Sign up to our newsletter Community Matters

Steyning Downland Scheme Bird Surveys 2017

Nightingale Lane lived up to its name in 2017 with possibly as many as three singing male Nightingales heard in the dense woodland and scrub that lines the track. Cetti’s Warblers also like the dense cover and for the third year running up to three singing males were heard, but not seen, regularly during the breeding season. Another elusive bird that likes that area is the Water Rail and after a gap of a few years, one was recorded again in 2017.

The total number of birds seen or heard on Steyning Downland Scheme rose to a surprising 93 species in 2017. The first new addition was a Wood Warbler heard by Andrew Armitage on one of his Songs of the Dawn walks and a Reed Warbler was also heard in the spring. Later in the year a Garden Warbler and a Yellow Wagtail were added. Surprisingly, we had never recorded a Peregrine until one turned up in November.

The Bird Survey team turned out for eleven of our monthly Sunday Morning Surveys (December was rained off), covering Nightingale Lane, the Rifle Range, Steyning Coombe and the Lower Horseshoe. This year the Pepperscoombe area was surveyed for the first time in April, May and June to cover the breeding season. Pepperscoombe surveys were held midweek to allow people who cannot always come on a Sunday to take part. Twenty-nine species were recorded, including Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Green Woodpecker, Long-tailed tit, Whitethroat, and Yellowhammer. It was planned to hold two more surveys to look for passage migrants using the area, but the August survey was rained off and it was so windy in September that we saw very little of anything. We hope to be able to repeat these surveys in 2018.

One passage migrant that was much in evidence at the end of the summer was Spotted Flycatcher, with several records from different parts of the site. Besides the Peregrine, birds of prey include frequent sightings of Buzzard, Kestrel, and Sparrowhawk and this year we noted a Hobby. Red Kites are now being seen more frequently.

The surveys take place on the second Sunday every month, shortly after sunrise. If you would like to take part, please contact Bob Platt at bobplatt69@gmail.com

We welcome novice as well as experienced birdwatchers.
Share this article



Content Managed by Your SteyningCrafted by Scaws