A circuit of the levels this morning I recorded 10 Pintail, 16 Gadwall, 27 Shoveler, 46 Wigeon, 20+ Teal, Lapwings, 1 Common Snipe, 21 Egyptian Geese, 4 Coot, 11 Moorhens, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Stonechats, 2 Cetti’s Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 6 Swallows, 51 Redwings, 21 Egyptian Geese and hundreds each of Canada Geese and Greylag Geese.
Several Green Woodpeckers and plenty of Jays brightened up the day.
Not many raptors around just 2 Buzzards, Red Kite, 2 Kestrels & a male Sparrowhawk.

The Yellow-browed Warbler was still present at the entrance of Fatengates mid afternoon with several Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests.
On the north brooks 6 Black-tailed Godwits and a single Curlew,while on the south brooks 50+ Pintails and a Great White Egret showed.

21 joined me for the SOS Cissbury Ring walk and I considered out loud that with 22 pairs of eyes if there was something to be seen we would. The walk up to the ramparts was quiet: a few Rook, Woodpigeon, Common Gull, and Jackdaw overhead, a Robin and a distant perched Buzzard. Entering the fort we soon had a small charm of Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit (5), Stonechat (first of several during the walk), Blackbird (1), Magpie, Pied Wagtail (2 overhead). Approaching 'the' Yew we came across a Mistle Thrush on a dead tree until a Crow took exception and at the Yew another or possibly the same sitting near the top. Around the base we had several Blackbird, Great Tit, a Song Thrush and as we crossed towards the southern rampart strings of Blackbird crossed our path. Skirting the ring to the south we found more Stonechat, some Linnet and Meadow Pipit with the occasional call of Blue Tit, Wren, Chiffchaff that eventually showed whilst the first of a number of Jay flew north or south and back again. Unusually a Kestrel protested vocally and eventually we found a male and female Kestrel seemingly bickering whilst overhead one or two Swallow finally appeared. Reaching the start of the path returning us to our meeting point we came across another string of Blackbird - I counted 10 arriving on a bush and we were about to leave when the next proved to be a Ring Ouzel. With only 5 of us seeing this we hung around hopefully until a probable female flew high overhead. Distracted by a Red Kite and 2 Raven spiralling upwards with a Herring Gull we started our walk back before another Ring Ouzel appeared (my hastily snatched and cropped photo attached) and this time everyone got to see it (a lifer for some). Thanks as ever for friendly birding and with a Ring Ouzel and around 26 other species a good morning.

A rewarding visit to this newly created reserve with a Great White Egret, at one point, catching a frog. One Little Egret and 2 Little Grebes also seen.

As part of the 25th anniversary year for Henfield Birdwatch we are hosting a talk by Mark Elliott on "Bringing Beavers Back to Britain”. More details here
On the local birding front, Henfield Levels are nicely flooded, with masses of (feral) geese, but the winter ducks have returned and Teal, Wigeon are there in good numbers along with Shoveler and a few Gadwall. Gulls and Lapwings are present but the Little Egrets seem to be in short supply at the moment.

A Ring Ouzel calling lustily near our garden this early morning, only 130 Goldfinches E, but at least 57 Siskins E at height. 65 Stock Doves to and fro, 16 Pied Wagtails in various directions.

The monthly survey of the Steyning Downland Scheme (south western edge of Steyning) was fruitful, with a Marsh Tit (more usually recorded in the mature woodland) at close quarters by the Brown Hairstreak enclosure and a pair of Stonechats (regular winter visitors to the site) a little further along the fence. There were a few Chiffchaffs and Swallows passing through to remind us of summer. We also recorded singles of Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Red Kite (the latter now seen reasonably regularly).

Ref. my previous post, there are some Hawfinches in East Sussex despite the lack of hornbeam seed, though they are hard to track down. There were five in Blackbrooks Wood this afternoon (a site described in the recent "Where to Watch..." book) and 1-2 have been seen a couple of times recently along Penhurst Lane. Two Goshawks at the latter site yesterday too.

Several Ring Ouzels seen around Windover Hill this morning. At least 4 were south of the Long Man in the bushes at the top of Deep Dean / Ewe Dean. Another 3+ were in the bushes below the Long Man. Large numbers of Song Thrushes too, as well as Skylarks, Yellowhammers and many Stonechats.

Spoonbill on pool opposite cafe at Rye Harbour flew off but returned.