Most of the days observations were from the sea where quality rather quantity was again the order of the day. At least 16 Little Auks and eight Pomarine Skuas were seen as well as a Black-throated Diver, 20 Shelducks, a Goldeneye, a Purple Sandpiper, three Great Skuas, two Arctic Skuas, two Mediterranean Gulls and a Little Gull. Also seen amongst the gull roost near the fishing boats was a first-year Glaucous Gull.
David Walker from DBO website
Post by Alan Parker from wildhastings.org.uk
I started the day with an unsuccessful look for yesterdays Great Grey Shrike at Winchelsea, then sat on the beach, sheltering in front of the old lifeboat station. Gannets were passing east fairly frequently, but then a group of 3 Little Auks flew west along the breaking waves at 0800, followed by 2 more about 15 minutes later. As these passed at least one Pomarine Skua was chasing Herring Gulls further out. 4 Red Throated Divers also passed. Later I spent an hour watching the sea from Rock-a-Nore at high tide, an Arctic Skua flew west with about 40 Kittiwakes, a Black Throated Diver also flew west and 3 Red Throats and 2 Red Breasted Margansers flew by. About 25 Common Scoters were on the sea, a Raven flew over and a very obliging Purple Sandpiper with the usual tame Turnstones at The Stade allowed me to view it from 5m away.
This little tetrad comprises ancient woodlands including Guestling Wood - now owned by the Woodland Trust - and farmland to the east, much of which is now in Stewardship: small fields, tall hedges.
Church Farm, to the north and west of the wood, had most of its historic hedge landscape eradicated in, I think, the ’80s.
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When I finally switched on my phone mid-morning, it was to receive a wind-blasted voice message from Pete Rouse about a bird some hours earlier which, following a couple of replays, turned out to be a Little Auk. When I phoned for an update, he told me that he’d seen 5 altogether - a new bird for him. I was at the beach very shortly afterwards but no more auks, I’m sorry to say.
Pete also saw 2 Snow Buntings on the beach opposite the rabbit warren (which is where the footpath starts towards Winchelsea), a Purple Sandpiper on the tideline (these are very unusual at Pett), a RB Merganser flying W, 150/200 Common Scoter and a Ruddy Duck. He didn’t say what the latter was doing, but make the most of them because they are being encouraged to be scarce.
Highlights at Ternery Pool this morning were a female/immature Goldeneye and a Little Egret, both giving good views straight out from the Crittall Hide. On the shore a good range of birds included several hundred Oystercatcher, 51 Dunlin, 21 Ringed Plover, nine Brent Goose and seven Sanderling, while a flock of around 30 Corn Bunting were present near Lime Kiln Cottage mid-morning.
Wildfowl numbers at Castle Water this morning included, 627 Wigeon, 133 Teal, 87 Gadwall, 77 Shoveler, 151 Mallard and 118 Tufted Duck. Most of the Wigeon were roosting on the islands out from the hide, while the Teal preferred the Bittern Excavations.
Wigeon and Shoveler
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Despite the lateness of the season, there were a couple of interesting invertebrate sightings over the last couple of days. At Lime Kiln Cottage yesterday I was very surprised to find a female Speckled Bush-cricket (below) basking on a south-facing window frame. this is not a common species on the reserve, with less than 10 records, though there have been a few at Lime Kiln within the last couple of years.
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