RXwildlife Sightings

Several visitors to the Valley have commented on the varying water levels seen at Carter’s Flood at present. The Flood is fed by a small brook, which is itself reliant on a spring further inland; usually this brook has slowed to a trickle by this time of year, but we have been able to regularly refill Carter’s Flood, creating a two day ‘tidal’ effect, which seems to be appreciated by the birds.

(Some birders visiting the Levels do not seem to know how close the Flood is to Pett Pools. It is most easily visited by taking the footpath east along the Royal Military Canal from ‘Toot Rock’ at Pett Level village - after only ten minute’s walking there is a concrete sluice with a handrail crossing the canal which leads to the small viewing blind).

The Scrape (or more formally ‘14 Acre Scrape‘) is totally reliant on rainfall, so the levels here are being dropped rather more slowly in case of the highly unlikely event (in 2007 at least) of a prolonged sunny spell.. Right now the muddy margins are very popular with Sandpipers, and Greenshank and Spotted Redshank appear daily at present. The Scrape is found alongside the main footpath through the Pannel Valley.
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Raptor activity at the hirundine roost is high at present; tonight the Swallows and Sand Martins had to put up with the attentions of two Hobbies and four Sparrowhawks, with a Marsh Harrier roosting in their favourite part of the reedbed for extra value. Yesterday our first Merlin of the autumn also made a few passes at them. A Buzzard was seen today, over Pannel Wood, though the Osprey was last recorded on Friday.

The waders in the Pett triangle continue to pull the crowds, and Carter’s Flood has been particularly good; this afternoon it held, amongst others, three Knot, 20 Black-tailed Godwits and a Wood Sandpiper. Our small group of Little Egrets have taken to roosting in the dead alders there.

Tree Pipits and Yellow Wagtails are a daily occurance at the moment, and Grey Wagtails are almost daily. Five Nightingales have been found during the last week, and Whinchats and Wheatears can be found alongside the main footpath. Numbers of migrant Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers are below the expected numbers for this time of year, perhaps a reflection on the poor breeding season?

Finally, a Harvest Mouse, not at all easily found here, was seen on August 30th.

The Osprey was still present at Castle Water at 11.30 this morning. It seems to spend most of it’s time perched on a large willow at the left hand end of Camber Castle (as seen from the viewpoint), with occasional forays out over the water.

Osprey with fish!

On the shore this morning four Knot (with a further three present on Flat Beach Level), two male Grey Plover, twenty Curlew and a Bar-tailed Godwit, as well as small numbers of Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Fewer Yellow Wagtail around today, though there were still perhaps 50 or 60 feeding along the beach road, as well as a few Wheatear and several small flocks of Linnet and Skylark.

An Osprey was present at Castle Water yesterday afternoon. It was seen perched on a large willow near the pit from 4-5pm and was visible from the viewpoint.