Dead wood is known to be important in forests. The RSPB are carrying out experiments as part of the Cairngorm Connect project to creat deadwood at scale with remarkable consequences. youtu.be/4VFhv3RUrys

Woolbeding: At least 3 Honey Buzzard in this morning’s watch with other keen eyes. This female (I think) perched. Butterfly display. And some nice tail banding.

4 separate honey buzzards up this morning, 3 of which wing clapping. This pair (pale female, brown male) seemed to be settled together already! Sussex Birding Sussex Ornithology Sussex Wildlife Trust 🦔

Woolbeding, Honey Buzzard Sussex Birding Sussex Wildlife Trust 🦔 Sussex Ornithology

2 recently fledged Woodlark being fed by adult at Friends Clump, Ashdown Forest.

Adult and 2 fledged Woodlark at Friends Clump, Ashdown Forest today Sussex Birding Sussex Wildlife Trust 🦔 Sussex Ornithology

Titchfield Haven NNR today: HUDSONIAN GODWIT, new one for me.

Lullula arborea the Woodlark at Sussex Wildlife Trust 🦔 #OldLodgeNR last week. Records across all of Ashdown Forest in 2023 (Sussex Bird Report @sussexornitholo ) suggest there were at least 30 territories there for this scarce Sussex resident.

Little Ringed Plover on R. Adur this morning Sussex Birding Sussex Ornithology Sussex Wildlife Trust 🦔

The Cuckmere Red-necked Phalarope showed well eventually good scope views were had, bird still showing when I left at 13.45 BirdGuides Sussex Birding UK Birds Sussex Ornithology

On the way back from a couple of brilliant talks by Mark Mallalieu (on Hawfinch + Honey Buzzard) in E Sussex, I stopped at Cuckmere Haven to see a lovely female Red-necked Phalarope (found by N Pope). Decent ‘scope views albeit into the evening sun

Marine Gardens 07.20 - 09.00 with RF (wind SE, visibility good but reducing): Scoter 32e + 6w, Shoveler 8e in mixed flock with Scoter, Arctic Skua 1w pale close at 07.40 + 1e dark distant at 8am, Med Gull 2e, Oyc 2e, Sarny Tern 9e + 4w, Gadwall 1e. Enjoyable.

The warm weather brought this Slow worm out … in the garden, Bramber outskirts South Downs National Park Sussex Wildlife Trust 🦔

Look. Ponder. Wonder. At Woods Mill, West Sussex.

Juvenile Black-headed Gull with adult on R. Adur, first one I’ve seen locally.

Juvenile Black-headed Gull with adult on R. Adur; first one I’ve seen locally

Corn Bunting, R. Adur valley Sussex Birding Sussex Ornithology

Watched this gorgeous male Honey Buzzard displaying for 15 minutes over Ashdown Forest today before finally coming close enough to record pic; sharp black trailing edge, dark tips to long primaries, grey head Richard Fairbank Sussex Birding Sussex Ornithology

Common Buzzard at Woods Mill NR this evening.

A positive take on a familiar, but sadly RED-listed, local bird. 🥲