11/01/14. Rye Harbour with the SOS

Saturday 11th January 2014
Sussex Ornithological Society

On a gloriously sunny day on the south coast at Rye Harbour I and over 30 members enjoyed a full-on birding day.

The highlight for me was my own sightings at the Bittern viewing area some 75 minutes before the official start time of our visit :

• A Water Rail appeared at 08.15  It showed briefly from the reeds about 50 m from me before flying across the water into the reeds opposite

• Another buzz was provided by a Cetti's Warbler which called from the bushes directly in front of me.  Irritatingly, despite the proximity and the loud vocal cue I was unable to see it - as usual!

• A lovely Slavonian Grebe enjoyed the peace and quiet in the same area as it moved majestically through the water.

I had to leave early to get to the Brighton v Birmingham game at the Amex but not before I added another 11 birds to my 2014 UK Bird List and a species count well over 40 in just a couple of hours. 

Apparantly I missed out on a drake Scaup and a Long-tailed Duck.   However I did get to see the Peregrine that caused so much amusement at the Amex Stadium last week as it turned up again today for the second half of the game.  It rested on a beam high in the south west stand and was still there when I left.  We have won both games so for now it has been adopted as our lucky mascot.



Today's species list
Gadwall   (82)
Shoveler   (83)
Pintail   (84)
Water Rail   (85)

Lapwing   (86)

Golden Plover   (87)

Dunlin   (88)

Greenshank   (89)

Skylark   (90)

Cetti's Warbler   (91)

Linnet   (92)
Peregrine  (93)

12 new additions to 2014 UK Bird List

Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Brent Goose
Shelduck
Wigeon
Mallard
Teal
Tufted Duck
Cormorant
Little Egret
Slavonian Grebe
Coot
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Curlew
Redhank
Turnstone
Common Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Black-headed Gull
Wood pigeon
Collared Dove
Green Woodpecker
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Starlings
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Robin
Meadow Pipit
33

Today's species count = 12 + 33 =45