RXwildlife Sightings

A Leach’s petrel flew west, 150ft offshore, past Galley Hill, Bexhill at 11.28am this morning.

Reported by Ian Standivan on the wildhastings egroup.

Today’s sightings include two male smew and a goosander from Scott hide.

Don’t miss David Featherbe’s illustrated talk on Wildlife Photography;  tomorrow, Tuesday 12 December at 7.30pm (Visitor Centre opens 7 pm).
Tickets (£3.00 adults, £2 concessions, £1.50 juniors) are available from the Visitor Centre or telephone 01797 320588.  Booking is advisable.

On 9th December there were 2 Black-tailed Godwit among the Lapwing roosting on the islands near the hide at Castle Water. Both birds were wearing very colourful rings and their origin is shown below. They are from Operation Godwit studying the Icelandic population.

Bird on right was ringed on 13.06.03 at a nest as adult male in North Iceland, and has been seen on:
19.09.04 Poole Harbour, Dorset, S England
21.09.04 Blackwater Estuary, Essex, E England
27.08.05 Blackwater Estuary, Essex, E England
29.11.06 Stour estuary, Essex, E England
09.12.06 Rye Harbour, East Sussex, S England

Bird on left was ringed on 23.08.05 at Holbeach, the Wash, Lincs, E England as an adult female, and has been seen on:
20.10.05 Freiston, the Wash estuary, Lincolnshire, E England
24.09.06 Stour estuary, Essex, E England
23.10.06 Stour estuary, Essex, E England
09.11.06 Colne estuary, Essex, E England
09.12.06 Rye Harbour, East Sussex, S England

It’s pretty unusual for birds to move region during Nov-Jan, so this is a very interesting record.