Thursday, 25 September 2025

Pulborough Brooks with the East Grinstead RSPB Group - Spotted Flycatchers!

 

Sunday 21st September 2025

RSPB Pulborough Brooks

East Grinstead RSPB Local Group

(17 members present)

 

Today’s visit, the first in the John Edwards era as Outdoor Visits Leader, was a huge success with 50 bird species seen, including a couple of real surprises.  Despite a temperature drop of almost 10°C since Friday, the weather was bright with clear skies, making it ideal for birdwatching.

Our route today took us down the Zigzag path, where we then followed the clockwise loop around the reserve, calling in at West Mead Hide, Winpenny Hide, Hanger view and Jupp’s view before dashing back to the Visitor Centre for a well-earned lunch.

RSPB Pulborough Brooks Trail Map




  • While we were waiting for the Centre to open at 10.00, we did some birdwatching, the highlight of which was when we saw a small group of mistle thrush, flying through the valley below. 
  • There was also a good number of swallows and house martins flying around.

With little or no water in the Lower Brooks around West Mead Hide and Whinpenny Hide, there was no chance of seeing any of the usual waders.

  • We did, however, see a couple of Kestrels and a distant Red Kite, which was having an altercation with a corvid.

Kestrel - courtesy of Chris Harries

After leaving Winpenny Hide we experienced our best birding minutes of the day.

  • There were 3 spotted flycatchers flitting between the trees and the boundary fence, giving splendid views throughout.  There had been no earlier reports of this species, so we were both delighted and surprised to benefit from this find.

Courtesy of Andrew Burns


Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

  • We managed to catch sight of a redstart before it disappeared - yet another very pleasant surprise.
  • To complete an interesting foursome, a female blackcap and a whitethroat were also seen there.

 

We had been tracking all the cattle in the fields, hoping to see yellow wagtails, but we were unsuccessful. 

  • We did, however, see a couple of cattle egrets by way of compensation.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

As we headed off uphill to Hanger view, we were feeling cock-a- hoop.  Fortunately, the Upper Brooks had decent amounts of water and there were some waders to see and enjoy.  Even better, there was a very helpful volunteer on site with his telescope ready to assist.

  • Pick of the waders for me was the 2 ruffs that we saw feeding along the edges of the far pool.

Courtesy of Phill Aylen

  • Two snipe also emerged from the vegetation into the water, to give good views.

Courtesy of Phill Aylen

  • It was good to see some teal, obviously having just returned for the winter.

Courtesy of Chris Harries

  • Dickie B, our former Outings Leader, showed he has not lost his touch when he picked out a green sandpiper - without the need of a telescope!

 

Courtesy of Phill Aylen

  • Several lapwings were on show.

 

Our final destination was a visit to Jupp’s View, again overlooking the Upper Brooks.

  • We added shoveler and mute swan to our day list.
  • A sparrowhawk was seen in the distance.

 

By now, most of us were starving, so we beat a hasty retreat to the cars to collect our lunch, which we ate in the seated area outside the cafĂ©.

  • Dickie obligingly found a house sparrow to bring up our 50th bird of the day.

Courtesy of Phil Aylen

 

Here are some of the other birds our trusty photographers found interesting today :-

Stock Dove –courtesy of Andrew Burns

Great-spotted Woodpecker – courtesy of Chris Harries

 

Stonechat – courtesy of Chris Harries

 


Chiffchaff – courtesy of Chris Harries

 

Dunlin – courtesy of Phill Aylen

 



Our group is also very keen on butterflies, moths etc.  Here were a few interesting ones that they photographed:-

Comma Butterfly - courtesy of Ian Hodgson

 

Small Copper – courtesy of Chris Harries

Speckled Wood – courtesy of Martin Jeffree

Red Underwing Moth – courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

Hornet – courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

Common Darter – courtesy of Phill Aylen

 

 

Martin couldn’t resist photographing these beauties:-

 

Spindle Berries- courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

Rowan Berries – courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

Silk Button Spangle Gall on Oak – courtesy of Martin Jeffree


 

 

 

 

Thanks, everyone, for a memorable trip.  I had never seen a spotted flycatcher or a redstart in all my previous visits to this reserve.

Thank you, photographers Andrew, Chris, Ian, Martin and Phill.

One down John, lots more to go!

 

 

 

 

 

Courtesy of Chris Harries





 

Species List:

Name:

Count:

Name:

Count:

Black-headed Gull

1

Lapwing

26

Blackbird

2

Long-tailed Tit

27

Blackcap

3

Magpie

28

Blue Tit

4

Mallard

29

Buzzard

5

Mistle Thrush

30

Canada Goose

6

Mute Swan

31

Carrion Crow

7

Raven

32

Cattle Egret

8

Red Kite

33

Chaffinch

9

Redstart

34

Chiffchaff

10

Robin

35

Coal Tit

11

Rook

36

Cormorant

12

Ruff

37

Dunlin

13

Shoveler

38

Dunnock

14

Snipe

39

Goldfinch

15

Sparrowhawk

40

Great Spotted Woodpecker

16

Spotted Flycatcher

41

Green Sandpiper

17

Starling

42

Green Woodpecker

18

Stock Dove

43

Grey Heron

19

Stonechat

44

Greylag Goose

20

Swallow

45

Herring Gull

21

Teal

46

House Martin

22

Treecreeper

47

House Sparrow

23

Whitethroat

48

Jackdaw

24

Woodpigeon

49

Kestrel

25

Wren

50

Species count = 50


Bob Hastings




2025 species count = 189

No new species

Monday, 22 September 2025

Curlew Sandpiper and Whinchat at Cuckmere Haven

 

Friday 19th September 2025

Half-day visit to Cuckmere Haven

Ashdown Bird Group

(7 members present)

 

Trip Report

 

Today’s trip, the latest from our supplementary Friday programme, was a spectacular event.  With a species count of just under 50, great company and some unseasonably fine weather we just about had it all. 

 

Our route took us on the eastern side of the Cuckmere from the car park at Exceat down towards the sea.


 

 

Our focus was on autumn migration and boy we saw that in abundance with a great variety of birds in the air, on the ground and on the water.

 

 

Here are some of our highlights:-

Bird of the day for some was the Whinchat.  We spotted some in the vegetation just after we left the car park and they continued to show up at regular intervals throughout our visit.  For most of us, this was the largest gathering of this species that we had ever witnessed, with over 20 sightings of at least 10 birds.

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson


Courtesy of Martin Jeffree


Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

My bird of the day, however, was Curlew Sandpiper.  We saw two, and possibly even three, at the scrape on the southern edge, just before the river meets the sea.  Thanks are due to two local birders, Keith and Tim, who made our task much easier.  The former kept me updated throughout on the presence of the Curlew Sandpiper, and the latter waited for us to arrive before beckoning us to the best viewing position. 

 

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson


Courtesy of Martin Jeffree


Courtesy of Martin Jeffree


Martin's image below clearly shows the difference in size between the Curlew Sandpiper and the two Dunlin, as well as the longer bill.

Curlew Sandpiper v Dunlin comparison.  Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 


These views were by far the best that most of us had ever had of this species.   To be so close to such a rare bird was an absolute delight.

There had been a significant influx of Curlew Sandpipers across Britain and Ireland during September this year, with the arrival considered the most important for many years.  The most likely reason is that the species has enjoyed a productive breeding season in the Arctic this summer and consequently there are large numbers of juveniles on the move this autumn.

 

We saw at least 4 Greenshank, 3 at the scrape …..

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

…. but the one at the meanders in the river proved to be the most photogenic as it moved along the edge of the water.

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson


These Little Grebes also caught our eye.

 

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

From the same viewing point, on the opposite bank of the river, we also saw a couple of Common Sandpipers among the Black-headed Gulls.  They proved quite elusive and so we were unable to get photographs.

 

We were more successful photographing 2 Sandwich Terns that flew in but you will have to work hard to see them in Ian’s image shown below!


Courtesy of Ian Hodgson.

 

 

There was a constant presence of hirundines, with good numbers of Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins flying around.

 

These Dunlin also caught the eye as they flew across the scrape at regular intervals.


Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

 

There were a few raptors around too, including a Kestrel, a Marsh Harrier and this lovely Sparrowhawk.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 


As well as outward migration of birds, there was some inward migration, as seen below with the arrival of these Wigeon for the winter.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

 

In the roped-off area by the beach, we came across a couple of migrating Wheatears, one of which is shown below.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 


At the start of the return leg, we had no luck locating the Grasshopper Warbler that Tim had found earlier.

 



Finally, as a tribute to our hard-working photographers, here are some of the other images of the day.

Meadow Pipit – courtesy of Martin Jeffree


Little Egret in the water– courtesy of Ian Hodgson


Little Egret in flight – courtesy of Ian Hodgson


Rock Pipit – courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

Pied Wagtail – courtesy of Martin Jeffree

Moth Caterpillar – courtesy of Ian Hodgson



 

We were also graced by a flyover of Spitfires, Mustangs and Hurricanes.

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

 

 

As usual, Ian caught us all unawares and took the lovely scenic views, catching the ambience of the trip beautifully.


 Courtesy of Ian Hodgson


Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

 


Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

 

 

 

Species List

Name:

Count:

Name:

Count:

Black-headed Gull

1

Little Egret

25

Blackbird

2

Little Grebe

26

Blue Tit

3

Magpie

27

Buzzard

4

Marsh Harrier

28

Canada Goose

5

Meadow Pipit

29

Carrion Crow

6

Mute Swan

30

Chiffchaff

7

Pied Wagtail

31

Common Sandpiper

8

Raven

32

Cormorant

9

Redshank

33

Curlew Sandpiper

10

Redstart

34

Dunlin

11

Robin

35

Dunnock

12

Rock Pipit

36

Goldfinch

13

Rook

37

Great Black-backed Gull

14

Sand Martin

38

Great Tit

15

Sandwich Tern

39

Greenshank

16

Skylark

40

Grey Heron

17

Sparrowhawk

41

Greylag Goose

18

Stonechat

42

Herring Gull

19

Swallow

43

House Martin

20

Wheatear

44

Jackdaw

21

Whinchat

45

Kestrel

22

Wigeon

46

Lesser Black-backed Gull

23

Woodpigeon

47

Linnet

24

 Species count =47

 

 

 

A fabulous trip, John and Martin – one of our best.  Thank you!

Thank you, photographers, for some cracking images.





2025 species count = 189

New Species:

189  Curlew Sandpiper