The pools were again quiet this weekend. There are still three drake Wigeon, and eight tardy Curlew have still not left for their breeding grounds. A single Little Gull hawking over the pools was probably the highlight. There were quite a few low flying Swift and Swallow and a single Hobby appeared to be struggling to find food.
The pools were again quiet with two tardy male Wigeon perhaps being the highlight mid afternoon. There were however 23 Whimbrel and four Black-tailed Godwit on the nearby felds. The only migrants seen from the sea wall were two Yellow Wagtail arriving in off the sea. On the old cliff line at the back of the levels there were 40+ Swift and two House Martin. The sea itself was also very quiet
The pools were very quiet in a strong, cold breeze. A Swallow hawking over the water and at least three singing Reed Warbler were the only sign of summer. Later there were two Whimbrel on the beach. Most of the winter visitors have now gone with only one male Wigeon, a single Brent Goose and six Curlew present.
A session at the pools on Sunday was very quiet with the majority of Coot and Wigeon having departed. Apart from Tufted Duck, all duck numbers were low. The edge of the roadside pool held 8 Ruff, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and small numbers of both Redshank and Oystercatcher. Birds of prey were represented by single Peregrine, Kestrel and Marsh Harrier. During the hour that I was standing on the sea wall with Pete Rouse there was a trickle of Linnet moving eastwards with at least fourteen small groups going through. I have also just received details of three Herring Gull that I have seen at the pools with red rings during March, all three were ringed in Essex.
The sea was flat calm but apart from Great Crested Grebe there was little on it. A few Red-throated Diver passed west and two small groups of Brent Geese passed eastwards. On the levels themselves the four Pink-footed Geese were still present, as was the Bar-headed Goose. A Peregrine kept putting everything into the air and at least two Ruff were still present.
In a recent post Barry appeals for help in reading local colour rings. I already have details of both birds as they have been seen in previous years.
3L56 was ringed on 01 June 2005 in Holland. It wintered in Spain in both 2005 and 2006 before being next sighted in Holland during the summer of 2007. Other sightings have included Isle of Wight and Titchfield Haven before being seen at Pett Level in March 2011, re-appearing at Pett Level yesterday.
R17X was also ringed in the nest on 01 June 2000 in Holland. It has been read at least 40 times as it wintered in Northern France. On 12-14th March 2011 it was on Pett Level, on the 17th March it was at Hayling Island before being re-sighted at Elms Farm on 26th March 2011 and 27th February 2012.
This was postponed due to heavy snow a couple of weeks ago, but will take place this Sunday, 19th February at 10am. Meet up on the sea wall by the Smuggler Pub and Pett Level Rescue Boat slipway.
Be prepared with warm clothes, sturdy footwear and gloves. Refreshments provided.
Contact Andy Dinsdale on strandliner@btinternet.com
A lot of birds such as Teal, Golden Plover, Snipe and even Grey Plover displaced by the snow into pastures. High numbers of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes.
Off Cliff End, 318 GC Grebes, 134 RT Divers and 1 BT Diver. 142 dark-bellied Brents near Toot Rock and 3 probable light-bellied Brents with Greylags.
At the Pools, 6 Bearded Tits. 4 Goosanders flew in but vanished. When I checked the RMC/Brede confluence there was a different group of 5.
More details on my blog.
In a walk from Cliff End to Castle Water yesterday we found 84 bird species including Brent & Whitefronted (but no Pinkfooted) Geese, 2 Bitterns, Woodcock, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Goldeneye, Pintail, Water Rail, Marsh Harrier, Med Gull and Bearded Tit.
Large numbers of Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Redwings were arriving at Toot Rock as the mist cleared and, as mentioned in yesterday’s post, Dunlin were widely distributed as well as Snipe.
See more here
Due to the forecast snow, the Pett Level beach survey on Sunday 5th February has been moved to Sunday 19th February at 10am.
The survey at Rye Harbour tomorrow (Saturday) will still take place.