Blog

2011 - 12 

Sunday 29th January - Arun Valley

The long staying water rail at Pulborough Brooks had been showing before we got there but there was no sign of it as we peered through the Visitor's Centre window. Not deterred, we headed for the nearby heath where we were soon watching a party of crossbills which afforded excellent views as they stripped cones from the trees.  Back at the Visitor Centre two moorhens were now on show followed shortly afterwards by the water rail which gave some of the best views I've ever had of this often skulking bird. Next we went to Parham Park in search of mandarins, drew a blank, though we did see a green woodpecker. A circuit of nearby Rackham Woods turned up a good selection of woodlands birds including great spotted woodpecker, coal & marsh tits, nuthatch and treecreeper while on a fence along the edge of the Wildbrooks was a pair of stonechats. From Amberley village we had distant views of two golden plover and a ruff feeding with the lapwing out on the Brooks.

Male crossbill - Wiggonholt Common (Andrew Killick)

 

Water rail - Pulborough Brooks RSPB (Andrew Killick)

For a change of scene we headed up on to the Downs at The Burgh for the afternoon. Birds of prey are very much a feature of the area and after only a few minutes we were watching a lovely short-eared owl hunting along a game strip. Grey partridges were much in evidence, sky larks were singing and we also saw some yellowhammers on top of a hawthorn bush. The rough-legged buzzard that we saw here back in November eluded us today but we did see several common buzzards, at least one red kite and more views of the short-eared owl which obligingly spent a while perched on a fence post.

Sunday 22nd January - Thorney Island

Our plan to walk round the perimeter of Thorney Island was soon aborted by a 'Footpath Closed' sign warning that the path down the east side of the island was closed for re-surfacing. We did however get as far as the security gate on the east side from where we watched a female marsh harrier disturbing the wildfowl and waders as it hunted the fields to the north of the Great Deep. Walking down the west side was also productive with skeins of brent geese flying over the seawall on the rising tide, six red-breasted mergansers, some pintail and a big gathering of roosting redshank on the Great Deep, and a superb kingfisher sat on a fence allowing prolonged scope views.

 

Kingfisher - Thorney Great Deep (Andrew Killick)

Having done what we could at Thorney, we then sneaked over the border into Hants in search of the SHORELARK that had been at the Hayling Island oyster beds for a few days. Fortunately it was on show when we got there so we were able to enjoy good views of this scarce bird doing its best to shelter from the strong northwesterly wind. Also impressive was a large high tide roost of dunlin and ringed plover on the same shingle island as the shorelark. Our next stop was Warblington Church where the long staying CATTLE EGRET was standing right next to a little egret in a field of cattle - a useful comparison between the two species.

 

Shore Lark - Hayling Oyster Beds (Andrew Killick)

Cattle egret - Warblington (Andrew Killick)

The afternoon was spent back in Sussex at West Dean Woods where a large gathering of fieldfares, an equally large flock of linnets and a nuthatch were seen over lunch. Several buzzards and a sparrowhawk were seen on the way up to Monkton Farm and also a goldcrest. Fortunately the HAWFINCHES cooperated for the second Sunday running with two birds seen well just as we got to Monkton Farm. Over the next half hour we had several more views of these scarce finches though estimating numbers was difficult. We certainly saw three together though there may have been as many as eight.

 

Our final stop was Burton Mill Pond where the bittern did not want to come out and show itself. Four mandarins flew over at dusk while out on the water were both pochard and tufted duck. Cormorants and pied wagtails were coming in to roost with a tawny owl hooting in the surrounding woods.

Saturday 7th January - Rye Bay Bird Safari

Geese were very much the order of the day at Pett Level, our first stop, with six species on show made up 12 white-fronts, four pink-feet (scarce in Sussex), two dark-bellied brents, Canadas, greylags and a feral bar-headed. Out on the sea were a handful of great crested grebes and also some distant red-throated divers flying by but it was soon time to move on to the delights of Dungeness. Knowing where to look first was difficult with a choice of two great white egrets side by side (surely destined to breed in the UK before too long), a black-necked grebe and two ruddy ducks on New Diggings and a redhead smew, some goldeneye and a hunting marsh harrier on the ARC pit. I have since heard that the ruddy duck are sadly no more having been shot by the DEFRA 'death squad' a couple of days later. Gulls are not everyone's cup of tea especially when there is a big loafing flock of them in all sorts of different plumage to look through. The long staying Caspian gull eluded us but we were more fortunate with the resident glaucous gull which put on a good show flying over the sea by the fishing boats. Also here were loads of kittiwakes milling around and a useful comparison between guillemot and razorbill, small numbers of which were constantly diving in amongst the masses of gulls.

Great white egrets - Dungeness (Andrew Killick)

Glaucous gull - Dungeness (Andrew Killick)

Lunch was had at the RSPB reserve where the main attraction was a female long-tailed duck from the Dennis hide. As is typical of this species, it spent of lot of time diving, spending more time down than up, though eventually we all had good scope views. Also here was a peregrine and a tree sparrow seen by Malcolm on the feeders in the car park. Tree sparrows are hard to find these days so it was good to later see a flock of about 30 of these lovely birds in the garden at the entrance to the reserve. Next up was the Hanson hide overlooking the ARC pit where swirling flocks of lapwing and golden plover were disturbed by the hunting marsh harriers that were almost constantly in view. The Caspian gull was still not at home by the fishing boats but a second look at the far end of the ARC pit was rewarded with some displaying goldeneye and five smew including a stunning 'white nun' male.

 

The last part of the day was spent on Walland Marsh where our first stop turned up some noisy fieldfares and a herd of 33 Bewick's swans including two juveniles. With the light now beginning to fade, we headed for the harrier roost at the Woolpack where perhaps 15 different marsh harriers put on a superb display quartering the reedbeds before dropping down into the reeds to roost. Also here was a common buzzard though the male hen harrier that had been seen the previous evening did not cooperate.

    

Bewick's swans - Walland Marsh (Andrew Killick)

Saturday 12th November - East Head & Burpham

Our final walk of 2011 turned out to be one of the best of the year helped by some warm sunshine and the unseasonably mild conditions. We started off by walking along the seaward side of the dunes at East Head in the hope of finding the snow buntings that had been seen there yesterday. Several meadow pipits and a couple of late wheatears were feeding along the tide line but the snow buntings were being elusive, only showing briefly in flight with some sky larks. The flat calm conditions should have been ideal for picking out grebes and sea duck but the lack of cold weather meant we had to be content with ten great crested grebes, a dozen or so constantly diving red-breasted mergansers and a couple of distant goldeneyes. Attention quickly switched to a lovely snow bunting feeding on the edge of the dunes just a few feet away from us allowing very close views. A late Sandwich tern flew by as did a flock of golden plover while out on the mudflats were curlew, dunlin and grey plover. The saltmarsh was alive with sky larks and linnets and it was here that we found the other four snow buntings and also two reed buntings. Back on the beach were eight sanderlings while a firecrest in the bushes by the car park played hard to get though some of us eventually had reasonable views. The fields to the north of the car park were packed with brent geese while roosting on Snowhill Marsh over high tide were large numbers of redshank, some black-tailed godwits and at least seven snipe. Two greenshanks flew over calling.

 

Snow bunting - East Head (Andrew Killick)

In the afternoon we moved to the South Downs at Burpham in search of birds of prey. A red kite almost as soon as we'd got out of the cars was a good start but then things went quiet as it clouded over giving rise to misty, murky conditions. We walked up to the dew pond and stood there a while seeing very little but all of a sudden a ringtail hen harrier flew past followed soon afterwards by a red kite. Then someone spotted a 'buzzard' sitting on top of a bush. Through the scope it showed a pale head and dark belly and any doubts that it was the ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD were soon dispelled when it took off showing its white tail with a broad dark terminal band. It put on a good performance hovering several times and circling round with a hen harrier and red kite. On the way back we saw it a couple more times (and also a second hen harrier) and, by the time we got back to the cars, it was sitting on top of a hedge giving more good views.  A great bird to finish 2011 on!

Friday 28th to Sunday 30th October - North Norfolk

28th October

We arrived in Norfolk to find brilliant blue skies, warm temperatures and hardly a puff of wind, hardly the conditions you expect there in late autumn! Some of the group had already called in at Horsey on the way to see the Isabelline shrike so the feeling was that there might be other eastern vagrants to be found as we set off round Wells Wood. News of a YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER from a couple of birders we met soon had us searching the willows beside the caravan park. Hearing it call was one thing but seeing it was a completely different matter with only Alan managing to get a good view. Also here was a big flock of pink-footed geese in a stubble field. News of a PALLAS'S WARBLER at Holme took us west along the coast to this NWT reserve.  Fortunately it was a bit more obliging than the yellow-browed and showed quite well a couple of times at the top of a thick sallow. We finished the day at Titchwell where some of us had brief views of another YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER high up in the trees by the picnic area. On the freshwater marsh were huge numbers of golden plover and five ruff but the show stoppers were two fantastic jack snipe feeding in the dense vegetation by the main path.  This is a bird not often seen on the ground so it was a wonderful opportunity to observe their distinctive 'on springs' feeding action. By now the light was starting to go but we still had time for a quick look at the saltmarsh where both godwits were standing side by side and also the sea where there was a red-necked grebe with two great cresteds nearby and also a guillemot. We finished the day on the main path overlooking the reedbeds and were rewarded with a superb male hen harrier that put on a fine display quartering the reeds before dropping down to roost out of sight.

 

Jack snipe - Titchwell (Andrew Killick)

Black-tailed godwit - Titchwell (Andrew Killick)

29th October

Hopes of a good early morning seawatch from Cley Beach were soon dashed when it became obvious that there wasn't much going by though we did manage a distant great skua heading west and late common and Arctic Terns. From the beach car park we walked east along the shingle notching up two marsh harriers hunting over the reedbeds, a dashing female merlin and some excellent views of a party of seven snow buntings feeding quietly on the seaward side of the shingle ridge. Hard to believe that they spend the whole winter in such a hostile environment. The snow buntings were a good excuse for another seawatch which was rather more successful this time with a swirling flock of 25 little gulls that headed inland, some good looks at two very close red-throated divers diving just off the beach, a fly-by shag and a procession of gannets. In the reeds along the famous East Bank we heard both Cettis's warbler and bearded tit but only the latter gave the briefest of views.  Back at the Eye Field there was lots of activity - skylarks, meadow pipits, pied wagtails and reed buntings and, after a bit of searching, two LAPLAND BUNTINGS, one of which obligingly sat on a fence. Our next stops at Salthouse and Stiffkey were fairly quiet so we moved on to our final destination of the day - Warham Greens. Having safely negotiated the rough access track, we set up our scopes looking out across the vast expanse of saltmarsh. Warham Greens is one of my favourite spots on the North Norfolk coast - big skies, few people and noisy skeins of pink-footed geese flying overhead at dusk to spend the night on the distant mudflats. The main attraction here however is birds of prey and it was not long before both a ringtail hen harrier and a short-eared owl put in an appearance. As the light faded both these birds and marsh harriers were almost constantly in view, sometimes interacting with one another, and also a peregrine away in the distance sitting on the beach. Our final stop was the Red Lion at Stiffkey where we enjoyed a pint or two and a good meal.

 

Red-throated diver - Cley Beach (Andrew Killick)

Sunset - Warham Greens (Alan Petherbridge)

30th October

Early morning saw us on Titchwell Beach though there wasn't much to see apart from a guillemot, a razorbill and some very tame sanderling feeding along the tide line. Being high tide, much of the reserve was under water so there were fewer birds around than on Friday though we did see two spoonbills that flew in, landed on the freshmarsh and for once did not go straight to sleep and also a calling spotted redshank that flew over our heads on to the saltmarsh. Last year we spent the final afternoon looking for but not seeing a rough-legged buzzard at Burnham Overy. News that one had returned to the same area called for a change of tactics this year so we decided to park at Holkham Gap and walk westwards through the pines and dunes and along the seawall back to Burnham Overy. The woods themselves were very quiet with just the odd goldcrest while out on the grazing marshes were large numbers of pink-footed geese, several marsh harriers and at least one common buzzard. The dunes at the western end of Holkham Pines provide a good vantage point so we sat there for a while and started scanning the surrounding area. It wasn't long before we found the ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD - a strikingly pale individual that treated us to some good views over the next 10 minutes or so before landing on a distant grassy hillock. The walk back along the seawall was enlivened by a pair of grey partridge and more flight views of the rough-legged buzzard which hovered over some rough grass showing its characteristic black tipped white tail, a fitting end to what had been another memorable weekend and a strong contender for bird of the trip.  

Tuesday 18th October - Cissbury Ring

A very chilly start though the overcast conditions soon cleared to leave a sunny but breezy day. Our previous attempts to see ring ouzel at Cissbury have been abject failures so it was a bit of a relief when we heard a distinctive 'chacking' call and Ian found one feeding quietly on a narrow path through the bushes. Fortunately it stayed there long enough for everyone to enjoy good views before it did what most ring ouzels do and dived into thick cover not to be seen again. Also in the same area was a pair of elusive bullfinches while heard calling overhead were both crossbill and siskin. The eastern side of the Ring offered some shelter from the brisk westerly wind and it was here that we found a green woodpecker, a couple of very approachable wheatears, a family party of stonechats and some yellowhammers bathing in a puddle.   

 

The second part of the walk took us up Stump Bottom to No Mans Land. At Lychpole dewpond were two corn buntings perched on top of a bush, more stonechats dotted along a fenceline and a covey of grey partridge that ran off into a turnip field. Some of the group were lucky and saw a red kite being mobbed by the local crows as we walk up Stump Bottom while at the top of the valley we enjoyed very close views of two common buzzards that disturbed another grey partridge covey. The return leg back to the car park turned up three red-legged partridge, a stubble field full of skylarks and a sparrowhawk on the lookout for an easy meal.

Sunday 2nd October - The Burgh

A blisteringly hot day for our circular walk from Burpham to The Burgh and back and one of the hottest UK days ever in October with temperatures in the high 20s!  To begin with the birding was a bit slow - some grey partridges, the odd common buzzard and kestrel and a male yellowhammer. Things got a lot better with the appearance of a ringtail hen harrier hunting over a game strip followed shortly after by a female merlin that flashed by on the look out for an unsuspecting skylark or meadow pipit. By the time we got back to the cars we were flagging a bit in the heat and there had been no sign of the PALLID HARRIER (a first for Sussex) that had been in the area for the previous two weeks. However we needn't have worried as three other birders were watching it sitting on a telegraph wire in a field on the other side of the road. Eventually it flew and hunted for a while showing off its rufous underparts before soaring up high and then disappearing into the Arun Valley. From the same spot were a pair of ravens and a female marsh harrier that headed south.  

Juvenile pallid harrier - Burpham (Matt Eade)

Sunday 25th September - Dungeness

Our first stop today was the 'Patch' where waste hot water and sewage from the nuclear power stations are pumped into the sea through two outfall pipes. With the many gulls that were milling around over the 'boiling' water were two little gulls (an adult and a juvenile), a Mediterranean gull, three common terns and a juvenile Arctic tern. Of these perhaps the easiest to pick out was the adult little gull with its distinctive very dark grey underwing. On the beach were a small group of Sandwich terns while birds passing out at sea included brent goose, common scoter and gannet. We then headed inland a bit to the bird observatory though it was soon obvious that there were few migrants around apart from a handful of wheatears and several parties of siskins calling high overhead against the cloudless sky. Neither the glaucous nor the yellow-legged gull could be found at the fishing boats though we did see what was probably a Caspian gull. Frustratingly however it flew off before its identity could be confirmed and was not relocated.

 

Lunch was had at the picnic tables in the car park at the RSPB reserve followed by a short walk to No. 1 hide overlooking Burrowes Pit where there was a young SPOONBILL on one of the shingle islands with the cormorants and gulls. In true spoonbill fashion it spent most of the time asleep though it did wake up a couple of times revealing its spatulate bill. Also on view was a lone grey plover. On the way round the reserve some of the group managed brief views of at least two bearded tits but rather more easy to see was the long staying GREAT WHITE EGRET seen from the viewing ramp at Hookers Pit where there were also at least two marsh harriers hunting over the reeds and a hobby up high chasing dragonflies. The Dengemarsh hide was full so we continued on to Makepiece hide and back to the Visitor Centre seeing a pair of stonechats on the way. Our final stop was the Hanson hide overlooking the ARC pit where the many lapwing and golden plover were spooked by a passing male marsh harrier. Also here were several dunlin, two black-tailed godwits, another little gull and the summering redhead goosander that we'd seen on our previous visit here. Back in the car park we had good views of an obliging kestrel sitting on a telegraph post.

 

Kestrel - Dungeness (Andrew Killick)

News of a storm driven GREY PHALAROPE on the boating lake in Princes' Park, Eastbourne prompted a minor detour on the way home. Fortunately it was still there swimming around in the middle of the lake giving good views, a fitting end to another excellent day.

 

Sunday 18th September - Rainham Marshes

Today was our first visit to this well known RSPB reserve by the Thames. Here the riverside marshes are backed by a manmade landscape of motorway flyovers, railways, swooping powerlines and a scrap metal yard with the City of London visible at a distance on the horizon. A short wait for the Visitor Centre to open was enlivened by some teal in a tidal creek but it was not long before we set off on a circular walk round the reserve. Warblers were much in evidence - we saw blackcap, chiffchaff and whitethroat - and also three kestrels together over the marsh. One of the highlights of the walk, found by Penny, was an inquisitive weasel that kept popping out of the vegetation on to the boardwalk to have a look at us. Dotted along the way are a number of hides which provide good views across the reserve. The water levels were a bit too high for waders but there was still a good variety of birds on show including Canada and greylag geese, wigeon, shoveler, little grebe, several little egrets and a couple of yellow wagtails feeding inches away from the grazing cattle At the pond dipping area we had close views of three marsh frogs and the second highlight of the day, also found by Penny, in the form of a young water rail which gave prolonged views as it made its way through the vegetation beside a muddy pool accompanied by a little grebe. The last leg of the walk back to the Visitor Centre was enlivened by a male stonechat and three whinchats, both always nice to see.

 

On the way home some of us called in to Weir Wood to see the Temminck's stint that had been there for a few days. Fortunately there were other birders on hand to point it out to us, otherwise it would have been hard work finding it against the large expanse of mud several hundred yards away across the reservoir. Little did we know that we were actually watching a LONG-TOED STINT - an extremely rare vagrant from northern Asia and only the third ever British record! Also here were two green sandpipers and a greenshank. News of a SABINE'S GULL at Newhaven meant another detour on our way home but again our luck was in with some fantastic views of this superb bird feeding in the surf just a few feet away from the edge of the beach where we were standing!

Juvenile Sabine's gull - Newhaven (John Cooper)

Saturday 10th September - Thorney Island circuit

Despite the promise of a wet morning, we managed to remain dry almost all day with just a heavy shower towards the end of the walk and even some sunshine from time to time. The long staying CATTLE EGRET was not on view in its usual spot to begin with but after a short wait it flew in to join a herd of cattle giving good views. Also here were several yellow wagtails and a pair of common buzzards while further on towards the Great Deep perched on top of hawthorn bushes were five wheatears, two whinchats and some meadow pipits. With the tide on the way up there were still a few waders on the fast disappearing mudflats - grey and ringed plovers, bar-tailed godwit and at least ten greenshanks that flew over the seawall to roost on the Great Deep. Two more whinchats gave closer views than before while out in Thorney Channel a distant diving duck materialised into an immature male eider. Down at Pilsey Island it was high tide but a hunting peregrine had already scattered many of the roosting waders. We did however see good numbers of knot and oystercatcher, a few bar-tailed godwits, a couple of little stints, one of which flew along the beach in front of us, and much closer views of the eider. Also flying up and down the beach were several common terns and single little and Sandwich terns. With news of a wryneck earlier in the day at Marker Point we made this our lunchtime stop. A thorough search of the bushes turned up nothing more exciting than three whitethroats but attention soon switched to an OSPREY that appeared over Hayling Island and slowly made its way eastwards across Chichester Harbour towards West Wittering. Also out in the harbour were two hauled up common seals.

 

Chichester Harbour from Pilsey Island (Alan Petherbridge)

Sandwich tern - Pilsey Island (Alan Petherbridge)

Walking north up the west side of Thorney Island added more wheatears, a single sedge warbler and, a flight view of a passerine which for all the world looked like a wryneck. Fortunately there were only four scattered bushes in the area where it had landed so after a short search we were all able to enjoy prolonged scope views of a superb WRYNECK perched in a hawthorn bush. It then dropped down into the grass and went for a bit of a fly around before we left it to feed up. In the same area were more yellow wagtails with the cattle and two whimbrels on a shingle island off Wickor Point. By the time we'd passed through the security gate, the tide was starting to fall and the waders that had roosted on the Great Deep were returning to the mudflats to feed. An impressive flock of at least 30 greenshanks flew past us while at the Little Deep little grebe, tufted duck and two green sandpipers were new for the day list. A Cetti's warbler was heard singing and seen briefly by Alan. Our final stop in what had had been a memorable day was the gateway opposite Eames Farm from where a different osprey had been seen earlier. Sadly it had moved on though there was a common buzzard sitting on a fencepost.

Saturday 3rd September - Pagham Harbour

An early start for some of the group at Thorney Island where the long staying CATTLE EGRET flew in with a little egret and posed on top of its favourite post - another first for Sussex Wildlife Walks. Also here were common buzzard, hobby, kestrel, sparrowhawk, an avocet which flew from Chichester Harbour over the seawall and, overhead, several small groups of yellow wagtails. On to Pagham Harbour where our first stop was Sidlesham Ferry pool. In recent autumns this has been something of a disappointment but today was better with a juvenile curlew sandpiper the highlight and also four ruff (one right next to the road), eight dunlin and 20 black-tailed godwits. From here we walked down the west side of the harbour towards Church Norton adding two greenshanks in the channel from the end of the Long Pool, the leucistic curlew out in the harbour and some red-legged partridge on the field before the churchyard. Passerines were again in short supply though we did manage to find a spotted flycatcher in the trees by the hide. Continuing our walk past Greenlease Farm added little except great spotted and green woodpeckers and a blackcap while a scan of the remaining open water at The Severals turned up some shoveler.

 

Lunch was had on Church Norton spit from where most of the common waders were seen and also four wheatears and the rare childling pink, a plant found at only a couple of sites in the UK. With the tide rising fast we stopped for another scan of the harbour from near the hide at Church Norton. Two bar-tailed godwits were new for the wader list while 17 pintail, three wigeon (and an escaped Chiloe wigeon) were a reminder that winter is only just round the corner. The most unexpected bird here was a winter plumaged black-necked grebe which was constantly diving out in the main channel but eventually stayed up long enough to ensure that everyone had reasonable views. The walk back to up the harbour was fairly quiet though we did eventually manage to find a close adult yellow-legged gull and a common buzzard on a fence post. Back at the Ferry pool the curlew sandpipers had increased to three, a whimbrel flew past and a sparrowhawk spooked a flock of lapwing but there was still no sign of the reported little stint.

Wednesday 31st August - Beachy Head

Autumn migration is always unpredictable. Today was not a classic day in terms of quantity or quality though there was still plenty to look at as we walked from Birling Gap to Shooters' Bottom and back. In the bushes at Birling Gap were whitethroats, willow warblers and a family party of stonechats while also in the same area was a kestrel and the first of several sparrowhawks. Horseshoe Plantation was almost completely devoid of birds so we continued eastwards along the cliffs towards Shooters' Bottom seeing a lesser whitethroat and a latish swift on the way. At the cliff edge we were treated to the spectacle of hundreds of swallows (and a few house and sand martins) coasting eastwards just a few feet from where we were standing. Shooters' Bottom was alive with birds though sadly the WRYNECK which had been present since the weekend only showed well to Chris. Despite being in a fairly small patch of scrub, just a couple of other people managed a brief view before it melted away never to be seen again. Blackcaps and whitethroats were predominant and there were also a whinchat that showed well. A pair of ravens flew over calling and attracted the attention of one of the local peregrines while other birds in this area included a great spotted woodpecker and several yellow wagtails flying over calling. A couple of wheatears, a common buzzard mobbed by the local crows and some great views westwards along the Seven Sisters towards Seaford Head were the highlights of the walk back.

Wednesday 10th August - Seaford Head & Cuckmere Haven

 

Clear skies overnight and a westerly breeze are not ideal conditions for migrants so it was no surprise that we found the bushes at the golf course largely devoid of warblers except for the odd whitethroat. Nevertheless there were birds to be found - green woodpecker, skylark, meadow pipit and a coasting buzzard - though these were eclipsed by lovely views of a pair of ravens that drifted along the cliff edge at eye level and a peregrine. Fulmars were wheeling around the cliffs below us while out at sea kittiwakes were moving to and from their breeding colony. Dropping down into Hope Gap we found a family party of stonechats, three wheatears feeding on the short downland turf and a few butterflies including chalkhill and common blues, dingy skipper and small copper. We then continued along the cliffs to Cuckmere Haven where ten little egrets were roosting with some grey herons. Suddenly they all took off - the culprit a juvenile marsh harrier overhead that eventually headed off high out to sea. Along the river was a family party of rock pipits, single common and Sandwich terns with the black-headed gulls and a dunlin with a small party of ringed plover while the highlight for Christine and Ian was a kingfisher that flashed by. A sparrowhawk was our fourth bird of prey today though surprisingly we didn't see a kestrel! Despite the lack of migrants, a very rewarding morning with plenty to look at.

 

Sunday 7th August - Rye Bay Bird Safari

 

From the car park at Rye Harbour we headed out towards Ternery Pool stopping to look at the newly flooded Environment Agency saltmarsh on the way. With a stiff westerly wind and water levels rather higher than we'd hoped, birds were in short supply though we did see a pair of common terns feeding a chick from the Quarry hide and several yellow wagtails. Andrew had found a couple of black terns the day before so we made our way against the stiffening wind to the western end of the Long Pit. Huge numbers of sand martins were feeding over the pit and with them several terns. The two juvenile black terns were easy to pick out from the commons but rather more tricky was a juvenile arctic tern which eventually gave good views. A wheatear and several more yellow wagtails were seen along the beach and also a greenshank that flew off from Ternery Pool.

 

Black tern - Rye Harbour (Andrew Killick)

The Hanson hide overlooking the ARC pit at Dungeness is always a good place to sit and wait to see what's around. At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking that there wasn't much there but over the next hour or so we saw an impressive selection of birds including an unseasonal redhead goosander, a hunting marsh harrier, ringed and little ringed plovers (the latter including two well grown chicks), 90 golden plover, several dunlin, two black-tailed godwits, common, green and a wood sandpiper, and another black tern. A rather half-hearted search for the long-staying glaucous gull drew a blank (it was windy and all the gulls were crouched down asleep!) so we headed for the beach. Lots of gannets and a handful of kittiwakes were going by while more notable were a brief arctic skua and several views of cetaceans which were presumably the harbour porpoises reported in recent days. Along at The Patch the near gale force wind made viewing difficult even from the hide though we did pick out three more black terns including a nice adult still in breeding plumage. Our final stop was the RSPB reserve. Here things were generally quiet though we saw several more common sandpipers, common gull, a juvenile stonechat and best of all the long staying GREAT WHITE EGRET which was out on the mud from the Dengemarsh hide with a little egret for comparison.

 

Saturday 30th July - Pagham Harbour

 

The east side of Pagham Harbour is less popular with birdwatchers than the west though it consistently produces good birdwatching as today proved. With the beach car park closed, we parked in Church Lane and walked out to the edge of the harbour where the tide was coming up. White's Creek at Pagham Harbour is the place in Sussex to see yellow-legged gull and did not take us long to find about 20 (mainly adults) loafing on the mudflats. Also here were a couple of Mediterranean gulls in with the black-headeds, whimbrel, black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits, three greenshanks and an adult and juvenile peregrine, presumably the Chichester Cathedral birds. A green woodpecker that flew across the harbour towards us got the shock of its life when it was hotly pursued by one of the peregrines though on this occasion it got away. Often the Breech Pool has too much water in it but today conditions were perfect with some nice muddy margins for passing waders. A nicely marked juvenile spotted redshank caught our attention but this was soon overshadowed by a lovely wood sandpiper - a first for Sussex Wildlife Walks. We were treated to some excellent views of this scarce bird with both common and green sandpipers and greenshank nearby for comparison. Reed warblers were feeding their young in the reedbeds and a Cetti's warbler gave the briefest of views. From here we headed over towards Marsh Farm in search of the cattle egret that had been seen there during the week. We found several herds of cattle but no egret nor was it with the 18 little egrets roosting on the island at high tide. A wheatear and a yellow wagtail along the North Wall, a dashing sparrowhawk and large numbers of sand martins feeding over the harbour completed an excellent morning.

 

 Wednesday 22nd July - Old lodge

 

Well done to the people who were not deterred by the rain which fortunately had stopped by the time we met up. A circuit of the reserve was rewarded with good views of a pair of redstarts feeding on the path in front of us, several stonechats and some fallow deer. We did not have to wait long before a male nightjar started churring before flying in to investigate us and then obligingly sitting in a tree long enough to get the scopes on it. Superb though the nightjar was, the highlight for me was the numerous sightings we had of roding woodcock passing overhead - a bird that's been hard to find in Sussex this year. Another nightjar was churring away on the heath by the car park as we walked back.

Friday 10th - Sunday 12th June - East Anglia weekend

 

Friday 10th June

 

Strumpshaw Fen is one of the best sites to see the spectacular swallowtail (a butterfly restricted in the UK to Norfolk) so it was encouraging to find the sun out as we drew up in the reserve's car park. The best place to see them is in a nearby garden which adjoins the reserve and it was here that we headed for first. Fortunately the recently declared drought had not killed off all the flowers in the garden so it was not long before we were watching a SWALLOWTAIL (albeit a rather raggedy one) feeding on the sweet williams. Fortunately it was still there for the later arrivals who saw it with a few minutes to spare before the cloud rolled over bringing proceedings to a halt. The circular walk round the reserve is a delight with something to look at with almost every turn. A helpful boardwalk provided the opportunity to see a number of rare plants including cowbane, marsh pea, marsh cinquefoil and milk parsley (the swallowtail's food plant). Marsh harriers hunted over the reedbeds, a cuckoo perched on top of a tree and reed and sedge warblers gave ample opportunity to familiarise ourselves with their confusing songs. By now it was raining lightly so we took shelter in the tower hide. This proved to be a good move with probably five different marsh harriers on show, lapwing with chicks and a good selection of wildfowl made up of wigeon, gadwall, shoveler, tufted duck and a female pochard with three ducklings in tow.  It was the noisy black-headed gulls that alerted us to one of the highlights of the day, an OTTER which swam across the water in front of us bombarded by angry gulls. The fen hide provided us with yet more goodies - a good view of a bittern that flew across the reeds in front of the hide, a Cetti's warbler and a duck which showed many of the characteristics of a male FERRUGINOUS DUCK. Aware that some hybrid ducks can closely resemble ferruginous, I erred on the side of caution and was reluctant to stick my neck out though Chris to his credit was confident that's what it was, an identification later confirmed by the reserve's sightings board. A hobby perched on top of a dead tree was our final treat before we reluctantly dragged ourselves away from this superb reserve.

 

Ferruginous duck - Strumpshaw Fen

Our next stop was Cley Marshes, a mecca for birdwatchers and one of the best known reserves in the country. With time pressing on we opted to park in the beach car park and walk along to the north hide. A sitting avocet was in a fenced off area only a few feet away while also seen from here was a SPOONBILL out on Billy's Wash, fast asleep with its bill tucked under its wing, and a male wheatear in the Eye Field. The north scrape itself held lots of birds, several scans through these turning up a barnacle goose, ringed and little ringed plover, two little stints and a curlew sandpiper with some dunlin, black-tailed godwits, redshanks and a couple of little gulls. Also here was the rather ghoulish sight of a stoat dragging a downy chick, presumably food for its own young, and a brown hare.

 

Saturday 11th June

 

A fairly leisurely start today and a short drive to the Titchwell RSPB reserve where a stock dove gave good views in the car park. The advanced party were then treated to a once in a lifetime event when an adult bittern flew in and fed its young that were hiding in the long grass beside the path that runs out to the beach. Sadly I missed this special moment though we did have a couple of good flight views of a bittern later in the morning. Also here was a female red-crested pochard, several bearded tits that were keeping their heads down and a SPOONBILL that flew over heading west. The new Parrinder hide was our next stop but not before we'd had the chance to enjoy two little gulls that were hawking over the lagoon and some excellent views of a pair of little ringed plovers. It's all very well having a state of the art hide but if you are looking directly into the sun finding birds is likely to be hard work. We did however see some more black-tailed godwits, a couple of common terns and a male pochard. Our last stop was the beach where an impressive sight was a tightly packed flock of knot several hundred strong and a handful of bar-tailed godwits wheeling over the sea. Acting on a tip off, we then visited a couple of sites where Montagu's harrier had been seen recently though all we saw were several more marsh harriers and a distant grey blob on a fence post in the heat haze which looked too big for a pigeon but could have been anything!

 

With no sign of the forecast rain we headed inland to the well known Swanton Novers raptor watchpoint. This can be a good place to see the elusive honey buzzard though we heard from the warden that there had been few sightings this spring. As if to prove the point we had numerous sightings of perhaps ten different common buzzards but not a sniff of a honey. Also here were hobby and yellowhammer.

 

Usually when I've been to Weeting Heath to see the stone curlews, the views I've had have been distant and obscured by heat haze. Today's evening visit was something of a revelation with the hide to ourselves, no heat haze and a very obliging STONE CURLEW that walked towards the hide allowing prolonged views of this scarce bird. A hunting barn owl showed several times and a red-legged partridge was perched on a post on the other side of the road. On the way back to Mundford we saw a couple of muntjac, one grazing right beside the A1065, and then stopped by a recently felled area that looked good for nightjars. We walked far enough to get away from the traffic noise, saw a hobby and a cuckoo and heard a distant nightjar churring several times.

Stone curlew - Weeting Heath (Andrew Killick)

Sunday 12th June

 

Having seen stone curlew the evening before, the last thing I expected was to walk out of the hotel at dawn and see another one fly over and land in the adjacent field. This however was exactly what happened and fortunately there was a convenient hole in the hedge which allowed Andrew and David to see it too! We then headed for Lakenheath RSPB reserve in time for a 06:00 start so well done to everyone for getting up early. Fortunately it was a beautiful summer's morning with lots of sunshine and hardly a breath of wind, hopefully ideal conditions for finding the ever elusive golden orioles. The first poplar plantation was quiet but things improved markedly when we got to the viewpoint by Trial Wood where a kingfisher flashed by and a bittern dropped into the reeds. Lakenheath is probably the best place I know to see cuckoo and today was no exception with wonderful views of a pair in the poplars along the edge of Trial Wood. The same could not be said for the GOLDEN ORIOLES which led us on a merry dance for the next couple of hours. A male was in good voice in Trial Wood, then in the first plantation before finally settling down again in Trial Wood. Chris got to see it fly between the two and both he and David were fortunate to later have a good view of it perched. For the rest of us it was all very frustrating with not even the briefest of glimpses. We then headed past the third plantation (where another male oriole was singing) out to the river bank where we unsuccessfully scanned the fields for cranes. Back at the Joist Fen viewpoint were several marsh harriers and the surprise of the day - a ringtail MONTAGU'S HARRIER hunting over the fields south of the railway with a helpful marsh harrier for comparison. Soon it was gone so with the pollen count soaring and the wind picking up we headed back to Trial Wood. The male oriole was still singing and still steadfastly refusing to show itself so with the first spits of the forecast heavy rain we headed back to the Visitor Centre and then home.

Thursday 2nd June - Ambersham Common

 

Sunset - Ambersham Common (Alan Petherbridge)

Conditions this evening looked more or less perfect for nightjars except for a nagging northeasterly breeze in the more exposed spots. We set off on a gentle walk round the common adding a few birds along the way including a singing woodlark perched on top of a birch, several stonechats, a lovely male yellowhammer and also a roe deer. As the sun set we opted for the more sheltered lower part of the common where the first nightjar started churring at 20:55. Unlike last year, the birds had not read the script and, although we heard lots of churring from perhaps six different birds, they were playing hard to get and did not show themselves for any length of time. Most people in the group did however manage at least one view of a nightjar which is more than can be said for woodcock which were conspicuous by their absence. Could it be that the cold winter has adversely affected numbers?

Sunday 8th May - Rye Harbour

By the time we met in the car park at Rye Harbour, the overnight rain had long cleared to give a bright and sunny day with a fresh southwesterly wind. Our first stop was Ternery Pool where impressive numbers of black-headed and Mediterranean gulls and Sandwich terns were nesting on the shingle islands. A pair of avocets and a male shoveler was seen on the pools to the north as we made our way round to Harbour Farm. Unfortunately the grasshoppers warblers that had been singing here did not cooperate though we were compensated by good looks at sedge warblers, whitethroats, reed buntings, a cuckoo and a pair of grey partridge against a background of croaking marsh frogs. The pools by Harbour Farm held several dunlin and, with them, the first surprise of the day - a curlew sandpiper coming into summer plumage. Next we set off for Castle Water seeing a couple of yellow wagtails and a pair of cuckoos on the way. Castle Water itself was quiet so we retraced our steps and headed out towards the beach stopping to look at some freshwater pools at the western end of the reserve. On these were two small waders which through the telescope materialised into TEMMINCK'S STINTS.

Temminck's stint - Rye Harbour (Andrew Killick)

Over the next half hour or so we had good views of these subtly plumaged scarce migrants and also a little ringed plover. A quick seawatch produced nothing of note so we continued east along the beach to Ternery Pool and then the Quarry hide from where a good selection of waders were visible including ringed and grey plover, dunlin, knot, bar- tailed godwit and whimbrel. Nice though the waders were, the real show stoppers were the little terns; we counted 16 of these lovely birds sitting on the shingle islands. A male wheatear and some more avocets were seen on the way back to the car park while a quick stop at the Castle Water viewpoint turned up an adult male marsh harrier which passed by a close range, a fitting end to a great morning.

Sunday 27th March - Rye Bay

An early start on the sea wall at Pett Level (where it felt more like winter than spring) produced a bar-tailed godwit with some curlew and a barnacle goose on the fields behind the pools and small parties of brent geese and common scoter flying by out to sea. Next stop was Rye Harbour where we walked across the fields from the Martello tower towards Ternery Pool seeing two pairs of avocets and single pairs of gadwall and shoveler on the way. Ternery Pool was a hive of activity with hundreds of noisy black-headed and Mediterranean gulls and smaller numbers of Sandwich Terns putting on a fine display especially when a passing sparrowhawk caused them all to scatter. On the beach were more Sandwich terns while on the shingle near the river mouth was the reserve's first wheatear of the year - always a welcome sight - and a big party of golden plover, some of which were coming into summer plumage. A fairly brief stop up the road at Castle Water was rewarded with a pair of marsh harriers, the male especially nicely marked, and a booming bittern hidden deep in the reeds.

 

By the time we got to the old lighthouse at Dungeness the day had warmed up nicely. Two nearby birders seemed to be staring rather intently in the same direction so we went over to investigate. Expecting a black redstart or a wheatear we were more than a little surprised to see a brilliantly yellow male SERIN sitting on a fence with some linnets. We watched this rare bird from the Mediterranean for about ten minutes before it flew off. Nearby was a stunning male black redstart while a walk across the shingle towards the fishing boats soon turned up the long staying glaucous gull loafing around on the shingle. Back at the old lighthouse there were now not one but two serins (a male and a female) and also several black redstarts, four splendid wheatears, a chiffchaff and a small tortoiseshell. A quick roadside stop at the ARC pit provided brief views of two little ringed plovers before they took off and flew across the road towards the RSPB reserve. A circuit round the reserve turned up a lovely male yellow wagtail, a peregrine and a murmuration of starlings that put on a fantastic display of flying, three swallows and a brief Cetti's warbler while back at the ARC pit two slavonian grebes moulting into summer plumage were showing distantly from the hide and a female goldeneye close by.

Yellow wagtail - Dungeness (Andrew Killick)

Starlings & peregrine - Dungeness (Andrew Killick)

Sunday 20th March - Black Down

This out of the way corner of NW Sussex is a hidden gem with some extensive areas of heathland and, on a clear day such as today, superb views in all directions. It is also the highest point in Sussex. The first initiation test was to find the car park, something that all but one of the group managed easily though that person did have the consolation of a very close encounter with a woodcock on the path in front of him as he set out to find the rest of us! As is often the case with heathland, birds were thin on the ground though in the woods we did see a redpoll and a couple of siskins and a pair of treecreepers. Out on the heath we heard the distinctive calls of woodlark and soon tracked down a group of three birds that gave prolonged views through the scope. In the same area were a welcome pair of stonechats (my first in Sussex this year), a pair of crossbills that flew past calling and both green and great-spotted woodpeckers. With so many views to enjoy there are no shortage of benches to sit on and also some helpful plaques pointing out some of the landmarks. From these vantages points we scanned the surrounding woodlands for birds of prey, noting at least five displaying buzzards and a pair of kestrels, and also two grey herons, some Canada geese and a pair of stock doves. Also here was another woodlark sat quietly in a nearby tree enjoying the spring sunshine.

After lunch some of us headed for Burton Millpond. With the early morning frost long gone and the day warming up nicely we found our first spring butterflies - a male brimstone and two commas. Birds were again in short supply though this time our luck was in with superb views of a tawny owl sunning itself in a tall silver birch along the nature trail.

Sunday 13th March - New Forest & Blashford Lakes

Today was one of those days which will be remembered for a long time due to the impressive selection of birds that we saw. Our first stop in the New Forest was at a known site for goshawk though there were other birds to look at first including several stonechats (a year tick for most of the group), a crossbill that flew over calling and a singing wood lark high overhead. With the weather improving all the time we settled down at the viewpoint and started scanning for birds of prey. Buzzards were the first to show themselves, then a distant red kite and a pair of ravens. At about 10:20 the first GOSHAWK got up but we needn't have worried as over the next hour or so there always seemed to be at least one bird on show sometimes engaging in their spectacular 'roller-coaster' display flight. Estimating numbers is difficult though the general consensus was that there were possibly three different pairs in the area.

Goshawk - New Forest (Andrew Killick)

 

Once we'd had our fill of these superb birds we reluctantly dragged ourselves away and headed for Blashford Lakes in the Avon Valley. This was a first visit for most of us and we were not to be disappointed. From the hide overlooking Ibsley Water we had very close views of redshank and snipe and also a sparrowhawk on a post, an impressive gathering of 36 goosanders including some stunning adult males and several goldeneye. The best bird here however was a water pipit found by Chris feeding along the shore close to the hide.

After lunch we headed across the road to the woodland hide passing a good display of wild daffodils on the way. The level of activity at the feeders had to be seen to be believed with a constant procession of bramblings, lesser redpolls and siskins and also a great spotted woodpecker and a nuthatch among the commoner species. Also here was what appeared to be a very good candidate for the mealy redpoll reported on the reserve's sightings board.

Redpolls & siskins - Blashford Lakes (Alan Petherbridge)

Leaving this feeding frenzy was even more difficult than walking away from the goshawks but with other birds to see it was time to move on back to the New Forest. We searched in vain for great grey shrike though were more than adequately compensated by a pair of wood larks and three more goshawks that showed several times over the pine trees adjoining the heath. Our final stop of the day was Blackwater Arboretum, a place we had visited last March to see hawfinches. Once again we were not to be disappointed with 5-6 birds posing nicely in the treetops in the late afternoon sun. Also here was a gorgeous pair of bullfinches, our 10th species of finch today!

Hawfinch - Blackwater Arboretum (Andrew Killick)

Saturday 26th February - West Sussex Bird Safari

An early start at Burton Mill Pond where three great-spotted woodpeckers were chasing each other round the car park and a small party of siskins was feeding high in the alders. A stroll from the car park to Chingford Pond and back turned up most of the usual woodland birds including marsh tits and treecreepers and a large mixed flock of up to 200 redpolls and siskins though the tawny owls were not at home in their usual daytime roost. Three little egrets were lurking in the reeds in the far corner of the mill pond and a pair of grey wagtails showed nicely on the dam. Next we tried both Lavington and Ambersham Commons; both were very quiet except for another party of about 20 siskins in the car park at Lavington which showered Peter's car with falling birch seeds! A quick look in at Ivy Lake produced a couple of female goldeneye though at Fishbourne Creek we were to see more of these sea ducks where up to 22 (including some superb adult males) were diving in the channel. Also here were red-breasted mergansers and all the usual wildfowl and waders but despite much searching through the dunlin we were unable to locate the long-staying little stint. Our final stop was Thorney Island where four short-eared owls roosting in the usual bushes on the east side by the security gate provided excellent views and the obvious highlight of the day. Also here was a big flock of brent geese and a huge evening roost of black-headed and common gulls which held an adult Mediterranean gull resplendent in its newly acquired summer plumage.

Saturday 12th February - Rye Bay

An early start at Dymchurch was rewarded with some good views of the long-staying snowball-headed NORTHERN LONG-TAILED TITS feeding in the churchyard. To see photographs of these gorgeous birds click here. Our next stop was the fishing boats at Dungeness where the GLAUCOUS GULL had woken up and was loafing around on the shingle giving much better views than on our previous visit. A look out to sea showed it was alive with birds including a remarkable 1800 great crested grebes in a huge raft scattered across the water. With them were red-throated divers, guillemots and a few razorbills and also gannets and kittiwakes passing by out to sea. Equally impressive was an exceptional count of 220 red-throated divers that passed us in a long line heading west and some good looks at the brutish glaucous gull that had now moved to the beach by the fishing boats.

 

From the hide overlooking the ARC pit the highlights were 14 smew including two lovely 'white nuns', several goldeneye and ruddy duck and a marsh harrier. Lunch in the car park in the RSPB reserve was accompanied by a tree sparrow and several reed buntings on one the feeders. The Sightings board in the Visitor Centre included news of both a red-necked and a black-necked grebe on the Dengemarsh flood and it was not long before we were enjoying excellent views of both birds, at one stage even side-by-side. The red-necked grebe was a new bird for some of the group so it was nice to get such good views. Also here were great crested and little grebes and a couple of hunting marsh harriers. A bittern flew past us into the reeds from the viewing ramp and at Christmas Dell a superb firecrest gave us the run around for a while before eventually giving outstanding views.

 

Bittern - Dengemarsh (Andrew Killick)

In the afternoon we headed for Walland Marsh where a herd of 130 Bewick's swans near the appropriately named Swan Farm was an impressive sight. Unfortunately the geese that had been present earlier in the day had been scared off so we made our way to the harrier roost that we had visited in previous years. Marsh harriers were order of the day with 10-12 birds quartering the reeds at dusk before dropping down to roost providing a fitting end to another superb day!

Bewick's swans - Walland Marsh (Andrew Killick)

Friday 4th February - Ferring Rife

With no let up in the unsettled weather of recent days, the strong southwesterly wind and spits of rain in the air were far from ideal for our planned walk at Ferring Rife today. Fortunately however a quick look out to sea revealed that there were large numbers of seabirds passing by - mainly gannets which were streaming by continuously - but also auks (all those seen well were razorbills) and the occasional fulmar and kittiwake. Two small parties of brent geese flew by and also a mixed flock of dunlin and grey plover. Picking out birds on the rough sea was hard work though we eventually tied down some red-breasted mergansers and half a dozen great crested grebes. A walk up the rife was fairly unproductive except for a little grebe, three common snipe, four reed buntings and good numbers of house sparrows.

With the wind gusting up to gale force, it was decided that the shelter of Swanbourne Lake might be a better option. This turned out to be a good move with an interesting selection of birds recorded, the best of which were a skulking male mandarin, gadwall, pochard, little grebe, a flyover red kite, a Cetti's warbler which showed briefly to three members of the group, several goldcrests, firecrest, nuthatch, three  different treecreepers and marsh tit (h). The less said about our failed attempt to find the whoopers swans at Barnham the better though compensation was provided by a herd of 31 Bewick's swans (including a single juvenile) grazing in a field beside the road from Warningcamp to Burpham. Given the poor weather conditions, a surprisingly productive day with several quality birds recorded!

Saturday 30th January - West Dean Woods

Today's circular walk around the West Dean Estate turned up most of the expected birds though we had to work harder than usual, probably due to the largely dull and overcast conditions. We started off looking for red kites at a place we have seen them in the past but, despite a number of buzzards being up, we drew a blank. From here we headed north through Venus Wood up towards the South Downs Way seeing or hearing coal tit, marsh tit, nuthatch and bullfinch on the way and also a brief crossbill.

Sun peeking through - West Dean Woods (Alan Petherbridge)

Lunch was had at a sheltered spot in the woods close to a ruined building where there was a good display of snowdrops presumably planted when the dwelling was still occupied.

Sunday 23rd January - Thorney Island

The long walk round Thorney Island got off to a good start with a tip off that there was a short-eared owl roosting in the bushes by the security gate. A few minutes later we were standing on the sea wall enjoying good views of this superb bird and also rather less impressive views of some distant avocets out in the harbour.

Short-eared owl - Thorney Island (Andrew Killick)

Having passed through the security gate without the usual interrogation, we continued south towards Pilsey Island accompanied by red-breasted mergansers out in the channel and brent geese and golden plovers out on the mudflats. The roosting peregrine was picked out resting on its favourite concrete tubes at Stakes Island and also a dense feeding flock of knot. The high tide wader roost at Pilsey did not disappoint with the fantastic spectacle of numbers of bar-tailed godwit, dunlin, grey plover, knot and oystercatcher packed into an ever decreasing area on the rising tide. One of the bar-tailed godwits was in gorgeous summer plumage. Lunch was had on the beach at Pilsey where we picked out a single ringed plover and some sanderling running along the beach in front of a large pre-roost gathering of dunlin.

 

The next section of the walk up to Marker Point was muddy and largely uneventful apart from some close turnstone and a rock pipit though things picked up as we turned the corner towards Wickor Point. A large flock of stock doves was flying round and a buzzard was perched in a tree though these were upstaged by a male scaup repeatedly diving in Emsworth Channel with a small party of mergansers and also a female eider. The tide was still up when we reached the security gate so we spent a while scanning over the Great Deep and surrounding fields. Highlights here were a redhead smew that did its best to hide itself but eventually flew right past us and landed on the water, 15 greenshank and a spotted redshank that we almost overlooked amongst the greenshank, a couple of pintail in with the wigeon and a surprise in the form of a black swan flying off into the distance. By now the light was beginning to fade so we headed back to the cars adding a few common birds that we'd missed up until now, a chiffchaff in Thornham Lane, two sparring kestrels and two roe deer.

Wednesday 19th January - Ouse Valley

It's often the way that the least aesthetically pleasing places are good for birds. Newhaven Harbour and the nearby Tidemills would not win any beauty contests but they usually turn up something interesting. Today we started our walk by heading along Mill Creek where 60 redshanks were probing in the soft mud on the rising tide and several reed buntings were perched in the bushes next to the creek. A black redstart showed well on the fence surrounding the East Quay before disappearing and the local pair of ravens flew over calling heading towards Seaford. The east pier is one of the best places in Sussex for purple sandpipers but it looked today as if we were going to draw a blank. Fortunately however all was not lost thanks to Simon who found seven of them doing their best to remain hidden low down on the harbour side of the pier. From here we headed to the Ouse Estuary Project where a single brent goose was in amongst a big flock of common gulls. We counted 90 or so curlew on one of the fields but the viewing screen was a disappointment with the reeds obscuring what little open water remains. Neither the smew nor the goosander was at Piddinghoe Pond, just a great crested grebe on the pond and some fieldfares and a mistle thrush perched at the top of a tree. Lewes Brooks was similarly hard work. We saw some redwings by the car park and later a kestrel, two little egrets, the local pair of peregrines perched on an electricity pylon before they put on a fine display chasing off an intruder and three corn buntings sat on a bush. Simon and I finished the day scanning over the brooks from Swanborough Fishing Lakes where we added gadwall, shelduck and shoveler and also a superb barn owl hunting in the fast fading light.

Sunday 9th January - Rye Bay

Although not quite as cold as it had been, it was a distinctly chilly start to the day as we scanned over Pett Level from the sea wall. For the second walk running, one of the first birds we saw was a merlin but the main attraction here was a good selection of geese made up of ca. 75 barnacles, 22 white-fronts close to the road, a party of 11 pale-bellied brents that flew past us along the beach. and ten dark-bellied brents  grazing with the Canadas. Most records of pale-bellied brents in Sussex are of single birds so to see a flock of this size was a big surprise. Our next stop was Scotney Pit on the Kent/Sussex border though birds here were in short supply apart from a couple of distant marsh harriers and some golden plover overhead. The ARC pit at Dungeness is one of those places where you always seem to see something. Today was no exception with an excellent bittern that flew across the pit, landed in the reeds and promptly went into characteristic 'bitterning posture' with its bill pointing upwards. Also here were 20 adult Bewick's swans swimming on the water, nine smew including an adult male, several goldeneye, a marsh harrier and a brief Cetti's warbler.

Bewick's swans - ARC pit (Andrew Killick)

 

On the shingle near the fishing boats, we were assured that the long-staying glaucous gull was roosting with the other gulls though a careful scan through the flock drew a blank. A short sea-watch showed that there were lots of birds offshore - great crested grebes and cormorants but also red-throated divers, auks (mainly guillemots but also a handful of razorbills), a party of common scoter and several kittiwakes loafing on the sea by the fishing boats. Walking back to the cars it was obvious that the gull flock have swelled and it was not long before we were watching the glaucous, albeit fast asleep except for a minute or two when it flew round with the other gulls.

Sleeping glaucous gull (the one in the middle!) - Dungeness (Andrew Killick)

Sunday 2nd January - Pagham Harbour & West Dean Woods

Our first walk of 2011 got off to a flying start when almost the first bird we saw was a merlin in hot pursuit of a dunlin over the shingle beach. We watched spell bound as the chase continued for perhaps a couple of minutes before the merlin gave up and one very fortunate dunlin escaped to live another day. With little wind and the tide coming up, we spent a while looking out to sea, our efforts being rewarded with several eider mingling with the gulls, three common scoter, two red-breasted mergansers, a single red-throated diver, at least four slavonian grebes and a Mediterranean gull. Moving on to the harbour, many of the waders were now gathering to roost over the high tide. The most numerous were dunlin and grey plover though we also saw oystercatcher, knot, 15 bar-tailed godwits, curlew and redshank. Both wigeon and pintail were present in good numbers and also a pair of gadwall, a female scaup with its distinctive white blaze at the base of the bill and a party of sky larks feeding along the tideline. Pagham Lagoon held more Mediterranean gulls, 11 goldeneye (including two fine displaying males), pochard and tufted ducks, little grebes, a sparrowhawk and best of all a kingfisher which gave prolonged views fishing from the banks of the lagoon. A peregrine cruised by causing havoc amongst the roosting waders. Round at the North Wall were lots of wigeon, a couple of snipe hiding in the grass and a distant pair of buzzards. Lunch was accompanied by several reed buntings and a flyover flock of golden plover. Walking back to the cars we saw a very brief bearded tit and a large brown bird in flight over the reeds, a BITTERN, which showed nicely in the winter sunshine before dropping out of view into the reeds.

 

For the afternoon session we moved on to West Dean Woods. One of our target birds here was red kite and it did not take long to find a couple of birds, one of which obligingly sat on a telegraph pole devouring its meal. The little owl was in its usual tree by Stapleash Farm. Being still and sunny it was sitting out right in the open allowing prolonged scope views so making it a strong contender for bird of the day. A couple of bullfinches and a very brief hawfinch flew over while more obliging were a male yellowhammer, a fieldfare eating apples and a perched kestrel - our sixth species of raptor today. A tit flock back near the car park held a marsh tit and a 2-3 nuthatches.

Little owl - Stapleash Farm (Andrew Killick)