Migrating and winter visiting birds on the Adur Estuary, Old Shoreham

The Adur estuary was full of over wintering birds today.

There are more than 3,000,000 Black-headed Gulls in Britain in winter -- a more than ten fold increase on the summer population.  Above is one in winter plumage, without its black head.

The gull in the foreground in much smaller.  If this is a Little Gull, it will probably have come from Siberia and may not stay long.  It may be refuelling before wintering in Egypt and the Nile delta.

Is the smaller one a Little Gull?

It's lovely to see Lapwings on the water's edge on the nearest shoreline.  On the mud bank are Swans, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and what look like Common Gulls, since they are smaller than the Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  Click on any picture to expand it.

In the docks by the sea, Cormorants enjoyed a lamp post with a view.

With thousands on winter visiting birds in Sussex, now is the time to get to the coast to see them.

See also the geese are around Chichester harbour.  Click here for that blog entry from October.