Hello 2022!
A fantastic day of birding in the South Downs - and nearby coastline - started at Cissbury Ring, where a Peregrine Falcon bombed around the adjacent fields.
Peregrine Falcon
Next up was Newhaven, where several Fulmars were soaring in front of the Castle Hill cliffs and a Purple Sandpiper was seeing out the tide. On the other side of the harbour a juvenile Shag was loafing with the gulls. A young Razorbill and a Guillemot were fishing around the harbour too.
The Cuckmere gull flock held a lovely adult Yellow-legged Gull, while four Barnacle Geese were feeding nearby and two Green Sandpipers flew out from one of the channels.
Two quick stops produced memorable encounters with the Hooded Crow which is currently in residence in Polegate and the Snow Bunting near Alciston.