RXwildlife Sightings

Walking up from tetrad TQ92A west into TQ82V on Sunday morning. A Cormorant was fishing in the quite small River Tillingham, and later we watched a female Marsh Harrier flushing Pheasants from a distant arable field across the valley. Plenty of Fieldfares now, with the occasional Redwing, and a couple of Bullfinches along the ancient lane through orchards, lined with beech trees and stacks of logs, up to the secluded and peaceful Peasmarsh Church. Mike Prince took the photo, just before briefly seeing a Stoat beside the track. Nearly back in Rye, Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting were ‘new’ for TQ92A. But no Firecrests this time!

Over the past few days a good selection of waders have given close views at high water as they roost near the Old Lifeboat House, numbers have included, 110 Sanderling (pictured), 65 Grey Plover, 4 Knot, 175 Dunlin and 32 Turnstone. Also yesterday, 3 Velvet Scoter could be picked out amongst the Common Scoter which were feeding close inshore near the Old Lifeboat House.

At low tide, Rye Bay Curlews are feeding out on the beach, but as the water rises they retreat to the pastures behind the seawall. At Pett Level in winter, for instance, hundreds can be seen picking around on the turf close to the road.

However, a certain number move a bit further inland; I see them moving south-westward over my house. One flock is often on sheep-grazing at Old Marsham Farm and the other week I saw some feeding just north of the Royal Oak in Pett village. I also saw a few coming up the Pannel Valley at Pickham Farm (where Whimbrel sometimes feed in spring) recently, but it was hard to see whether they passed Guestling Wood. Neither have I seen them as far up the Brede Valley at Doleham.

So what determines their terrafirma feeding range? How far up the Brede Valley do they go? How far north across Romney Marsh?

Puzzlingly, the Royal Oak lot were there at low tide, when I would have expected them to be exploiting the food resources of the shore.

(At night they all roost at Rye Harbour click here for recent article.)

Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier.

4 Ruff, 60 Golden Plover, 1 Raven.

6/800 Common Scoter & 150 G C Grebes on the sea.

Pete Rouse