WILDLIFE
REPORTS
23
January 2010
Henfield
Levels flooded again like some inland sea, largely quiet in the morning
except for the evocative whooping of Bewick's
Swans, Cygnus
columbianus, 24 in all of which just
three were juveniles (two siblings plus parents and a single with its parents
making for two families). Steyning Levels were flooded too, 32 Gadwall
and pair of Pintail,
while at Steyning Sewage Plant there were eight Chiffchaffs.
14
January 2010
The
snow and ice had disappeared on the roof tiles and pavements outside of
my house in Shoreham.
11
January 2010
A
Redwing
flew under a Tamarisk
bush in a shingle garden on Lancing Beach
(to the west of Lancing Sailing Club). This
bird species moves south to Sussex in severe winters.
Birdguides
Redwing
10
January 2010
Walking
up to Beeding Hill from Shoreham was strenuous due to the
1.5 metre snow drifts but the blanket snow
cover in the fields demonstrated why so many inland birds are seeking shelter
in the river valleys and on the coast. There was a huge bunting flock on
Beeding Hill with at least 400 Corn Buntings,
90 Yellowhammers
and three Reed Buntings
feeding in a stubble field accompanied by 200 or so Skylarks
and 20 Linnets.
RSPB
Corn Buntings
9 January
2010
On
Mill
Hill it was difficult to gauge the depth of snow because of drifting,
but it was measured at 120 mm.
With the early afternoon northerly winds at a Moderate Breeze (Force
5) small ground
blizzard conditions were created on the New Erringham pastures as the
powdery snow was blown from the north-east. The temperature remained
just below freezing for most of the day. Snow lay on the ice of my pond
in my garden.
Shoreham
Weather 2010: Snow
7 January
2010
Rabbits
spent a long time in the open fields on the levels east of Lancing
College, grazing on the snow covered pastures. Snow carpeted the countryside
averaging a depth of 95 mm
on Lancing Ring after the overnight snowfall.
At
9:00
am the air temperature fell to an over night
low of minus 6.1 °C. Birds
foraged in the open amongst the bare twigs and the snow;
about half a dozen Reed
Buntings were
particularly noticeable on the tideline of the River
Adur estuary south of the Toll
Bridge, with Meadow Pipits,
and a dozen more Reed Buntings
on the frozen pond by the road to Lancing College.
Full
Weather Report
A flock
of about twenty Fieldfares
visited
North Farm Road in South Lancing feasting on the red
berries of a Cotoneaster
'Cornubia'
tree
in the Hamblett's
back garden. One of these northern thrushes
was seen to gobble up three berries
in quick succession.
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Reed
Bunting
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Fieldfare
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In
severe winters these birds move south and from the countryside into the
parks and larger gardens.
RSPB
Fieldfares
6 January
2010
 A
steady flurry of light snow blew in from the east in a Moderate Breeze
(Force 5)
but the air temperature remained just above freezing. The ground temperature
must have been lower as the snowfall lasted for hours in the morning and
a small amount of snow (8 mm)
laid on the pavements of Shoreham. The downs
and countryside were covered to a similar depth, but in places this quickly
turned to slush. Pastures and arable fields were more sparsely covered,
negligible in lots of places. After dusk
there was a further snowfall.
Shoreham
Weather 2010: Snow
3 January
2010
On
the way home form the pub, a Red Fox
trotted across Middle Road, Shoreham (at the Kingston Buci end) and
this was the first wild mammal report of the year.
 2
January 2010
At
midday
there
was still frost on the leaves and ground in the shade.My
first plant in flower for
2010
was a very sorry looking overwintering Sow
Thistle on the Downs-Coastal
Cyclepath between Ropetackle and Old Shoreham. A
Little
Grebe dived under at high tide
in the River Adur south of the Cuckoo's Corner inlet.
Many
of the Holly trees were now bereft of their red berries, eaten by
birds, especially Blackbirds
and Wood Pigeons.
January
2009
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