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Welcome to the Countryside Services Unit News and Sightings page, check back here for news updates and any recent sightings across the five sites.
WLNR = Warnham Local Nature Reserve, LOW = Leechpool and Owlbeech
Woods, SCP = Southwater Country Park, CWF = Chesworth Farm, SGP =
Sandgate Park.
Sightings can be reported by email to: sam.bayley@horsham.gov.uk
08/12/2008
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Latest sightings - 24th Nov to 7th Dec 2008
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A fairly quite couple of weeks with fewer winter thrushes evident but continued good numbers of MARSH TITS both at WNR and LOW. The CETTI@S WARBLER is still present at WNR although it is a lot more elusive at the moment.
Bramblings have been seen on three days around the garden and feeding station at WNR, while on 28th a WOODCOCK, a male WIGEON and a GADWALL were highlights here. But the absolute highlight of the week was an immature GOOSANDER on 1st (only the fourth record). Other sightings of note here were a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL on 30th and a Skylark over on 6th.
The daytime gull roost has increased slowly with nearly 1000 HERRING GULL, 400 BLACK-HEADED GULL and small numbers of LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and COMMON GULL.
Sightings elsewhere were few and far between but a flock of over 300 SISKIN at CWF on 4th was a great sight.
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24/11/2008
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Latest sightings: 17th - 23rd Nov 2008
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This was a much quieter week helped by the very cold and wet weather.
At WNR, Highlights were 30 REDWING flying W and 1 BUZZARD on 18th; a male BLACKCAP in feeding station on 20th and 23rd; a very unusual sighting was a pair of BLACK SWAN that spent all of 20th on the Millpond (origin unknown); 21 PHEASANT were in the feeding station and 144 GREYLAG GOOSE came into roost on 21st. But the absolute highlight was a male and 2 female GOOSANDER that arrived in at dusk on 21st and left the following morning - representing only the 3rd record of this species for the Reserve.
The only highlight elsewhere was a Mute Swan at SCP that had been ringed and looks to have come from Littlehampton, although not confirmed yet.
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17/11/2008
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Latest Sightings 3rd to 16th Nov 2008
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The last fortnight has very much seen the start of winter with the first winter wildfowl at Warnham LNR being a pair of GADWALL (5th) and up to 6 WIGEON (4th and 5th). Also here a possible FIRECREST and the highest count of MARSH TIT for the site of 10+ on 7th (also seen regularly at Leechpool Wood); 3 FIELDFARE on 8th and a LITTLE EGRET on 15th. Although the highlight day was 16th with 7 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL over a huge count of 47 MANDARIN that flew in and a HAWFINCH that came out of trees on the edge of the Millpond and flew off SW (07.30) being a first record for the site. To add to this the WATER RAILS have been a lot more evident with up to 3 and the CETTI'S WARBLER is still singing regularly around the edge of the Meadow and the Dipping Ponds.
Elsewhere, up to 38 TUFTED DUCK were at Southwater CP along with up to 40 SISKIN, 10 REDPOLL and a BUZZARD over on 15th. While a YELLOW£HAMMER, SKYLARK and MEADOW PIPITS are starting to over winter at Chesworth Farm and the pond roost is building with Reed Buntings and Pied Wagtails. Two unusual sightings here was of 9 Canada Goose over and 2 Coal Tit both on 7th.
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03/11/2008
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Latest sightings: 27th Oct - 2nd Nov 2008
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A fairly quiet week mainly due to the poor weather conditions although a few highlights still stood out.
At Warnham LNR, a CHIFFCHAFF was still present in the garden on 27th, the CETTI'S WARBLER was present all week, 2 Water Rail were heard on 29th and a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL over on 28th. Birds of prey were again a highlight with a PEREGRINE over on 27th, up to 3 BUZZARD on 28th and a second HONEY BUZZARD also on 28th heading west. The best sighting being a WILLOW TIT that was in the Feeding Station with at least 7 MARSH TIT briefly on 29th. This is the first record since the breeding population expired in early 2004!
Migration still continues at all sites with MEADOW PIPIT, REED BUNTING, REDWING, FIELDFARE, STARLING and SKYLARK over in small numbers and 3 BRAMBLING over Warnham LNR on 31st. REDPOLL and SISKIN are present at all sites and LINNETS are still showing at Leechpool and Owlbeech Woods.
Invertebrate sightings involved a few Red Admirals, a Speckled Wood and a Common Darter showing that their season is very nearly over.
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27/10/2008
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20th - 26th October 2008
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The sites had a very quiet week as we are reaching the end of migration. A HOBBY was seen on 20th, a Blackcap was heard and a RAVEN seen on 24th all at Warnham LNR. Overhead movement was noted with Skylarks over Sandgate Park and Warnham LNR on 25th and 26th respectively and a couple of Meadow Pipits over Sandgate Park on 25th.
Winter visitors have been increasing there numbers, with the Tufted Ducks at Southwater CP reaching 23 on 21st and Warnham LNR the Little Grebes reached 4 and Marsh Tits reached 5 on 26th. The 2 LESSER-SPOTTED WOODPECKER at Warnham LNR from last week were seen again on 26th briefly.
Dragonflies and butterflies are hanging on with Red Admirals being seen occasionally and a few Common Darter and Southern and Migrant Hawkers still in evidence. Moths have seen the start of the beautiful Merveille du Jour season as well as a few Sprawler, Mottled Umber and various Sallows.
The fungi season is well under way and a foray at Sandgate Park on 25th produced a species of Club fungus on the Hidden Meadow that could be only the 2nd record for Britain. Watch this space.
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20/10/2008
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13th - 19th October 2008
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It seems to be the start of a good Siskin and Redpoll winter, with birds being seen at most sites with up to 35 Redpoll at Warnham LNR and up to 40 Siskin at Chesworth Farm this week. On the morning of 19th, a large movement of migrant birds were seen over Warnham LNR which involved 172 Redwing, 40 Starling, 40 Siskin, 35 Redpoll, 70 Chaffinch, 17 Song Thrush, 30 Goldfinch, 5 Brambling and 7 Reed Bunting. This week also saw small numbers of Rooks, Skylark and Meadow Pipit on passage at both Southwater CP and Warnham LNR. At Warnham LNR, a late Blackcap was present on 13th while up to 6 Chiffchaff were around and the first Fieldfare of the season was seen on 18th.
At least 1 Lesser-spotted Woodpecker was still present at Warnham LNR this week with singles seen/heard on 14th and 19th while another was seen flying over Chesworth Farm on 16th. 3 Marsh Tits are now regularly seen in the Feeding Station and the Pied Wagtail roost at Chesworth farm has started with c30 seen on 16th.
Common Darter and Migrant Hawker dragonflies are still on the wing, as are Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma and Speckled Wood butterflies. A late emergence of Vapourer moths involved a total of 10 being counted at Warnham LNR on 19th and a Mervielle du Jour was found at Southwater CP.
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13/10/2008
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29th September - 12th October 2008
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The OSPREY sightings were added to from the last report with 1 at Southwater CP on 3rd (attempted to fish and sat in a tree) and 4th and low over Warnham LNR on 7th. All these sightings are almost certainly the same individual with other local sightings at Capel and Kingsfold in this period.
Most coverage over the last fortnight came from Warnham LNR with migration still in full swing, as follows;
1 Yellow Wagtail on 29th, 3 Shoveler over on 30th, 2 Swallows on 2nd, 1 Hobby, 1 PEREGRINE, 20 Swallow and 12 House Martin on 4th, 1 RAVEN and 1 LESSER-SPOTTED WOODPECKER on 6th, c20 Redwing on 7th and 1 Great Black-backed Gull on 8th. This was then followed on 12th by a male CETTI'S WARBLER, 2 LESSER-SPOTTED WOODPECKER, 20 Meadow Pipit, 40 Siskin and 4+ Water Rail.
To add to this 15 House Martin were at Southwater CP on 7th and c40 Meadow Pipits are now in residence at Chesworth Farm. There have been regular sightings of Redwing, Siskin and Redpoll at most sites, Buzzards have been fairly regular at Warnham LNR and Chesworth Farm with a very white individual over the former on 9th. 2 Marsh Tit have been regular in the Feeding Station at Warnham LNR and the first Common Gulls have appeared with 1 at Warnham LNR on 7th and 3 at Southwater CP on 9th.
Invertebrates have been thin on the ground with Small and Large White, Red Admiral, Comma, Peacock and Speckled Wood being the only butterflies and Migrant and Southern Hawker and Common Darter the only dragonflies.
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29/09/2008
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19th - 28th September 2008
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Birds of prey stole the show again this week with a first year OSPREY seen at Warnham LNR on 20th, 21st and 25th. The first occasion it was actually made a couple of fishing attempts without success. This was followed also at Warnham LNR by a HONEY BUZZARD (1st site record) on 21st, a Hobby on 22nd and a PEREGRINE on 26th.
The LITTLE EGRET from last week continued to be seen throughout this week at Warnham LNR and roosted on a number of nights. Passage hirundines were very thin on the ground with 4 House Martin seen on 19th and a max of 25 Swallow on 21st.
Other migrants included a report of 2 male REDSTART at Warnham LNR on 26th, a CROSSBILL on 28th, a late Willow Warbler on 21st and late Reed Warblers on 21st and 28th. While Blackcaps were evident in singles and Chiffchaffs were still around in numbers, peak being 30 at Warnham LNR on 21st. A few Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail were seen moving through in small numbers and Siskin numbers reached 54 on 21st at Warnham LNR.
A Marsh Tit has been regular at Warnham LNR and the first wintering Water Rail was heard here on 19th.
The only other notable sightings were also at Warnham LNR including the 2nd site record of a Muntjac Deer on 19th, a few Emerald Damselflies by the Dipping Ponds all week and a Weasel in the Feeding Station on 28th.
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