Shoreham Birding

Very Exciting news!!! We are delighted to announce the launch of our brand-new SDOS website, a lively, interactive hub for all things birding in our area. We hope the new platform will be both a source of knowledge and inspiration! 👉👉👉sdos.org

If you're under 25 and you love birds, then join us FOR FREE!! Sign up here 👉 sdos.org/join-us-2/

To feed or not to feed, that is the question! In the latest issue of Inside Shoreham & Southwick we discuss the changing attitudes to feeding our garden birds.

A number of stunning Bar Tailed Godwits have been resting and feeding in the Adur SSSI recently, en route to their northern breeding grounds. Such gorgeous birds! 😍 Videos: Richard Allan.

This lovely male Wheatear pitched up on the beach next to me when I was seawatching yesterday morning. It spent a few minutes looking around assessing it's surroundings after it's channel crossing, then flew off N over Worthing to who knows where...Iceland maybe? @SussexBirding

Another cracking SDOS walk this week, this time to Henfield Levels. Stars of the show included Lesser Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tit and an early Demoiselle damselfly. 😍 Photos: Richard Allan

EIGHT Common Sandpipers were spotted by the Adur recently, hanging out in their usual spot by the cement works. Eight is the highest number we have on record for April on the Adur! Soon, they will be off up north to breed so enjoy them while you can! Photos: John Pointing

Here are some more superb photos, courtesy of SDOS member Lance Bellers, from our visit to Hope Gap at the weekend. 😍

A fantastic SDOS trip to Hope Gap at the weekend produced a whole load of summer migrants, from Lesser Whitethroats to Willow Warblers and a gorgeous Pied Flycatcher snapped by Jo Parsons. Photos also by Jenny Holter.

Saw this lovely male Whinchat on my first visit to my South Downs Farmland Birds Initiative survey square in the week. Don't often get to see full breeding plumaged males like this in Spring, so quite a treat. (Out of focus Dunnock photobombing at the back). #sussexbirding

Don't you just love spring! Wheatear on the coast today at Goring Gap @SussexBirding @SussexOrnitholo @worthingbirding @ShorehamBirds

SDOS member Andrew Farquharson took this incredible photograph of a Rock Pipit taking off. Snapped at the Peacehaven undercliff, this is a stunning pic of a local resident bird which rarely wins any beauty contests! 😍

With House Martins back in Sussex for the summer, the 2026 Sussex House Martin survey is now up and running. Can you help ? If so please follow link below... tinyurl.com/yw6db749 📸Simon Linington

You never know what's going to pop up during spring migration. On Monday morning, a Stone Curlew was spotted on the beach by Widewater, resting for a short while before continuing north. A very rare sighting for the area! Thanks to Richard Fairbank for the spot and the photo👏

I usually manage to see my 1st Wheatears in March - so a bit slow off the mark this year, but always a special day nonetheless with 13+ newly arrived along Shoreham beach this morning. Humbling to see them battling inland against a stiff N breeze, all gone by 10:30h on my return.

A fantastic Friday in West Dean woods, with SDOS legend Bernie Forbes leading a very productive walk. Goshawk, Marsh Tit, Firecrest, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Red Kite, Buzzard among others spotted. Defo worth joining SDOS for these walks!💚

For me Corn Buntings are the quintessential bird of the downs near us. Winter flocks have split up into pairs, with much jangly song now (a sound that always reminds me of our trips to Extremadura). Superficially just chunky brown birds, but just look at that intricate plumage.

Yesterday up on the downs between the Adur & Arun I was lucky to watch this beautiful male Hen Harrier for a while, followed a little later by distant glimpses of a ringtail - I don't often get to see 2 Hen Harriers in Sussex on the same walk...such elegant, effortless flight.

A tagged Curlew has returned again to the Adur Estuary SSSI, obviously enjoying the surroundings! The bird, recognisable by its "N0" tag and distinctive limp, is a product of the Duke of Norfolk head-starting scheme and was released in June 2022. Photo: Richard Allan

Seal on a low tide island in the river Adur at Shoreham-by-Sea today, viewed from the Norfolk Bridge. @SussexDolphin @SussexWildlife @ShorehamBirds

They say one Swallow doesn't make a summer, but in my opinion, one Wheatear does make a Spring! (although apparently there were two at Shoreham Fort even though I only saw one!).