There has been a thin but steady stream of Swifts flying low over my allotment on Whitehawk Hill in east Brighton. All heading in a northerly direction against the wind as they seemingly come in off the sea, about fifty individuals in the last twenty minutes.

7am this morning a group of 17 Swifts over my garden in north Southwick heading West, followed by another group of 9 at 7.20 am!

Just 5 Gannets this morning, but my first 2 House Martins of the year here, 20 Swifts over Pett Pools and a Hobby over our Winchelsea allotment - so a bit more in the sky today.

It was very nice to see the number of nesting White Storks at Knepp Estate. There were also good numbers of Blackcaps and Whitethroats seen, as well as hearing the Turtle Doves.

News of a Red-necked Phalarope, found by Andrew House, on the Ferry Pool, Sidlesham, was posted on Sussex Rare and Scarce Bird Alerts and I went along and duly saw it, swimming, making dashes (after insects perhaps) and flying once (pic). Afterwards I went to Church Norton, where I hoped to add two terns to my year-list, but an hour’s visit at low tide, looking into the harbour and offshore, failed to see any tern whatsoever! I’m flabbergasted, where are they! I did see a Bar-tailed Godwit, three Whimbrel (pic of two), 15 Ringed Plover, 12 Dunlin, a Turnstone, and, close inshore from the beach, a male Red-breasted Merganser (pic).

Nightjar heard in copse near coastal reed beds, walking just south of the spit at Pagham Harbour.  Approx grid ref.

Another grey and cloudy morning at West Rise, although fortunately not quite as windy as yesterday. Plenty of Swifts and hirundines were dashing low over the lake and it was exciting to suddenly see amongst them a Red-rumped Swallow, a county first for me! Rather surprisingly, though, the bird was only on view for a few minutes and, as far as I’m aware, wasn’t seen again.

This morning I walked up from Pound Common NT hearing and seeing a Tree Pipit (pic) and a singing Willow Warbler. From beside the NT car park, looking mainly west, there were a few raptors - Red Kites (one or two), Honey-buzzard (two) and Common Buzzard (ca. six) and two Swifts. All raptors were pretty distant and not visible for very long.

On what turned out to be a very murky afternoon on the reserve, father and son slow mooch around the reserve gave us 31 different species either seen or distinctively heard. Nightingales very quiet with only one heard with a stuttering start but not going into full song. Only one raptor seen, a Kestrel.

The screeching Terns alerted me to a superb view of an Osprey hovering high before plummeting into the water to catch a sizeable Bream. Have seen them many times here but never witnessed a hover and catch display. Amazing.