Pulborough, 25th-26th January

A productive weekend of pedestrian birding in which I covered ten miles on foot across the two days, and was rewarded with five patch year ticks.

The clear highlight was the redhead Smew which I just missed at West Mead yesterday morning (seen by Gary Trew and the 'dawn of the ducks' crowd) but caught up with on the North Brooks today.

Other bits of note were the lingering ringtail Hen Harrier, a cream cap Marsh Harrier, 3 Ruff, 2 Dunlin, hundreds of Black-tailed Godwit, up to 8 Little Egret, 120+ Common Gull, 3 Barn Owl, 2 Peregrine and singles of Green Sandpiper over towards the sewage works on Saturday and Brambling over the Hanger on Sunday - the latter a very welcome addition to the year list in what seems to be a very poor winter for the species. Indeed, I didn't record a single one at Pulborough in 2019. Hopefully a good omen for 2020!

Showy Water Vole at Redstart Corner pond on Saturday