Successful Southern Expedition!

 Successful Southern Expedition!

image from eBird

We set off at 1.30am and arrived at RSPB Pulborough Brooks at 6:20am in hopes of seeing  Nightingales. We walked along the trail, which we were told was very good for Nightingales, and started listening for their song. We then came to the end of a path and saw a sign saying to look out for Nightingales. Suddenly, a burst of song broke out from the bushes. It was the sweet song of a Nightingale! I looked around, trying to locate it; when I saw a plain, brown bird with a grey chest and throat singing on the edge of a bush. It was a Nightingale. I listened and watched as it flitted about but was unable to get a record shot, due to the branches in front of it. 

image from Thomas Inns, not same bird

Feeling satisfied with my views, I then started hearing a Cuckoo which was a bogey bird of mine and a bird I have been trying to see for years. I went to a viewpoint overlooking the scrape near a playground and scanned the trees. Suddenly, I saw a dull grey bird sat on top of a dead tree. It was a Cuckoo! I watched as it flew into a tree covered in leaves. It had pointy wings and represented as a raptor in flight. We then set off to see a mega rare bird!

We arrived at Seaford Head in hopes of seeing an incredibly rare White-crowned Sparrow. We followed the birders travelling to and from the Hope Gap and as expected there was a crowd of people gathered on the west side, viewing the bird. After squeezing in the huddle, I asked a birder where the bird was, and he pointed me towards it. The White-crowned Sparrow was sat up high on branch, showing itself to everyone. I got many good views and photos of it before it came down and out of view with a Dunnock. We then set off to Thursley Common for my much sought after Dartford Warblers.

We arrived at Thursley Common at around 11am. We walked out onto the common and started scanning the gorse and heather for the birds. We then checked Parish Fields for Redstart and Tree Pipit but to no avail. We continued along the common when a large, bright green lizard ran along the path. It was a Sand Lizard, a reptile I had never seen before. It was only a fleeting view but I was ecstatic seeing it. I then continued along when we met a couple, the man walked using a stick. He said he knew a spot that would guarantee us these birds. We walked with him to the spot. We slowly walked along the area where they were expected to be seen. We saw a pair of Hobbies and a pair of Red Kites soaring high, as well as my first Whitethroat of the year. We could hear Woodlarks and see a few Stonechats however there was no sign of any Dartford Warblers. Suddenly I spotted a bird with a dark maroon chest and a silvery blue back pop up in front of us, before flying into the heather. It was a male Dartford Warbler. We were all delighted! It then continued with a female bird.

I managed to get a record shot before heading back to Parish Fields to try for the Redstarts again. We walked along the path that looped around Parish Fields, when two birds flew across into a tree in the field. They were Redstarts! An adult male and a juvenile were both foraging beneath a tree. We enjoyed our show and then set off back to RSPB Pulborough Brooks for a reported Wood Warbler.

We arrived back at RSPB Pulborough Brooks at around 5:30pm. We walked along the trails to the overflow car park, when we saw a group of birders looking into a blossom tree. They were looking at a female Pied Flycatcher. They then pointed out the Wood Warbler singing, so we looked around in the trees, before someone pointed the bird out to me, as it flitted from branch to branch, eventually staying still long enough for me to get a record shot. Some birders there then told me of a breeding site for Firecrest between Swanbourne Lake and WWT Arundel's car park. We travelled to this location and walked along the lake and checked the foliage along the road, but to no avail. However, we did see a few Mandarin Ducks. It was getting late so we decided to call it a day and headed home.

Overall, a brilliantly tiring day with 5 lifers (Wood Warbler, Dartford Warbler, White-crowned Sparrow, Cuckoo and Nightingale) and 1 new reptile (Sand Lizard)!