BIRD NEWS:414

I went on a couple of bird watching hikes with Liz in the middle of May. The first was to Cissbury Ring, where we saw skylarks and 3 yellow birds - one was a yellow hammer, a smaller one that looked like a too-big goldcrest, and a larger one that might've been a green woodpecker if the yellow had not VERY yellow. The second trip was to Peppering Farm, where we saw and heard skylarks, lapwings, a great tit, blackcap, pied wagtail, buzzard, red kite...

Back home and young starlings are now frequenting the feeder pole along with parents. Sparrows have also become ravenous as they gulp down seed and suet to feed their own young ones. That brings us to June 2018. My next two excursions were to Chichester, where regular readers may now expect numerous budgy pictures - but prior to Priory park, I took a ramble along the canal, camera left out of bag after a short way along as the wildlife was numerous.

First up a coot crossed the canal towards the yellow flag lilies and I. I then spotted a heron just the other side of the canal, which was wider than a moat but slimmer than a river. I did not even need my noccies to see it clearly, so managed to take several shots.

It was just standing around searching for fish as people jogged, dogged or strolled past. I had not gone much further along before I spotted a pair of wood pigeons sitting up in the telephone wires.

I was wondering just how much wildlife there was along the trail, as I had not taken this trek before and had assumed it was mostly canal strip with concrete paved path alongside beside housing...til I explored and found a wooded natural corridor. Coots were everywhere!