Crawley & Horsham Local RSPB Group’s next meeting is on Wednesday 19th February when Chris Goodie will be giving a talk entitled “The Jewel Hunter – a year in Pursuit of Pittas”. Chris is a very enthusiastic and entertaining speaker and his talk is excellent. Everyone welcome. Admission charge, which includes refreshments, is £4.00 for non Crawley & Horsham group members, children free. All meetings are held at St Bernadette’s Church Hall, Tilgate Way, Crawley, RH10 5BS and start promptly at 8.00 p.m. and normally finish at approx. 9.45 p.m. The hall has its own car park.

I saw a pair of Short-eared Owls hunting in the grass field just after the railway crossing as you walk towards the beach. They were relatively close to the walkway so showing very well.

First singing Greenfinches in Shoreham in the same spot I heard them last year - end of Dolphin Road - plus 5 Red-breasted Merganser in Widewater Lagoon and one Great Crested Grebe in Shoreham Port.

A female Peregrine Falcon was spotted, apparently injured at Griffin House, Crawley High Street. She was in the Offices' car park. The bird was recovered by Huxley's Bird of Prey Centre. She was likely stunned from hitting a window . A wild bird she is recovering in Horsham. No lasting damage.

Pair of Goosander in flight at Bewl today.

A stroll around Brooklands Park this morning between heavy rain showers and snarling dogs. Was enliven by a Continental Coal Tit in the boundary trees in the northern end of the park, see attached photo. You can just make out the faint crest on the second photo. Not much else just a single Pochard on the lake and the usual Teal.

When is this weather going to change - growing into a grumpy old man!

Bernie

This morning on the Widewater Lagoon were five Red-breasted Merganser (three male, two female), actively diving and feeding. Pic of the two females (well, red-heads).

This morning, during a spell of sunshine both the overwintering Curlew (N. arquata) and the overwintering Whimbrel (N. phaeopus) were active in the salt marsh on the Adur Estuary at Shoreham-by-Sea (top two pics of the Whimbrel, the bottom one with the Curlew left of the Whimbrel, they seemingly companions at this time).

A photo has been posted on Worthing Past and Present of a dead Gannet on Goring beach. It has a large ring on one leg with what may be AAR? Not clear in the pic. I hope a birder finds it and reports the ring details.

Church lane Pagham is flooded in two places Sunday afternoon and only just passable in a higher up car!

Out in the harbour a Peregrine falcon was putting up small groups of waders including 100+ Golden Plover.
The North fields are now flooded right across and have attracted plenty of Wigeon, Lapwing & Black-tailed Godwit.