RXwildlife Sightings

Maybe no-one was ‘bird-racing’ on Pett Level, but 5 of us did walk to Castle Water, the Wood, Long and Narrow Pits and the Watchpoint this morning. Star bird among nearly 60 species was a very close Water Rail at the hide, and we also saw Ruddy Ducks, Marsh Harriers and a Sparrowhawk but failed to find either Scaup or Smew, nor were the expected Long-eared Owls in evidence in their usual spot. If we’d had the time to do the shore and Rye Hill too, we might have pushed it up to 80. Earlier, I’d been surprised to see 2 Black-tailed Godwits feeding on the river bank by the railway bridge, a first for the ‘house list’ and the tetrad.

Hmmm…so no-one seems to have done a headlong, dedicated newyearsdaybirdlist.
Nor me.
Is it age or just Poor Attitude?
Poor sight too, having last night, in the dark, mistakenly put Ear Wax Remover rather than Eye Drops into my left eye……..
I think the Nigella Lawson Spicy Vodka may also have been implicated.
However, in a marsh-based attempt to regain full health, we found Raven, Marsh Harrier, Barn Owl, Water Pipit, Green Sandpiper and at least 20 White-fronted Geese, amongst other slightly blurred species.

I expect that many of you have been out birdwatching in the RX area during the festive season, and I would be interested to know if there have been any sightings of Tree Sparrow. Please let me know of numbers and locations and I could draw up a map of the RX area - not to show exact locations, but just to indicate the 2 km square.

Please e-mail me at yates@clara.net - thanks if you can…

Here is a little puzzle of five jumbled Rye Bay seabirds… with answers tomorrow.

Advert Dried Other……….Red-throated Diver

Come Corn Most……….Common Scoter

Macro Torn……….Cormorant

Multi Ogle……….Guillemot

Beggar Desert Erect……….Great Crested Grebe