Thanks
Wurzel, More Red Kite action below
Thanks
David, much like butterflies its just a case of knowing where to go to find them. Firecrests are pretty much the same as Goldcrests when it comes to behaviour, never sitting still for a second!
February 2023
Tuesday 14th. I was glad that the springlike weather was going to hang around for my day off, with so many sightings I felt reasonably confident of getting off the mark myself, that was until I looked out the window that morning to be greeted with a thick blanket of fog. Undeterred and perhaps a little foolishly I stuck to my original plan and caught the train down to Amberley (again). There were plenty of clear patches on the journey and above the fog was a cloudless blue sky, unfortunately this wasn’t visible when I arrived at Amberley. Still looking for the silver lining under all this fog I set off in the direction of Kithurst Hill. The silver lining came quicker than I thought, climbing up into the hills I soon found myself breaking through the fog. The rest of day was spent wandering the hills in glorious sunshine with more than a hint of spring about it.
- 2 shots taken on the same spot, where I was going v's where I'd just come from.
I did a round circuit exploring some different paths, ending up at Burpham Meadows. I came across a small covey of Grey Partridge. I’ve never managed to get anywhere near these before, but this particular covey was somewhat preoccupied having intense conversations interspersed with practising their martial art moves on each other.
A handful Kestrel were around and in the near still air this male had taken the stationary method of hunting.
A few parties of Long-tailed Tit were sniffing around bramble thickets, a sure sign nest building was on their minds. Other Tits were rather vocal too.
As always, I couldn’t not spend time pointing my camera up at the Kites. Near the end of the day they were gathering for roost and spent time play fighting, practising their aeronautic skills.
It was early afternoon, checking out a patch of south facing hedge at Kithurst Hill I’d noted on my previous visit as I likely place to find an early post hibernator, when a yellow leaf weakly fluttering to the ground caught my eye. It looked to have only just woken up from hibernation, fluttering his wings to warm up the flight muscles and then probing the damp ground to re-hydrate after its long sleep. He was certainly very accommodating.
I spent a bit of time with him until he built up enough energy to flutter off around the corner. Turning around to have another wander along the hedge I noticed a Hare loping up the hill, unfortunately as I watching him my shadow fell upon a Comma who shot of across the field. I doubled back again, and this time found him before my shadow did. He was a lot more flighty than the Brimstone though, and only allowed a few shots before buggering off for good.
Off the mark (with the first Comma of the year recorded in Sussex
), but I fear that may be it for a while now with the weather returning to more normal proceedings for the time of year.
It always amazes me that prey species seem to be oblivious a lot of times of any imminent danger, I always imagine they'd be going round constantly vigilant 
I've not seen that species for a year or two now 
I need to get out more 
