RXwildlife Sightings

On a gloomy, misty morning, John Newton & I watched from the top of Toot Rock. There were hundreds of small migrants moving into the brisk easterly breeze, mostly Goldfinches but with many Swallows, Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Siskins, fewer Pied Wagtails, Reed Buntings and Greenfinches and just 2 Grey Wagtails.

Numerous Goldcrests were calling from the scrub around the Rock and several Jays and Mistle Thrushes were in the area along with 3 GS Woodpeckers.

Knowing that Yellow-browed Warblers are attracted to caravan sites, we checked the Cliff End area but drew a blank. There was however an aerobatic skirmish beween a Peregrine and Carrion Crows.

In recent evenings, up to 150 Mallard have been present on the roadside pool. An ad Med Gull was on the sea on Thursday, when about 10 Little Egrets passed E on their way to roost at Rye H. Presumably they spend their day on the beach at Fairlight.

Merlin, sparrowhawk and marsh harrier were all seen at Denge marsh.  A stonechat was seen there too. Black redstart and goldfinches were spotted at Denge marsh road.  Golden plovers and snipe were seen at Hooker’s pit and a ring ouzel was seen on the access track. A red-breasted merganser was seen on Burrowes pit. 

Walking across Rye Harbour farm today I noticed huge numbers of black caterpillars, each about 20mm long, feeding on seedlings of Wild Charlock. Some areas had about 100 per square metre, so the total number must be tens of thousands…. they are probably turnip sawfly Athalia rosae, see posting on 20th September.

From the viewpoint at Castle Water this morning, 42 Little Egret left the roost, 7 Bearded Tit, 65 Pied Wagtail, 100+ Goldfinch, 3 Cettis Warbler, Kingfisher, Water Rail, Goldcrest and Chifchaff. On the main pits, 200+ Wigeon, 127 Teal, 74 Gadwall, 11 Pintail, 161 Canada Goose, 27 Curlew, 33 Snipe, Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 2 Green Sandpiper and a Peregrine. Highlights from the Beach Reserve, 700+ Golden Plover(see lower picture), 68 Wigeon, 9 Brent Goose, 2 Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, 30 Goldfinch, 24 Reed Bunting, 40+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock pipit (at Lime Kiln), 36 Corn Bunting, 3 Wheatear, 4 Stonechat and a Merlin. Two Long-eared Owls (picture taken last winter) were roosting along Narrow Pit at the regular Winter roost site.

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