Adur Levels and Estuary 2014

11 December 2013
A Kingfisher arrowed its way over the River Adur by Coronation Green at dusk. It was recognised by its flight, as it flew like an arrow in the fading light over the large expanse of water towards the new Adur Ferry Bridge on the high flood tide. It was the first Kingfisher I have spotted this year.

8 December 2013
At high tide in the afternoon I was surprised my the numbers of gulls over Adur Recreation Ground numbering at least a thousand at a rough estimate. Several hundred Black-headed Gulls formed a flotilla on the tidal inlet known as the Flood Arches with hundreds of mixed gulls swirling in the air under a patchy cloudy sky. Most of the other gulls were thought to be Common Gulls but it was difficult to be sure at a distance.

2 December 2013
A Little Grebe was seen twice on the surface of the River Adur very close the Toll Bridge at Old Shoreham, and then it dived under again and it disappeared from view as soon as I got my camera out.

1 December 2013
A brief cycle ride to Old Shoreham was predictably dull. As it was December I noted Common Toadflax, Sow Thistle, Yarrow and a Common Hogweed still in flower.

12 November 2013
One sunny still day with hardly a breeze, A Red Admiral Butterfly flew across a very crowded Adur Ferry Bridge and a short time after one flew across the River Adur adjacent to the very new bridge. A Little Egret fished in the shallows at low neap tide by Coronation Green. Later, by the slipway at Emerald Quay an immature Herring Gull had caught or found a Shore Crab which it was repeatedly pecking at.

7 November 2013
My view from the Norfolk Bridge over the estuary towards the new Adur Ferry Bridge was over the River Adur that was a still as a mill pond on the high tide in the middle of the day. This was in contrast to the preceding days when the water had been choppy with white capped waves. As my eyes adjusted for the reflections of the houseboats and buildings in grey murky water, I noted a hundred plus birds were present in at least three flocks. Even through my binoculars the first flock of dark medium-sized Cakile birds resting on the still river were too far away for a positive identification. I think they were probably Pochards.

As I was counting them, all twenty took flight in unison and flew west in a loose flock. The other two flocks were mixed waders congregated very close together on this strips of vegetated mud above the still water. They were closer but because of their hulking positions it was still hard to discern what the majority of them were. Intermittently birds took flight but the visibility was far from ideal. I thought I identified the usual flock of Turnstones, a few of the familiar Grey Plovers, and I think some of the others were Godwits from the shape of their beak. I returned over an hour later when the swing bridge was open for boat traffic. The large flocks had already disappeared and many of the waders that remained were frightened off when a Grey Heron landed.

15 October 2013
It was muddy underfoot but the sun shone intermittently through gaps in the clouds. This produced a very mixed and varied day. Turnstones foraging under the Railway Viaduct and Lapwings on the mud at low tide were regular occurrences and expected. But more surprising on a cloudy day were two active flying butterflies, a Red Admiral and immigrant Clouded Yellow over the River Adur. A Dark Bush Cricket, Pholidoptera griseoaptera, was spotted on the verges of the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. These crickets are occasionally seen late in the year. It was not warm enough to expect to see many butterflies but 21 were seen of six species, with a third of them Meadow Browns on Mill Hill. Notably there was a cleistogamic flowering Dog Violet on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.
Full Butterfly Report
Adur Grasshoppers & Crickets
Adur Violets

12 October 2013
 

Bank Vole	Speckled Wood	Ash Keys

A Bank Vole, Myodes glareolus, was seen on the road verge by the Cement Works south of Dacre Gardens, Upper Beeding. The vole was more intent on feeding that running away but it never kept still.

10 October 2013
A Sparrowhawk was seen flying near the Sussex Pad mobbed by a Crow.
 

7 October 2013 Alarm and escape confusion attracted my attention as about twenty Starlings suddenly took flight from the highest ledges of the Shoreham Cement Works building on the east side of the road. A moment later a Peregrine Falcon glided just over the concrete ruins. The falcon was identified by its narrower more streamlined wings contrasted with the broader Sparrowhawk.  6 October 2013 A fresh male Long-tailed Blue Butterfly visited the large clump of Ivy outside Shoreham Cement Works, Upper Beeding  (TQ 199 086) between 11.35 am and 11.45 am. It then flew east, back over the fence into the Everlasting Peas within the Cement Works. This was the first record of this immigrant butterfly on these Nature Notes pages.  Report by Vince Massimo on Sussex Butterflies 3 October 2013 On an overcast afternoon, I was pleased to see a Grey Wagtail by the Ladywells Stream on the Coombes Road. I only see this attractive small bird about once every two years.

29 September 2013
 

Speckled Wood	Guelder Rose	Ash branches hanging	heavy with keys

I cycled under the Ash branches were hanging heavy with keys almost forming a complete canopy over parts of the Downs Link Cyclepath from Old Shoreham to Upper Beeding. Colour was in the hedge border, full of wild fruits and berries, the red of Hawthorn, Dog Rose (Rose Hips) and Guelder Rose (a honeysuckle) were most noticeable. The birds seen were mostly insect eating ones, notably the Chiff-chaff; or were they Willow Warblers? When the sun came out so did a few of the more notable flying insects including at least seven Comma Butterflies and a few Speckled Woods in the shade, as well as a few Small White Butterflies and at least one Large White Butterfly. A Common Darter (dragonfly) was seen at Upper Beeding and a Southern Hawker at the southern edge of the Saltings Field at Bramber by the River Adur. The splendid large hoverfly Volucella zonaria, settled on a flowering Buddleia on the cyclepath by the Cement Works.
Meadow Muses (Berries)
Chiff-chaff & Willow Warblers (BTO)

27 September 2013
A Grey Heron stood like a statue on the muddy margins of the River Adur between Old Shoreham and Cuckoo's Corner. Ash trees drooped wit the weight of their keys along the Coombes Road.
 

22 September 2013  The River Adur was was in flood from the from the incoming equinoctial spring tide. There was little of no breeze so the incessant water movement was only when it was pushed up the banks and upriver. Over a hundred Swallows in low density flights made an impressive sight as they swooped low over the flat surface of the river. One of these hirundine birds twice dipped into the salt water with a distinctive splash. After the recent rain, hundreds of mushrooms appeared on Anchor Bottom and one clump on the edge of the river towpath.

19 September 2013 A handful of House Martins and at least one Swallow were flying around the Riverbank Business Centre (north of Ropetackle) and many of the birds were flying in a large open window of an unoccupied prefabricated building on the site. The building had a large hole in the roof and they did not appear to be flying out of this immediately. Over the River Adur a Near Gale was blowing and capping the small waves with white. The wind blew from the south-west on the high tide.

11 September 2013
There were so many Sparrows and Starlings in the Buddleia bushes between Ropetackle and Old Shoreham, that I am surprised there were occasional Large White Butterflies and a few Small Whites that escaped their feeding attentions. I spotted a Red Admiral on the Buddleia by the Buffer Stop and a Holly Blue visiting Bramble flowers. The same pattern of the absence of butterflies was repeated between Old Shoreham and the Cement Works, although the birds were not omnipresent. More Large Whites on Buddleia  and a few Speckled Woods on the leaves only were noted on the outgoing cycle journey. A small chirm of perhaps only five Goldfinches were seen leaving the hedge near the Teasel heads which were widespread and common on the verges of the cyclepath.
Full Butterfly Report

5 September 2013
A small family of Moorhens resided on the duckweed covered Annington Sewer north of Botolphs.

Shortly afterwards, I spotted a hen Mallard and seven chicks on the River Adur swimming against the incoming tide under Bramber Bridge. Apparently, eight chicks hatched out from a nest in a tree near St. Mary's House where a small stream feeds into the river. A solitary Mallard was also seen near the small footbridge over the river near (east of) Steyning.

As I walked my bike on the footpath on the Bramber side upriver from Bramber Bridge, a sudden splash turned by head in time to see a 20 cm fish jump completely out of the water, twisted in mid-air to show its flanks with a tinge of gold before disappearing under water not be seen again. I could see that it was elongate and trout shaped and it wasn't a Grey Mullet or Bass or Sand Smelt the fish usually seen in the brackish part of the river further south. (The nearest freshwater is over three miles to the north. It was mid-tide. Freshwater fish have been reported in the brackish part of the river in the past.)

At least two Southern Hawkers, (dragonfly) were seen over the Downs Link Cyclepath and another looked much larger over a drainage stream near the river near Botolphs.
Butterfly Report

25 August 2013
After the rain, there were only small muddy puddles on the Downs Link Cyclepath north of Old Shoreham, where my first Southern Hawker, (dragonfly) of the year landed immediately in front of me on the clay path. Thirteen butterfly species were seen on an overcast day, all bar one of the Downs Link Cyclepath from Old Shoreham to the Cement Works.
Full Butterfly Report

15 August 2013
 

Comma	Brimstone	Brimstone	Large Whites

A few Holly Blues fluttered around the bushes and a half a dozen Speckled Woods congregated in the shade. Buddleia proved the most attractive for butterflies and the abundant Fleabane their second favourite. The total count of white butterflies was over a hundred in an hour and the cumulative count of the other butterflies seen was about sixty. Buddleia bordering the Downs Links Cyclepath from Old Shoreham to the Cement Works was still in flower and attractive to the five usual vanessid large butterflies and the Brimstones and eight other butterfly species making fourteen species in an hour. Buddleia proved the most attractive for butterflies and the abundant Fleabane their second favourite. The total count of three species of white butterflies was over a hundred in an hour and the cumulative count of the other butterflies seen was about sixty.
Full Butterfly Report

4 August 2013
In the morning a Speckled Wood Butterfly visited by semi-wild garden in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham. It stayed for a few minutes settling on a Garden Privet leaf. Down by the estuary the cyclepath in Old Shoreham were lined with purple Buddleia. It is aptly named the Butterfly Bush as it proved an attractive nectar source for a dozen or more vanessid butterflies seen on a couple of bushes next to the River Adur on a high neap tide.
 

It seems there has been recent influx of the immigrant Painted Lady as the first seen and the most prevalent butterfly and found exclusively feeding on the Buddleia. It was accompanied by a few Red Admirals and at least one Peacock Butterfly. Nearby there were Green-veined Whites, Large Whites, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers in order of frequency.
 

2 August 2013 Flowering Buddleia adorned the hedgerows bordering both side of the cyclepath from Ropetackle to Upper Beeding (Dacre Gardens) and this proved to be an attraction to scores of Red Admirals (25+ actually seen). Most of the usual butterflies were fluttering around the flower rich* meadow-like verges. The most numerous were the Green-veined Whites (25+)  but there were frequent Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Common Blues, and Large Whites, with occasional Peacocks and Comma, and a few Speckled Woods and at least one Small Skipper. A Silver Y Moth was disturbed on the cyclepath verges. (* The Cyclepath verges hosted many prominent flowers attractive to butterflies including Hemp Agrimony, Fleabane, Ragwort and Marjoram as will as less favoured Rosebay Willowherb, Greater Willowherb, Melilot, etc.) Full Butterfly Report

26 July 2013
No new butterfly species could be added to list of the previous two days, although the usual ones were present of a cycle trip  to Cuckoo's Corner along the towpath and back along the Coombes Road: frequent Gatekeepers, Large Whites, Small Whites, occasional Meadow Browns, Small (or Essex) Skippers, a few each of Comma Butterflies, Speckled Woods, Red Admiral, and one Peacock Butterfly and one Marbled White. As I was about to dismiss it as just a boring jaunt in the weak sunshine when I spotted a Grey Heron, poised like a stature on the stream bridge on private land at Farrows Barn, Ladywells. The large bird flew off gracefully as I retrieved my camera from its small bag. A few minutes later, I saw a large white presence high in the trees along the Coombes Road (north of Cuckoo's Corner). It turned out to be a Little Egret.
 

On a high spring tide at the Cuckoo's Corner inlet, shoals of thousands of Sand Smelt, Atherina presbyter, rippled the surface of the murky water. There were many of them in over a hundred separate shoals just under the surface. The small shoals followed a leader in an arrow formation and the much larger shoals formed dark rugby ball-sized schools numbering over a hundred in each. And the even larger balls of this small elongate fish numbered several hundred in each. Every half minute the relatively still unruffled river was interrupted by a commotion followed by a much larger splash, assumed to be larger predatory fish attempting to feed. The most likely candidate was the Bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, and one small first year Bass fry was seen.
Adur Levels 2013

14 July 2013
 

Small (or Essex) Skipper	Marjoram	Chicory	Burnet Companion Moth (badly faded)

On a warm sunny day, a short ride in the middle of the day along the busy Downs Link Cyclepath to Upper Beeding produced moderate butterfly activity. The first appearance was a Small Skipper on the verges of the Steyning Road south of the Cement Works. Simultaneously, a restless Marbled White settled for a second on a Chicory flower amongst the long grasses. A few Meadow Browns were also seen on the verge on the same latitude as Old Erringham.
There were occasional flashes of orange on the Downs Link. These were a few pristine Comma Butterflies and later half a dozen bright Small Tortoiseshells. There was also a probable Ringlet amongst the Meadow Browns and another Marbled White. Large Whites were conspicuous everywhere but only about ten of them were seen. On my return along the Downs Link there were more Small Tortoiseshells and a pair of Speckled Woods. The Burnet Companion Moth (badly faded) was attracted to Marjoram on the Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Cement Works.
I counted 26 Mute Swans on the River Adur at low tide by the Railway Viaduct.
Full Butterfly Report

12 July 2013
A handful of Swallows swooping to and fro over the derelict Riverside Industrial Estate (north of Ropetackle) by the River Adur was a site to behold on a cool start to a warm afternoon.

10 July 2013
From Steyning High Street, I followed the attractive Church Street in a south-westerly direction, past St. Andrews Church until the road terminated at the junction with Jarvis Lane. I followed this road east over the bridge over the old railway until the houses stopped and a stile and footpath took me over low lying cattle pasture to the banks of the River Adur. I crossed by a small metal bridge and followed the towpath past Salting's Field to Upper Beeding.
Meadow Browns (35+) and equally numerous Small Tortoiseshells (35+) fluttered around. A stream runs through Saltings Field and this proved of interest with small  unidentified blue damselflies (either Azure or Common Blue). A female Mallard came into view and a Moorhen scuttled into shelter over the water surface. The bright orange of a Comma Butterfly was definitely identified as it settled on a Bramble next to the stream. In an area of shade in Steyning, two Speckled Woods fluttered around. There was also a Large White seen by the river.
 

Saltings Field, Upper Beeding	Mallard with Arrowhead	Small Tortoiseshell

The River Adur running east of Steyning was in flood with the high tide. I counted 22 Mute Swans in this narrow stretch of the river. An hour later I counted a further 25 Mute Swans in a group south of the Toll Bridge (Old Shoreham) and as this was from a passing bus, there may have been more.
Adur Butterfly List 2013

9 July 2013
The Adur estuary was clear enough to see through, but I only saw a solitary Grey Mullet in the shallows by Ropetackle. Another warm day (24.9 °C) and the butterflies were both frequent and restless in the sunshine. My first Small Skipper (12+) of the year was seen on the Downs Link Cyclepath but like the frequent Meadow Browns (50+) and equally numerous Small Tortoiseshells (50+) they were not inclined to settle. A Green-veined White Butterfly was positively identified on the verges of the Downs Link Cyclepath (north of Old Shoreham) and there were a handful along the route to Annington Sewer (north of Botolphs) and back. Almost all the possible Ringlets turned out to be Meadow Browns, but two Ringlets were almost certainly seen near the stream adjacent to the cyclepath.
 

Small Tortoiseshell	Black-headed Gull	Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moth

The bright orange butterfly on the Downs Link Cyclepath was almost certainly a Comma. On the verges next to Annington Sewer, a Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moth visited a Pyramidal Orchid. Pyramidal Orchids were frequently seen amongst the grasses and other vegetation which were more luxuriant and dense and tended to make the orchids much more difficult to see than in normal years.
Full Butterfly Report
Adur Butterflies: First Dates

8 July 2013
A single Swallow flew to and fro at low level over the mostly derelict Riverside Industrial Units and towpath (north of Ropetackle).

7 July 2013
In the warmth (25.9 °C) of the midday sun, my first Meadow Brown Butterflies of the year, with the first day-flying  Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moth and probably the first Ringlet Butterfly were seen over the verges of the Downs Link Cyclepath 100 metres south of the Cement Works. There was also a bright orange butterfly that was not recognised to species.
Full Butterfly Report
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Adur Burnet Moths

30 June 2013 Two Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies were seen over the verges of the cyclepath north of Old Shoreham (in the area where I thought I saw a Painted Lady a week earlier). A Small White Butterfly fluttered in the humid sunshine. A few Pyramidal Orchids were seen amongst the long grasses (taller than usual this year).

24 June 2013 The River Adur Project: documentary for schools was published.

RIVER ADUR PROJECT  Education Resource Package for Schools Click on the button above to go to the web page to download the Powerpoint presentation.

23 June 2013
With the white crested waves blown against the Purslane-lined banks of the Adur estuary on a high spring tide, and a Grey Heron soaring under a cloudy sky, it appeared more like a day near the autumnal equinox than the middle of the summer. An orange butterfly was buffeted by the breeze, blown 20 metres one way and then the other so much I just got a single close enough glimpse and it looked as though the only species it could be was an immigrant Painted Lady. This butterfly, seen over the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath (just north north of the A27 Flyover) was the first one I have seen for several years. The poisonous Hemlock Water Dropwort was flowering on the verges of the cyclepath near Old Shoreham.
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Adur Butterfly List 2013

8 June 2013
Two Grey Mullet were seen swimming in the shallows by Coronation Green, Shoreham.
Adur World Oceans Day 2013

5 June 2013
A Swallow flew at head height ride in front of my eyes as I cycled on the towpath just north of Ropetackle. As I was cycling along the Downs-Coastal Cyclepath north of Old Shoreham I heard some alarming squeaking sound. I half thought it was my bicycle but it was young birds in the hedge that borders both sides of the old railway track. They made such a loud racket, I thought they were Magpies. Suddenly a male Beautiful Demoiselle, Calopteryx virgo, also flew at head height in front of me, but I could not get my camera out quick enough. Speckled Wood Butterflies were occasionally spotted on my brief journey.
Adur Damselflies

There has been reports of a smelly plankton bloom in the sea and River Adur. The offending organism was Phaeocystis. The live and dead plankton could be seen in the estuary water and the visibility was severely impaired. As the salt water lapped against the muddy shore, it looked the colour of orange juice in patches and overall it was murky.

17 May 2013
 

Rhingia campestris hoverflies visited Red Campion on the wild meadow managed verges of the Coombes Road by Ladywell's Stream.

7 May 2013
Green-veined White Butterflies were confirmed for the first time this year sparring with male Orange-tips on the footpath section of the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham.

5 May 2013
The first Rhingia campestris hoverfly of the year was seen over the verges of the Waterworks Road.

3 May 2013
Hardly a cloud in blue sky, and the bees and butterflies were out in the weak sunshine. A flutter of a restless Holly Blue was the first butterfly to be seen over the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. This was quickly followed by my first definite of the year Large Whites followed by a male Orange-tip. A Peacock Butterfly flew over the cyclepath north of Old Shoreham.
Adur Butterfly List 2013
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
 

Cowslips	Blackthorn	Snake's Head Fritillary	Snake's Head Fritillary

On the verges of the cyclepath I saw my first ever local Snake's Head Fritillaries, Fritillaria meleagris, in flower in the wild.  In a running stream by the cyclepath a shoal of Sticklebacks looking very healthy darting about. One small male fish sported a bright red flank.

1 May 2013
A few firsts of the year were recorded as the sun came out and with it the bumblebees and a few hoverflies. The first of a few Holly Blue Butterflies were seen over the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham

22 - 23 April 2013
 

Weir at Ladywell's Stream by Farrow's Barn, Coombes Road	Withy Patch Layby

I spotted by first fish of the year, Sticklebacks swimming in the shallow drainage stream that separates the fields north of Cuckoo's Corner on the Coombes Road. At least two Comma Butterflies and my first bug of the year were seen over the Waterworks Road. A Common Green Shield Bug, Palomena prasina, rested on an Alexander leaf.

17 April 2013
 

Ladywell's Stream in flood by Farrow's Barn, Coombes Road	Lancing College Farm Pond

Two Little Egrets were seen feeding in a flooded horse field. I have no idea what they were lunging forward to catch.

28 March 2013
In the afternoon just the usual gulls were present on mid-tide from the Norfolk Bridge up to the Toll Bridge, although three pairs of Teal cruised along the tideline, dipping their heads under regularly.

20 March 2013
Do Pheasants know its is close season? One male bird trotted down the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham, but quickly disappeared entirely in to the Maple scrub. Several clumps of Jew's Ear Fungus, Hirneola auricola-judae, were on discarded branches that were blocking the route of footpath 3140 next to Steyning Road.
Adur Fungi Reports
 

12 March 2013 Cyclepath north of Old Shoreham	14 March 2013 Miller's Stream in flood near the Waterworks' House north of Old Shoreham, view from Mill Hill

12 March 2013
In the afternoon one Snipe flew over the road by the Norfolk Bridge and another was feeding on a verge beside Shoreham Airport.

An Avocet was seen roosting with the more usual waders on Adur Saltings but flew off before high tide in the morning.

5 March 2013
A juvenile Common Seal, Phoca vitulina, hauled up on a River Adur mud bank two miles inland from Shoreham-by-Sea.

13 February 2013
In the evening I disturbed a Rabbit in the headlight of my lights under the moon less sky on the cyclepath south of Old Shoreham. Rabbits are mainly crepuscular animals and are only seen in the day in this area if they are ill.

7, 14-15 February 2013
A juvenile Common Seal, Phoca vitulina, has been spending time in the River Adur. The seal was first seen on 7th February in the morning, It appeared that the seal had swum back out to sea. However, on the 14th February the seal was hauled out on the estuary mud on the south side of the river opposite Surry Public Hard, and reported again in a different location on 15th February by the Shoreham Port Authority.

12 February 2013
There was a considerable amount of standing water on the fields on the way to Upper Beeding (seen from the bus) where I also saw my first Rabbit of the year.

8 February 2013
On an overcast day, there was almost nothing of interest and less than the normal number of gulls on the river with no Lapwings despite the low tide.  North of the Toll Bridge, two adult Little Grebes dived under the shallow stream of water.

30 January 2013
There were large flocks of fifty plus Wood Pigeons over the Coombes Road and the fields between the road and the river. I had planned to cycle along the western towpath but I turned back because it was too muddy and because there was very little of interest to see. The Lapwings were back on the mud flats north of the Toll Bridge.

22 January 2013
Two Oystercatchers roosted (on one leg it appeared) on the mudlfats by Ropetackle as a Lapwing and a Dunlin fed around them. The Oystercatchers appeared to be asleep until one was inclined to preen itself and the distinctive red beak could than be seen clearly at just before nine in the morning.
 

I had a look around the snow and ice covered Adur flood plain north of Upper Beeding. There were hardly any birds to be seen, just an occasional Crow and no wandering flocks. Saltings Field next to the river was ice bound as shown in the photographs above.

21 January 2013
On the tidal pool to the west of Adur Recreation Ground, a small flock of Teals swam in the stream of water and ventured out to feed on the mud flats in the company of a few Dunlins, a few Mallards, two squabbling  Redshanks and just the one Lapwing.
 

18 January 2013
Snow blew vertically in from the east (Force 4) during daylight. Around midday the snow was an inch (25 mm) deep on the cold ground in Shoreham with the air temperature only just below freezing. On the cyclepath north of Old Shoreham the depth of snow was measured at 60 mm. By late afternoon the snow eased off, turned to sleet and in town the snow turned to slush, but in the residential streets there was still snow on the pavements at dusk.
Shoreham Weather 2013
Adur Trees 2013
 

Cyclepath north of Old Shoreham	Dunlins

At low tide on the River Adur the Dunlins were feeding much closer to the shore than usual.

January 2013
 

White Poplar	Gorse	Golden Willow

10 January 2013
The Traveller's Joy, Clematis, in the hedgerows north of Old Shoreham had long since (Winter 2012) turned to Old Man's Beard. There was still standing water in the saturated low level meadows.
 

Altogether the trip up the cyclepath looked so unpromising that I turned back before the Flyover. Very tiny midges (or midge-like insects) were in my face as I stopped to take a photograph. A Cormorant stood high on a pole. The House Sparrows were making a lot of noise in the hedgerows adjacent to the cyclepath south of Old Shoreham.

9 January 2013
Redshanks still congregated three together on the edges of mud flats as the tide came in. A hundred strong flock of Lapwings roosted south of the Toll Bridge instead of their more usual position on the mud flats to the north of the Toll Bridge.

7 January 2013

It was too muddy for the downs, but at least it was not raining after 2012 was the second wettest on record. At low tide on the River Adur estuary at Old Shoreham, there were just the usual Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Lapwings  with occasional Greater Black-headed Gulls, Redshanks, Crows and one Little Egret.

Adur Levels and Estuary 2012