Wildlife with Hugh

Approaching our meeting point for the day's walk the unexpected sight of a barn owl caught our eyes. It perched on a post at the roadside before swooping into the long grass in an attempt to catch a meal. The close up view of the owl was spectacular, I just hoped that it hung around long enough for the entire group to be able to admire!

October is an excellent time of year to visit Nutbourne Channel. In the harbour we see the return of the brent geese along with increasing numbers of ducks and wading birds. Many migrating species are moving through and there is a good chance to see a range of raptor species.

Walking towards the harbour at Thorney Island we stopped to admire a tree festooned with herons. Shaggy and bright white young little egrets made up most of the numbers, while two teenage grey herons waited expectantly for a delivery of fish, and a cattle egret fed its three young chicks.

A beautiful spring morning in the South Downs with abundant bird life and wildflowers.

A walk at Kingley Vale in late February had many signs of spring developing, while winter was still trying to hold on.

Chichester Marina is a fantastic place for a walk in the autumn months, with a mixture of beautiful scenery, diverse habitats and a wide range of bird species to be seen.

A midsummer walk in a wooded area of the South Downs produced a bountiful array of birds, butterflies and wildflowers.