Page 10 - Out Birding Autumn 2023

good company and contribu􏰀ons. We were par􏰀cularly pleased to welcome John and Gavin from Her􏰁ordshire to their first Sussex event.
Carol Goulden
RSPB Pulborough Brooks 13/05/2023
This was the second of two GBC visits to RPSB Pulborough Brooks reserve this month. I am grateful for Carol for running the first of these. We run two events as the RSPB restrict the number who can a􏰂end as a group to 9 people, without obtaining prior permission.
Eight members met for a good day’s birding and chat. Normally I prefer to run this event one week earlier, but it was postponed as result of the Corona􏰀on. Because there are such good views here I also regard seeing birds when I am there as a bonus. However there was s􏰀ll a lot of Nigh􏰀ngale singing, but we did not manage to see any of them. We heard Cuckoo several 􏰀mes during the day, some􏰀mes very clearly. This was another invisible species. We saw White Stork and Hobby. We also saw Swallow including one taking a drink in flight as it scooped low over the water.
In total we saw 39 species of birds between us. As far as bu􏰂erflies go we saw Painted Lady, Orange Tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood. We had a small lunch at the cafe as they were not doing their normal menu, owing to staff shortages.
A most enjoyable day both from the point of view of birdwatching and socially. Mark
Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire 20/05/23
It was a group of twelve GBC members who crossed the sea to Skomer Island on a fine sunny Saturday morning, led and organised by the hawk-eyed Ian Ellis. Many of us had gathered on the Friday night for dinner at the Forbidden Florist in Haverfordwest with tales, all true of course, of the birds seen around Pembrokeshire that day. Some had been lucky enough to see Chough, Whimbrel, Shag, Ringed Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit along the coast; others had spo􏰂ed Dipper and a Wood Warbler inland. So it was with high hopes that we gathered on Skomer Island, having been regaled with Welsh humour from the boatman on the crossing, including the secret to a lifelong marriage from Puffins (answer below, you have to read this whole report first).
Puffin, Guillemot and Razorbill crowded the water and cliffs as we disembarked on to the je􏰂y. The number of Puffin on Skomer Island has increased steadily in recent years, a testament to the conserva􏰀on efforts there and the constant fight to keep rats from invading the island. However, the most colourful birds to be seen were undoubtedly the bright pink flamingoes adorning the shirt worn by Andy N. On the walk to the farmhouse, Rock and Meadow Pipits, Oystercatcher, Curlew, and gulls aplenty were seen among the glorious bluebells and red campion carpe􏰀ng the island. The farmhouse itself, with its resident Swallows, offers basic accommoda􏰀on for those staying overnight to see the 350,000 strong popula􏰀on of Manx Shearwater
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