31st March 2003 Weir Wood Reservoir 5.45pm – 6.15pm. Chelwood 6.30pm – 8.00pm. Calm and sunny

Red-necked Grebe 1 adult acquiring summer plumage. Crown black with small tufts at rear of crown. White throat. Deep red neck becoming pale almost white on breast. Upperparts brown. Flanks suffused with brown becoming whiter towards rear. Small yellow base to black bill. Spring-diving on several occasions.

Great Crested Grebe c.20
Grey Heron 1
Common Gull 2
Green Woodpecker 1 Ashdown Forest
Chiffchaff h
Goldcrest 2
Redpoll c.10

30th March 2003 Beachy 7.30am – 11.15am. Overcast at first becoming bright and sunny. Stiff NE wind. Ashdown Forest c.4.15pm – 5.30pm

Fulmar c.5

Gannet c.3E
Cormorant 1W
Brent Goose c.30E
Hen Harrier 1 prob first-w. Ashdown Forest at Gills Lap. Large Harrier with broad blunt wings (not pointed). Secondaries appeared quite dark. Underparts pale brown lacking any orange tones. Noticeable white rump and barred upper-surface of tail.
Sparrowhawk 1 Belle Toute wood
Kestrel c.2
Peregrine c.2
Sandwich Tern 1E
Guillemot 2
Stock Dove c.5
Wood Pigeon c.40
Tawny Owl h Burgess Hill
Skylark c.6
Black Redstart c.5
Wheatear 3
Stonechat c.2
Chiffchaff 1 Beachy 2 Ashdown plus others heard singing at both sites
Great Grey Shrike 1 adult. Gills Lap. Perching high atop confiers. Pale grey upperparts contrasting with white scapulars forming a border to the black wings with small white patch at base of primaries. Dar lores and mask through eye. Long tail with black upper surface. Gleaming white underparts.
Chaffinch c.6
Redpoll c.5 Ashdown

29th March 2003 Beachy 6.30am – 12.30pm. Newhaven 12.45pm – 1.15pm. Overcast but calm

Kestrel 1 female

Peregrine 2
Oystercatcher c.12W
Common Gull c.300 Newhaven
Herring Gull c.30 Newhaven
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.5 Newhaven
Collared Dove 1
Green Woodpecker 1h
Skylark c.12
Rock Pipit c.4
Meadow Pipit c.5
Alba Wagtail 1
Black Redstart 5
Wheatear 5
Stonechat c.6
Chiffchaff 1 +c.5h
Willow Warbler 1 + 1h both singing
House Sparrow c.6

23rd March 2003 Beachy 6.10am – 1.30pm. Clear and sunny with cold E wind. Spent virtually all our time sea-watching

Red-throated Diver c.20E

Great Crested Grebe 2E
Fulmar c.10
Gannet c.15E
Cormorant 1E
Grey Heron 1E
Brent Geese c.2,270E
Shelduck c.6E
Mandarin 1 drake along Cuckmere road – right wing clipped so couldn’t fly
Gadwall 6E
Pintail 13E
Shoveler c.10E
Wigeon c.20 Cuckmere
Teal c.15E
Scoter c.500E
Velvet Scoter 3E
Merganser 3E
Peregrine 1
Red-legged Partridge 3 Ditchling Beacon
Oystercatcher 1E
Avocet 5 briefly on beach before flying E
Curlew c.6E
Black-headed Gull c.20E
Common Gull c.70
Kittiwake c.15E
Sandwich Tern 2E
Auk sp. 2E
Guillemot 1 sat close on sea
Collared Dove 2
Skylark c.3
Rock Pipit c.2
Meadow Pipit c.10
Alba Wagtail c.5
Stonechat c.4
Chiffchaff 3 plus 1 Burgess Hill
Goldfinch 1
Greenfinch 1

22nd March 2003 Beachy 6.45am – 12.30pm. Newhaven 12.45pm – 1.15pm. Cold with moderate ENE wind. Clear and sunny

Red-throated Diver c.7E
Little Grebe c.2 Cuckmere
Fulmar c.5
Gannet 3E adults
Cormorant 1E adult
Little Egret 1 Cuckmere
Grey Heron 1W
Mallard 1 Cuckmere drake
Shoveler 8E 4 drake, 4 duck
Wigeon c.30 Cuckmere
Scoter 2E 1 1^st-w drake with well-marked white belly
Kestrel 1
Peregrine 1 Beachy, 1 Newhaven
Oystercatcher 1 Cow Gap Beach
Green Sandpiper 1 Cuckmere by bridge just south of Drusillas
Black-headed Gull c.200 Newhaven
Common Gull c.350 Newhaven
Herring Gull c.50 Newhaven
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.20 Newhaven
Great Black-backed Gull c.10 Birling
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark 5
Rock Pipit 2
Meadow Pipit c.5
Pied Wagtail c.5
Wheatear 1 male
Stonechat c.5
Song Thrush 1
Mistle Thrush 1 Burgess Hill
Chiffchaff 2
Goldcrest 1
Jay 1
Rook c.50
Carrion Crow c.8
Raven 2 flew east over Belle Toute calling
House Sparrow c.8
Goldfinch 2
Reed Bunting 1 Newhaven
Corn Bunting 3

21st March 2003 Ditchling Common 6.00am – 7.00am. Overcast

Greylag Goose 2

Chiffchaff 3 in song

15th March 2003 Beachy 7.00am – 1.00pm. Newhaven Ouse 1.15pm 1.45pm. Sunny and bright with moderate cold E wind

Red-throated Diver c.20E
Little Grebe c.5 Cuckmere
Great Crested Grebe 1E
Fulmar c.20
Gannet c.75E mainly adults
Grey Heron 3 Cuckmere
Brent Goose 5E
Pintail c.25E
Shoveler c.8E
Wigeon c.40 Cuckmere
Garganey 1E drake distant but with pale grey wings and dark breast easily discernable. Leading a flock of Pintail.
Scoter c.15E
Kestrel 1
Peregrine c.3 adults
Red-legged Partridge c.5 Ditchling Beacon
Pheasant c.5
Dunlin 1 Newhaven
Black-headed Gull c.250 Newhaven
Common Gull c.700 Newhaven
Mediterranean Gull 1 adult summer Newhaven
Herring Gull c.50 Newhaven
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.35 Newhaven
Great Black-backed Gull 2 Newhaven
Kittiwake c.200E
Auk sp. C.100E
Skylark c.5
Rock Pipit c.5
Meadow Pipit c.5
Alba Wagtail 1 plus 1h Beachy
Pied Wagtail c.5 Newhaven
Black Redstart 1
Stonechat c.5
Song Thrush 1
Chiffchaff c.2
Firecrest 1
Jay 1
House Sparrow c.5
Chaffinch c.7
Linnet 1

2nd March 2003 Maidenbower 8.00am – 8.45am, Ashdown Forest Old Lodge 9.30am – 12.15pm. Light rain at first, clearing and becoming cooler

Mandarin Duck 2 Weir Wood Res.
Kestrel 1 Chailey Common, 1 Burgess Hill
Great Spotted Woodpecker 3
Skylark c.3
Woodlark 1 in song flight
Meadow Pipit 2
Waxwing 6 including single very long crested individual. Nice trilling call in flight.
Stonechat 1
Redwing c.20
Fieldfare c.20
Coal Tit c.3
Nuthatch h
Jay c.2
Redpoll 1
Goldfinch 1 Weir Wood
Siskin c.2 Maidenbower, 2 Burgess Hill
Bullfinch 1 Maidenbower
Crossbill 6 including 2 males

1st March 2003 Beachy 7.45am – 1.00pm. Light southerly breeze, overcast

Red-throated Diver 1 on sea off Birling
Great Crested Grebe 5 on sea off Cow Gap
Gannet 1E adult
Little Egret 1 Cuckmere
Scoter 1E
Peregrine 4
Oystercatcher c.10W
Curlew c.10 Newhaven
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.10 Newhaven
Razorbill 1 on sea off Birling
Rock Pipit 4
Stonechat 2
Song Thrush c.4
Tree Sparrow 12 just south of Drusillas opposite Litlington junction