A
Meadow Pipit flew over my West Worthing garden as I left for Rye Harbour this morning. En route, a
Red Kite flew over as I passed through the fields between Winchelsea and Rye.
By the time I'd arrived at my destination, there was news of two Black-winged Stilts at Dungeness, so I knew I was bound to dip as these were undoubtedly the birds which had been at the harbour for the last couple of days. Nethertheless, as I got out of the car to a beautiful, pleasantly warm day, with
Mediterranean Gulls yowling overhead and
Whitethroat singing, I felt a currently very welcome serenity and spent three very pleasant hours birdwatching around the reserve. As well as watching the antics of the breeding
Sandwich Terns,
Mediterranean and
Black-headed Gulls, passage waders such as a trio of
Spotted Redshanks, a
Whimbrel, four
Bar-tailed Godwits, a scattering of
Dunlin and four
Grey Plovers were enjoyed.
Avocets,
Oystercatchers and
Ringed Plovers were of course generously dotted about, along the a
Curlew here and there. Three
Wheatears included two song-flighting males, something I've not seen in a very long time. Three
Little Ringed Plovers flew around excitedly and three
Common Terns were a low-key presence. Two
Yellow Wagtails flew over, the occasional
Swallow zipped through and straggling winter wildfowl included
Dark-bellied Brent Goose,
Wigeon and
Teal. A fine pair of
Common Gulls were among the denizens of Ternery Pool. A few
Sedge Warblers and
Whitethroats, fewer
Reed Warblers and five
Lesser Whitethroats were in voice, along with three
Cetti's Warblers. Fresh in, a migrant
Willow Warbler sought refuge in a tiny bush by the red-roofed hut. One of the biggest surprises of the day was a
Grey Partridge which erupted from beside the path before alighting a short distance away and giving a few screeches - I'm sure I've never seen one at Rye before. My first Holly Blue of the year passed me while I was trying to get a view of a Lesser Whitethroat.
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| Spotted Redshanks at Rye Harbour |
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| Bar-tailed Godwits at Rye Harbour |
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| male Wheatear at Rye Harbour |
