Two Sparrowhawks high over our central Horsham garden this evening - flexing their muscles among the Swifts but making no obvious attempt at hunting.

Rather tatty but still impressive Red Kite flying over the A283 between Wiston and Washington today at about 5.00pm.

With a definite movement going on, this afternoon produced four Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank all at the west end on the emerging mud with 50 of the ca. 75 Lapwings now around. Up to 30 House Martins were joined by 20+ Swallows, also increasing numbers of rather drab looking Mandarin Ducks. Eight Common Terns were present with at least two nests still active. Reed and Garden Warbler plus Chiffchaff and Blackcap are all still in song, but it's looking good for more waders.

A high soaring bird over Amberley Wildbrooks at about 2.30 today looked suspiciously like a White Stork. I am reluctant to claim it unless anyone else can confirm. Did anyone see it .. please!?

Three Bearded Tits spotted on consecutive days at a site near Eastbourne, hopefully breeding. One of the birds was a juv. Other typical summer sightings include Reed and Sedge warblers, Reed Bunting, Great Crested Grebe, Ruddy Duck, Hobby, Meadow Pipit, House and Sand Martins.

Swifts are very noisily investigating the three unoccupied nestboxes on my house. I believe that these are immature birds (fledging locally last year or the year before) that are now looking for nesting sites to use next year. They are screaming low around the house, and have several times landed on top of the boxes and on a nearby drainpipe; I guess they are testing out the ease of landing at and taking off from the boxes. I would suggest that this is a good time for anybody with unoccupied swift boxes to play the CD of swifts screaming, to attract these immature birds. The pair of swifts nesting in my fourth box are having to dodge the screaming youngsters to get in and out to feed their chicks.

Rooks have been very noisy in our garden recently. Tonight I realised why. A family are concentrating on removing the semi-ripe cherries from our neighbours tree, and the young birds are insistent in their begging. Jackdaws occasionally join in the fun.

Between 4.00 and 6.00pm in excess of 500 Herring Gulls feeding at various heights over East Dean on emerging flying ants. They were joined by at least 50 Jackdaws plus a handful of Swallows and Carrion Crows.

Watching the Swifts in north west Burgess Hill this evening between Fairfield Road-Dunstall Farm Ave, I managed to count 21 birds in one pass betwen 21.10 and 21.30. On returning from a phone call at 21.35 there wasn't a single bird to be seen although there was still plenty of light. Where do they nest/roost? Does anyone have any info?

On my way to Tesco this morning at about 10.30 there were several (4-6) Swifts circling and screaming above Chaucer Road, Pound Hill. They were still there at 11.30 on my way home.

A series of three public workshops is being held in July to gauge public opinion on future management options for the Cuckmere Estuary. The Environment Agency has recently given notice that it intends to cease maintenance on the river banks (on the new cut) of the Cuckmere below Exceat as there is no longer public finances to do so and no properties are at risk. This means that there is an opportunity to change the management of this area (maintaining the status quo by raising the banks is an option but so is allowing the lower Cuckmere to revert to a natural intertidal estuary - either in a managed or unmanaged way). To find out more information or to book onto one of these public workshops visit www.cuckmere.org.uk. The dates are:

Monday 6 July - 6pm at Alfriston War Memorial

Wednesday 8 July - 10.15am at Clinton Centre, Seaford

Monday 13 July - 6pm at Eastbourne Town Hall

This is a valuable opportunity for SOS members to have their say on the future management of the Cuckmere.

Saw two Red Kites on sequential days. First late afternoon over the new(ish) BP Garage at Polegate, Eastbourne at about 20 metres above ground - no mistaking as I`ve frequently seen 15-20+ at the Stokenchurch cutting on the M40. Second was fleetingly (on my way to work) over Polegate itself at 09.15 the following day.

Along the west side of the Cuckmere River at Seven Sisters CP, there were 6 Little Egrets, 3 Black-tailed Godwits and a Redshank. From the Coastguards Cottages to Seaford Head there were 2 Ravens (photo), 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Stonechats, 2 Fulmars, 2 Little Egrets over the sea and an Oystercatcher.

Picking up poops in the paddock and idly listening to the chattering of the resident Swallows nesting in the barn I was suddenly stopped by a sound I have missed in the last year or so: was that the purring of a Turtle Dove? Eventually completing my task I went and tracked down the still occasionally purring summer dove to an ash tree the other side of the road, from where it eventually flew; my first sighting and hearing in this area, it quite made my early day.

Old Lodge was full of birds early this morning as I set out in search of the elusive Exmoor ponies. A garden warbler was singing in the car park. A couple of tree pipits were singing on the top heath and displaying there, and there were plenty of young redstarts - very bold - and stonechats, with anxious fathers in attendance. Baby robin, too, and lots of young coal, blue and great tits. On the walk round, I heard three blackcaps, three willow warblers, a couple of lesser redpolls flying over, and many great spotted (one drumming) and green woodpeckers. A couple of chiffchaffs, an anxious mistle thrush, and a couple of song thrushes, as well as plenty of blackbirds, were heard, too, as were nuthatch, stock dove and whitethroat. Jay and treecreeper added to the list, and a sky lark sang from the Army Training Ground. A treecreeper was pottering about on an oak tree near the stream. Another tree pipit was displaying there. Two young crows were trying to find something to eat, accompanied by a parent, and showing more enthusiasm than skill. A bit like me struggling to find those dratted ponies....

The Spotted Flycatcher still singing around Firle Churchyard this morning. Also Sedge Warbler, a local scarcity, singing between Firle and Beddingham yesterday (Firle Birds).

At 09.30 this morning on the north brooks there were 4 black-tailed godwits, 3 greenshank, 1 wood sandpiper, at least 3 green sandpipers and 1 little ringed plover, plus a pair of redshank with at least 3 very young chicks.

We went to Ambersham Common and saw two Tree Pipits - one on a wire, another in full song atop a birch tree. Otherwise a male Kestrel clutching a lizard, a Willow Warbler singing and showing well and adult males (2) and juvenile Stonechats.

I have added an extra Nightjar walk in the Horsham area to my website www.sussexwildlifewalks.com

One Nightjar churring at approximately 21.45 at heathland restoration site.