RXwildlife Sightings

Non-Estuarine Water bird Survey 2006/07 (NEWS)
A snap shot of wintering water birds off the Hastings and Bexhill coastline

The NEWS survey for the winter of 2006/07 took place in mid-January; it covered the entire coastline from Beachlands, Hooe level, eastwards to Cliff end, Fairlight.

Unfortunately it was not possible to cover the entire site within one day, so the count was spread over three dates. The Hooe level and Cooden stretch of the coast was covered on 13th Jan, Goat ledge to Cliff end was covered on 14th Jan and the final missing piece around Glyne gap and Bulverhythe was counted on 22nd Jan.

Whilst it may not be totally accurate to add together counts from nearby sites from different days, as on no occasion were the viewing conditions good, the totals probably reflect fairly well what is actually out there.

Problems were encountered with poor weather throughout the survey period, with strong wind, rain, glare and mist all occurring through this period. Another problem was encountered along the Country park coast, in that the cliffs appeared to be unstable, thus being dangerous to walk under, so viewing had to be done from the few vantage points along the top of the cliffs.

For the sake of this report I have divided the survey area into four areas, these being:

• COODEN, the area from Beachlands to Bexhill;
• GLYNE GAP, the area from Galley hill to Bulverhythe;
• GOAT LEDGE, the area from Bulverhythe to the Harbour;
• COUNTRY PARK, the area from the Harbour to Cliff end.

The species report.

WADERS.

Oystercatcher
A total of 16 Oystercatchers were recorded, with 5 at Glyne gap, 1 at Goat ledge and 10 at the Country Park.

Ringed Plover
A meagre 5 Ringed Plovers were counted, only one was at Glyne gap, but 4 were at the Country Park.

Lapwing
A lower than expected total of 47 were recorded, 11 were at Cooden and 36 were on the beach at Glyne gap.

Purple sandpiper
A better than expected 9 Purple sandpipers were counted, 4 at Glyne gap and 5 at the Country Park.
Dunlin
One was found at Glyne gap.

Curlew
One was found at Cooden.

Redshank
2 were at the Country Park.

Snipe
One was flushed off the beach at Glyne gap.

Turnstone
A good total of 351 Turnstones were counted. Although fairly well distributed all along the coast the main concentrations were 155 at Glyne gap and 126 at the Country Park.

DIVERS AND GREBES

Red-throated diver
Small numbers recorded at all sites, the only real concentration was 81 at Glyne gap, but this helped us to a total of 110 birds.

Black-throated diver
Only one was found at Glyne gap.

Great-northern diver
Singles were seen at Cooden and the Country Park.

Great-crested grebe
A total of 132 were counted, this being slightly below expectations, somewhere between 150 and 200 could have been possible. The main concentrations were in the West, with 47 at Cooden, 70 at Glyne gap, but only 10 at the Country Park (see Common scoter).

Slavonian Grebe
Unlike the previous species this was found in slightly higher that expected numbers, with a total of 9 birds counted. Of these, 8 were at Glyne gap, with another at the Country Park.

CORMORANTS AND HERONS ECT

Fulmar
8 were recorded at the Country Park.

Cormorant
Almost incredibly only 3 were counted, with 1 at Glyne gap and 2 at the Country Park.

Grey Heron
One was at Cooden.

WILDFOWL

Mute swan
3 were at Goat ledge.

Brent goose
A total of 55 were recorded, all at Glyne gap, this is a much higher count than would normally be expected here.

Scaup
2 were at Glyne gap.

Eider
One was at Glyne gap; the days of this species wintering here in good numbers appear to be long gone.

Common scoter
A good total of 469 birds were recorded, with 210 off Cooden, 185 off Glyne gap and 74 off Goat ledge, these counts indicate how the numbers of diving duck decrease as you head eastwards along the Hastings coast.

Velvet scoter
With the high numbers of Common scoter present it was no surprise that 3 Velvets were recorded at Glyne gap.

AUKS

Guillemot
The only auk species recorded, 3 were counted with 1 at Cooden and 2 at the Country Park.

Ian Standivan. Feb 2007.