Sunday February 20th
At Pett, the Slavonian Grebe was busily diving in the SW corner of pool 3 while a ringtail Hen Harrier was pursued across the back by crows. I could see only 2 White-fronted Geese with the Greylags, but there were also 2 Brents.
Two flocks of GC Grebes totalling 150 birds were W of Cliff End, invisible from the level, so there must be at least 400 birds still present.
Cliff Dean
Sunday 20th February 2005
Guestling Wood 0830-1000: 34sp
0/8, cold N5
A search for LS Woodpeckers along the N edge of the wood drew a blank, though there were 50 Goldfinches and 3 Marsh Tits in the alders and a pair of Yellowhammers returned to the hedge along Watermill Lane.
The Red-tailed Hawk was hunched in one of its usual trees – a big parkland beech now marooned in the middle of arable land at Church Farm. This American escapee has been in the area for more than ten years now. It resembles a buzzard, but is subtly different in structure, very pale beneath with a pale rump and a distinctly reddish tail. Its call is harsh – quite different from the mewing of a Buzzard.
The screech of a pair of airborne Black-headed Gulls announced the passing overhead of a Peregrine heading no doubt for the Brede Valley.
I looked for Hawfinches at Sedlescombe – again without any luck.
At Beckley Furnace, there was a single Buzzard – an individual with pale underparts, and a Kingfisher flew from beneath Hundredhouse Bridge.
Cliff Dean