RXwildlife Sightings

At 13.00 today, a Red Kite drifted east over Winchelsea town, quite low with its forked tail clearly visible. Graham Rhodda by e-mail

Highlights over the past few days have included 3 Red-throated Diver close inshore at low water, 32 Knot and 17 Grey Plover feeding along the shore, 24 dunlin on Wader Pool, 4 Goldeneye on Harbour Farm pools, 2 Scaup on Long Pit. At Castle Water 120 Shoveler, Bittern and 6 Cetti’s Warblers.

Red-throated Divers close inshore today.

At Dungeness yesterday there were gulls from several parts of the globe “The Patch was the place to be during the morning where a first-winter Iceland Gull appeared at 1120hrs and then spent an hour or so feeding before heading off eastwards. Also among the gulls was a short-staying first-winter Caspian Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull. ” from DBO website.

Sunday 7th March 2010. Arrived around 7am, with the tide just starting to go down, which was a shame, as I said before its always better when its high tide at Pett. Not much to see on the seaward side, what with the light conditions, due the sun rising. The numbers of ducks have really gone down, but you can still see most species, what have been seen in the last month or so, on the pools. Birds of note 2 Med Gulls (adults), adult female Merlin, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier ( cream head ) and a Barn Owl. Grebes are back at the pools with 5 Little and a single Great Crested taking up residence. Waders on the marsh Redshank, Dunlin, Knot, Lapwing, Curlew, Turnstone and Snipe. Good birdwatching Pete.

In recent mild winter’s the tiny Common Whitlowgrass has been flowering from late January to early February, but this year it has only just appeared. I noticed a few flowering yesterday on short grass on sandy soils.

Identifying gulls can be very tricky, non more so than the Caspian Gull – Larus cachinnans, which is very similar to Herring Gull. Part 1 of a detailed identification article has appeared in British Birds this month and David Walker at Dungeness Bird Observatory often sees them there – click here). John and David Cooper saw one at at Castle Water on 24th January and has written it up – click here. More here.

… one was seen this afternoon, flying down the Brede Valley towards Rye .

Highlights over the past few days have included 2 Sandwich Tern, 65 Knot, 18 Grey Plover and 120 Curlew along the shore. At Ternery pool at least 18 Mediterranean Gull, Green Sandpiper and a Merlin, at Castle Water 2 Bittern, 18 Little Egret and 3 Marsh Harrier. On Harbour Pools 4 Goldeneye and an Avocet. 

Mediterranean Gull from Parkes hide Ternery Pool

The day started well with a red kite seen flying over Burrowes pit. Goldeneye, smew, goosander, black-necked and Slavonian grebes were all still present. A bittern was seen at New Excavations and a male garganey was on Burrowes pit. Also of note were a merlin, water pipit, three chiffchaffs and a firecrest.

Throughout February Cliff Barwood has been seeing an odd bird in his garden in Rye. It resembles a Dunnock in size and shape, but it is very ginger coloured with white wing tips. He has managed to get photos through his double glazing….

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