With the promise of a bright day with a modest wind, Phil and I seized the opportunity to bird Rye Harbour in humane conditions and it was most enjoyable. We spent the whole day doing a slow circuit of the reserve, finishing on 79 species (notable omissions included Linnet and Pintail). 48
Dark-bellied Brent Geese included at least 22 young, while other wildfowl included the juvenile
Smew, an adult female
Goldeneye, and 'casual' counts of 90
Pochards, 250
Shovelers, 155
Gadwall, 145
Teal, 30
Shelducks and 150
Wigeon. A
Merlin low overhead was one of the best moments of the day. A
Black-necked Grebe was on the Long Pit, along with a
Kingfisher. Waders included a vocal
Spotted Redshank, 170
Golden Plovers, 290
Lapwings, 31
Grey Plovers, 300
Dunlin, 24
Ringed Plovers, 30
Redshanks, five
Curlew, 285
Oystercatchers and three
Turnstones. Other birds included three
Bullfinches, seven
Reed Buntings, three pairs of
Stonechats, a
Mistle Thrush, 330
Coots, two
Green Woodpeckers, a
Great Spotted Woodpecker and 12
Skylarks, of which one broke into song.
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| Shovelers |
Five
Great White Egrets coming to roost were part of a perfect end to the day at Castle Water, with
Cetti's Warblers and
Water Rails vocal, and around 70
Fieldfares looking for somewhere to roost while an adult male
Peregrine defended its kill against a
Carrion Crow, and a
Sparrowhawk buzzed the 'mini-murmuration' of 300 or so
Starlings. Before dusk, a pair of
Marsh Harriers patrolled the reedbeds there and a
Buzzard flew over.
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| Peregrine |
