Doleham
29th December 2008, Monday
Since the shallow floods were frozen over, ducks were restricted to the waters deep inside the channel of the Brede, where a dozen Teal and a pair of Wigeon joined Little Grebes and Moorhens.
Snipe, however, were able to probe between the tufts of juncus, from which about 50 flew up, and single Water Pipits were on the marsh and further east along the Brede.
As the light failed, Rooks and Jackdaws began noisily to converge on the roost near Udimore and about 200 Lapwings came down the valley from somewhere inland, along with a couple of Little Egrets. Water Rails squealed in the marsh and Blackbirds chattered in the trees as Redwings and Fieldfares joined them from the meadows.
A single silhouetted Buzzard flapped through the bare branches but no Barn Owls appeared. A Little Owl was sitting on the road sign at the top of Doleham Hill as I left.
