A walk along the Pannel Sewer footpath at dusk produced three Hobbies feeding together over the reeds. Three Barn Owls were also on show, and a Common Sandpiper paraded in front of the main hide.
The best of the sightings from earlier in the day were a Firecrest and the 2nd Garden Warbler of the year.
Yesterday at Hastings Country Park three ravens were reported. Also seen were two flyover tree pipits, a little egret flew up off the beach and a sedge warbler was ringed at Warren Glen.
The dawn Whimbrel counts have started today, 81 birds left the roost on Flat Beach Quarry, the first birds left at 4.45. Also present 9 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff, 27 Dunlin and 6 Grey Plover. 230+ Common Terns were roosting on the small islands. Sandwich Tern numbers roosting at Ternery Pool have reached 680. Up to 160 Common Gulls have also been roosting at Ternery Pool. First summer Gulls continue to cause id problems for visitors,the photos show Black-headed, Common and Mediterranean Gull.
A sprinkling of migrants at long last and some quality in the form of a Montagu’s Harrier east over the area during the morning and the Wryneck still present and occasionally showing very well. Other migrants on the land included three Hobbies, 11 Collared and two Turtle Doves, nine Sand Martins, single male Redstart and Whinchat, several “Greenland” Wheatears, a late Fieldfare, eight Lesser Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler, eight Blackcaps, 15 Willow Warblers, a Coal Tit and two Redpolls.
The sea was fairly quiet but several hours of watching eventually produced a Black-throated Diver, 280 Brent Geese, 330 Common Scoter, an Arctic Skua and 13 Great Skuas.
David Walker from DBO website
A brief seawatch this morning found Common Tern, Sandwich Tern and Little Tern all fishing close to the shore, small numbers of Fulmar and a Red-breasted Merganser. On the shore itself were 5 Whimbrel, 9 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and about 150 Oystercatcher, the latter moving to the ridges near Ternery Pool as the tide advanced. A visit to the Crittall Hide provided good views of a pair of Wheatear and Grey Partridge feeding to the right of the hide.
At Castle Water this afternoon, the summer-plumaged Slavonian Grebe was still visible from the hide, 20 Whimbrel fed in the fields to the north of pit, and a Nightingale was singing behind Bourne’s.
My walk to & from work turned up 79 species today.
New to the list were Raven & Lesser Whitethroat. A good variety of duck is present and Wigeon (2m) & Pintail (1f) at Carter’s Flood were welcome.
A small flock of Lesser Redpoll was a surprise and more Goldfinches are moving into the area but Long-tailed Tits are suddenly hard to find and Bullfinches must have gone down rabbit holes.
I had a life’s-rich-tapestry moment when I heard at luch-time that a Hoopoe had been just behind my house and by the time I got home it had of course gone.
A few birds around this morning once the mist cleared, at Castle Water 50+ Swift, 150+ Swallow, 20 House Martin, Marsh Harrier and a Hobby. Two Ravens were on Castle Farm, before being flushed. Last seen heading towards the Beach Reserve. Bird of the morning however was an Osprey,seen from the viewpoint heading over the Narrow Pits. The first Broods of Greylag goslings have started to appear at Castle Water.
The best of an early morning walk was a male Garganey. Mid morning however a splendid Hoopoe was located at the back of the levels near Pett Village. It was very flightly but showed really well to a couple of the local farmers. There were six Whimbrel in the fields.
Later in the day two Black Redstart were found and hirundines over Carters flood included 70 Swallow, 10 Sand Martin and 5 House Martin. A single Swift was also present.
Saturday 22nd April 2006: 44sp
This stretch of old sea-cliff SW of Rye is always worth a visit, and on a bright spring morning its south-facing slopes are full of bird activity. On Saturday, the coconut-scented gorse was busy with at least 25 pairs of rosy, twittering Linnets, no fewer than15 singing Whitethroats and my first (3) Lesser Whitethroats of the year. Other species appreciating the security of the dense and prickly thickets were Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Yellowhammer.
Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps singing from nearby Elder bushes were replaced at the Rye end by town birds such as Starlings, House Sparrows and Collared Doves.Tall, hollow Ash trees attracted nesting Starlings and Jackdaws while in the updraught sailed gulls, corvids, cormorants, Kestrels and the odd Sparrowhawk.
(Cadborough Cliff can be accessed from Udimore Road, Rye, or the T-junction N of Winchelsea Station. A level cycle track runs along its base.)
There have been up to 23 first winter Common Gulls hanging around Ternery Pool lately, several were present this afternoon and were causing a few id problems for visitors.
