Recent Sightings

Recent Sightings

 

If you would like to submit a sighting, please click the Submit a Sighting button below and fill in all the details. Please do not post sightings of scarce breeding birds especially Schedule 1 and Rare Breeding Bird Panel species during the breeding season here or on social media. See list of rare breeding bird species here and here. If in doubt, please email sightingsteam@sos.org.uk for advice. For enquiries of a more general nature such as an unidentified bird photographed in a back garden please also email sightingsteam@sos.org.uk. Note that all postings are checked and may be subject to minor editorial changes.

 

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16 May 2025Pulborough Brooks RSPB

2.5 hours here this morning, at Westmead and Winpenny hides found seven Cattle Egrets, six Tufted Duck, a few Gadwall, three Garganey, two pairs of Shoveler, a pair of Shelduck, Avocets, Redshanks, Lapwings ( a few chicks), 13 Ringed Plover, three Greenshank, Herons, about 15 Egyptian Geese and a lot of Canada Geese ( adults and goslings). Noticeable this year is the amount of retained surface water, maintained, I’m told, by the RSPB, thereby attracting so many breeding Redshank and the ducks etc. This requires daily maintenance which may cause brief upsets to the birds.

posted by Alan Kitson on 16 May 2025 13:00

16 May 2025Turtle Dove

A Turtle Dove has been calling (only on sunny days) from the thick hedges around our property since 3 May. I have recorded his call on several occasions; our neighbour has photographed and visually identified him. Not a protected bird in England, so I'm sharing this here; have recorded it on Bird Track.

posted by Isabel Lloyd on 16 May 2025 10:29

15 May 2025Seaford Quail

A Quail heard along Cradle Valley this afternoon, probably coming from the vineyard.
This is the first one I've heard along the valley since 2022.

posted by Bob Eade on 15 May 2025 22:40

15 May 2025Weir Wood Reservoir

Yesterday here I watched through telescope from the sailing club and from about 11.20 to midday the Red-footed Falcon was visible, flying to and fro over the north shore, evidently catching mayflies, it picked out from the Hobbys by its paler plumage, particularly its white head. There was a pair of Common Tern along that shore too and a single, adult Great Black-backed Gull, while later, at the west end, there were seven Common Terns about their rafts and a sitting Black-headed Gull. Thanks to David Williams for picking up the RFF.

posted by Alan Kitson on 15 May 2025 05:24

14 May 20252 Red kite

Two Red Kite were riding the wind, not too high, over the area where the sty/gate splits the lagoons along the main path.

posted by Alan Jeffrey on 14 May 2025 20:49

14 May 2025White-tailed Eagle over our house.

Viewed from our house and garden for 15 min at 18:05 we watched an adult White-tailed Eagle circling low over Waltham Brooks gaining height and then drifting south but twice it glided back and eventually flew over our house and disappeared to the north. Though often seen in the valley, a long awaited first sighting from our home.

posted by Jim Glover Chris Skinner on 14 May 2025 19:11

14 May 2025Black Stork at Pulborough Brooks

When I arrived at the Hanger viewpoint this morning I was surprised and very pleased to see a Black Stork feeding in the middle of the brooks. It was feeding and preening for about half an hour, visible from there and Jupps view before flying off at about 08:50.
Earlier there were two male Garganey on the south brooks from Winpenny Hide and later a pair from West Mead Hide. Also on the south brooks were 4 Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin and 3 distant Hobbies.

posted by Ralph Simpson on 14 May 2025 16:24

13 May 2025SOS Mid-week walk at SWT Waltham Brooks

A beautiful May morning for a walk on the very dried out water meadows by the river Arun. The air was full of birdsong and the forecast thunderous showers never materialised.
As the twelve participants gathered to start the walk, our attention was drawn to Rooks in a small noisy rookery in Coldwaltham and to the wheezing of Greenfinches in the large trees by the reserve entrance. Long-tailed Tits were busy in willow bushes. As we walked, there were lively discussions comparing the songs of Sedge Warbler with Reed Warbler, and Blackcap with Garden Warbler, all of which were seen well. Whitethroats were more easily identified and after some searching for the elusive and very vocal Cetti’s Warbler, it obliged us all by a quick low-level fly-by.
Just a few Mallard were on the river. A dozen Egyptian Geese and two families of Canada Geese with goslings lazed on the riverbank.
The lack of hirundines was surprising but we kept our eyes peeled for raptors and were rewarded with several Red Kites, a Kestrel, a Hobby and a Buzzard. Tall vegetation around the small lake gave limited viewing of the water but Great White Egret, Little Egret and Grey Heron were good to see. A Reed Bunting was seen well and after hearing a distant Cuckoo a few times, this, our star bird, flew in and landed briefly on a bare tree close by.
It was an outing of good company enjoyed by all.

posted by Norma Park on 14 May 2025 08:35

13 May 2025Fairlight Cliffs

A bit of action in the morning: a Black-throated Diver and 5 Bar-tailed Godwits E, c60 Common Scoters to and fro. A Peregrine past later.

posted by Alan Parker on 14 May 2025 05:37

13 May 2025Sheepcote Valley

A surprise singing Sedge Warbler seen early afternoon, belting out all of its manic mimicry from the brambles and cow parsley to the north east of the site, as well as - just like the many Whitethroats there - performing song flights.

posted by Sam Lambert on 13 May 2025 23:36

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