Fox

Great view of a fox going into a neighbour's garden at around 10.30pm last night.

Burton Mill rapido!

After a week of solid rain, a chance to make the most of a brief spell of sunshine. On the way to Burton Mill Pond had a good sight of a Buzzard over the A285 and Tufted Duck at Seaford College. Cormorant fishing on Burton Mill Pond and up by the old Sweet Chestnuts could see no sign of the roosting Tawny Owl. Quite how he gets any sleep with all those Jackdaws making a commotion is anyone's guess.

Cold Halnaker

Last week - a grey day with a bitterly cold wind. Birds were few and far between, keeping mainly to the gully. Great Tits, Blue Tits, Blackbirds and Robins were all highly visible and busy. Brief sighting of a Stonechat and a good view of two Long-Tailed Tits flitting through the hedgerow.

Swanbourne Lake

Last weekend we took a late afternoon walk around Arundel, taking in Swanbourne Lake. It's not normally a haven for unusual waterfowl, but perhaps because the water level is higher than usual (it's racing out of the sluice at the south-west corner), there were a few additions to the more typical Mute Swans, Moorhens, Coots and Mallard. Most notable were 8 Mandarin Ducks, probably having a day out from the Wildfowl and Wetland Centre over the road, as well as several Pochard and Tufted Ducks.

RSPB Garden Watch Jan 30/31st, 2010

We did this year's RSPB Garden Watch on a very cold, frosty morning. The tally was:

1 Robin

2 Hedge Sparrows

2 Blue Tits

2 Great Tits

4 Rooks

8 Herring Gulls

4 Common Gulls

3 Woodpigeons

1 Blackbird

1 Song Thrush

1 Collared Dove

2009 Garden List

A bit late putting this one together....

The total number of species for 2009 was 22. Just two new additions to our all-time very small garden list.

Blackbird
Blue Tit
Collared Dove
Common Gull
Crow

Fieldfare (new)
Goldcrest
Goldfinch
Great Tit

Greenfinch
Hedge Sparrow
Herring Gull
House Sparrow
Long-Tailed Tit
Magpie
Robin

Rook

Starling
Swift

Willow Warbler (new)
Woodpigeon
Wren