RXwildlife Sightings

The drake lesser scaup was still present on Scotney Court Gravel Pit.

Reported on: Dungeness Bird Observatory Website

There was a flock of 50 great crested grebes and 2 red-throated divers very close inshore at Covehurst Bay, Hastings Country Park. Also seen were 5 red-throated divers flying west, a small number of auks and a flock of 6 common scoter.

36 Great crested grebe
16 red throated diver + 2 probable black throated diver
11 Auks
9 Gannet
2 Velvet Scoter
Also 1 rock pipit at Galley hill.

Next I walked through Glyne gap marsh which proved dissapointing with only the resident Kestrel on show. Combe haven was a little better with a stonechat, snipe and several fieldfares present.

On returning to Glyne gap beach at around 3 o’clock the waders had appeared including:
50+ Lapwing
3 Purple sandpiper
1 Redshank
1 Ringed plover
1 Sanderling
amongst the many Turnstones.

Reported by: Joe Dickens

There were four purple sandpipers amongst the roosting turnstone flock at Glyne Gap. Also seen were two sanderling, a ringed plover and a redshank.

Two december moths were present at Warren Cottage.

Now is a good time to see water rail and snipe at ternery pool
the snipe can be found roosting on the islands, and water rails seen around the pit margins.

At Pett Level 0800 this morning hundreds of auks streaming west - 100 in 10 minutes, along with at least 25 red-throated divers - more of both on the sea.

Some of the auks were going past close enough to identify as guillemots even in the gloom - only 1 was a razorbill.

It’s unusual to see so many here in the bay.

Reported by: Cliff Dean

One of the key birds for the Rye Bay area is the shoveler duck.

It is named in the SPA description for the Dungeness to Pett Level site, see http://www.jncc.gov.uk/UKSPA/sites/England/UK9012091.htm

(Shoveler Anas clypeata, 419 individuals representing at least 1.0% of the wintering Northwestern/Central Europe population (5 year peak mean 1991/2 - 1995/6))

At the moment there are up to 160 shoveling away just at Ternery Pool .

The Dungeness Bird Observatory website features all the latest wildlife news from the observatory area.

Go to the Wild Hastings website to view all the latest wildlife news from Hastings.