Rye Harbour
As elsewhere the cold conditions have mixed things up a bit, mainly at Castle Water where the frozen margins, smaller water bodies and ditches have concentrated good numbers of wildfowl onto the open water of the main pit. This morning at least 900 Wigeon, 400 Teal, 135 Shoveler and 200 Gadwall were present. Woodcock have also been more conspicuous in recent days with three birds this morning still out in open ground at day break with one narrowly escaping from one of four hunting Marsh Harrier. Several Woodcock were also present/flushed along the footpaths on the Beach Reserve Yesterday. Additional highlights from a day break walk around Castle Water included 3 Bittern (two from the hide and one inflight from the viewpoint), 4 Smew (including one drake), 39 Snipe, 38 Dunlin were unusual out from the hide , 7 White-fronted Geese, Barn Owl and 2 Firecrest.
