to the west end revealed two juv Ringed Plover, a tad rarer than its' cousin here, also five Green Sandpipers among all the Lapwing. Other birds of note included three Gadwall, a male and two females, two male Tufted Duck and a female Wigeon. Two Ospreys were seen earlier in the day and another sighting of a single bird, not by me sadly. Tomorrow maybe.

Two Ospreys at the west end from 11.45 - 12.05 giving great views from the car park and hide. One caught a small fish. Also seen between 09.00 and 13.00: 4 Kingfishers together, 5 Buzzards circling overhead and more singletons lower over the water, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 juvenile Ringed Plover, Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Nuthatches.

Here. in rain last Wednesday (25th) were one greenshank and five green sandpipers, whereas in sunshine today none of these but two redstarts (photo of one believed first year male attached), one wheatear, three whinchats and five stonechats, one of the latter so young as to be not much more than a fledgling.

An excellent couple of hours at the west end car park this morning, the undoubted highlight being two fishing ospreys which gave great views between 11.30 and midday. Also four kingfishers, two buzzards, two green sandpipers and a little ringed plover. Also two grass snakes immediately in front of the viewing area.

A HOOPOE seen pecking at peanuts and then looking for worms in the lawn of a garden at Merston (nr. Chichester) yesterday morning for approx 15 mins from 06.15 - 06.30. (Melanie Pound).

(Two photographs of the bird taken with a mobile phone camera were also supplied - Ed).

A party of 8 - 10 Long-tailed Tits passed through our garden at lunchtime today stopping briefly to feed.

One of those fine, sunny mornings on the Levels that makes the regular circuit even more worthwhile. Highlights of the 41 species seen included 5 or 6 Kestrels hovering over various meadows and ditches, a Little Owl that flew out of an old willow tree (a first for that spot and ditto for the Treecreeper in the next willow), the usual 3 Peregrines still perched up high (one calling), and a Marsh Harrier that glided and flapped slowly E at quite low altitude followed closely by 3 Buzzards soaring much higher up and drifting S over Herstmonceux Church (one calling) while being shadowed by yet another Kestrel. Other highlights were assorted groups of Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting, Goldfinch, Wheatear, Whinchat, Reed Warbler and a couple of Chiffchaffs and Sedge Warblers by a ditch. A flock of 60-70 Teal flew off a wetland scrape before circling round overhead three or four times, a large flock of 70-80 Canada Geese flew W, 6 Greenshank flew ENE, calling quietly and Green Sandpiper flew up from two separate ditches. Plenty of mating pairs of dragonflies around including migrant hawker, common darter, ruddy darter and one pair of brown hawker bouncing off the reeds …… plus a solitary painted lady butterfly and numerous small heaths.

Morning visit to Pulborough Brooks in sunny conditions resulted in 27 species seen including Snipe, Marsh Harrier, Lapwing, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall.

My usual circuit of the Climping Gap area began as usual at Atherington, where it was soon obvious that migrants were on the move. However, after about an hour I came across a HOOPOE which flushed from near the bungalows, settled briefly for a record shot, then flew towards the horse paddock and out of sight! A succession of phone calls followed to advise locals and others, plus the pager (as no access problems other than parking envisaged) - and I'm glad to say that after disappearing for a while, the bird performed well to most who attended this morning. I met Richard Grimmett, Eric Standing et al, who had been covering the golf course and east end of the patch before reaching me, and by compiling our totals the following minimum counts for the Gap were reached: Redstart - 9, Yellow Wagtail - 80W, Chiffchaff - 12, Willow Warbler - 45, Reed Warbler - 6, Sedge Warbler - 2, Lesser Whitethroat - 7, Whitethroat - 25, Wheatear - 24, Blackcap - 10, Garden Warbler - 4, Tree Pipit - 2, Grey Wagtail - 3 and Sand Martin - 70. Quite a morning.

On and around Seaford Head this morning between 06.20 and 10.00 we recorded no fewer than 78 Wheatears and 129 Yellow Wagtails - although these were, no doubt, only a small proportion of the birds going over. In addition, there were 11 Whinchats, 27 Common Whitethroats, 25 Willow Warblers, 23 Blackcaps, 8 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Reed Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, one Sedge and one Garden Warbler. Also of note were a Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Tree Pipits and a Grey Wagtail. Got home to find more Willow Warblers in the garden and a stream of Yellow Wagtail going over the house. All in all, a very satisfactory morning. (Bob Self & Matt Eade).

A crystal clear early morning walk. Three yellow wagtails in the horse field at Welbourne, 213 mallard on the Breech Pool where the teal flock had increased to 52 and 7 sedge warblers and 4 reed warblers in the reeds. A water rail flew from the western end of the Pool to the next stretch of water, about 30 yards. The first time I have seen one in flight. Three wheatears along the wall. The juvenile little grebe at Owl Point is now waterproofed and able to dive for food. Many migrants in the back fields - ca. 30 willow/chiffs, 18 common whitethroats, 9 blackcaps and 1 spotted flycatcher. There was a steady southward movement of sand martins.

First two Spotted Flycatchers of the year at this site. Post breeding dispersal birds of this species usually appear about a month earlier than this. One late record I forgot to put up was of 2 Yellow-legged Gulls on a harrowed field with Herring and Black-headed Gulls on 25 Aug at TQ438161 (Anchor Lane). Reported to be still there today.

At the dam this morning, many House Martins, something in the region of 1200 birds first thing, they were joined by 500 or so Sand Martins and 150 Swallows. A fantastic sight watching them feeding low over the surface. Two juv Common Tern were joined by a lovely juv Arctic Tern, whilst the small flock of Black-headed Gulls included three Lesser Black-backed (including a juv) and a juv Herring Gull. On the dam crest two fledged Green Woodpeckers and Grey Wagtail; a flock of Goldfinches has built up to 46 birds and were in the area too. The lone Little Egret was seen along the north bank and then appeared at the west end later. From the hide four Green Sandpipers and a Greenshank were around, the Mandarin and Teal mostly sleeping. Overhead small numbers of large gulls flew south, mostly Lesser Black-backed with just a very few Herring.

Further to the comment on inland waders there was heavy southbound passage of both Bar-tailed Godwits and Knot along the NE Essex coastline on the 26th. In similar conditions in previous years such flocks have been noted continuing south/south-west inland further up the Thames estuary so it is possible that these species were involved.

In reply to Francis Koppschall's waders over Robertsbridge in afternoon of 25th August I say they were golden plovers, the flock very reminiscent of that seen by Miou Helps and I over Litlington on 14th August that came across in a great boomerang. The long wings and bullfinch-like call he describes both fit this species and the date too, flocks appearing in Sussex in August and in our 2008 Report at Rye Harbour 270 arrived on.......14th.

Female type Redstart behind the hide at Church Norton this afternoon. Also 30+ of both Sandwich and Common Tern at high tide, with a single Little Tern. At sea an Arctic Skua flew by at 14.20 and 4 Common Scoter at 14.50. At Sidlesham Ferry 2 Ruff, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Wheatear and Whinchat.