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

 

Sunday 21^st 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 café.

• Dickie obligingly found a house sparrow to bring up our 50^th 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