18/01/2018 East Sussex Outing - Newhaven Tide Mills and Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne

Thursday 18 January 2018

Another cracking birding trip! It only lasted for a couple of hours duration, but it was so productive.

Newhaven Tide Mills
The target species was Purple Sandpiper and, as I was visiting at the time of the high tide, I was optimistic about my chances.  Imagine my surprise, and disappointment, when I went along the east pier and back without seeing anything.

• I then spotted a Turnstone scampering up the shingle bank, some 20m east of the pier.  Then I saw a cluster of what I thought were dark stones but which turned out to be birds; there was a mix of 13 Purple Sandpipers and 6 Turnstone all hunkered down, sheltering from the wind.  Another 10m east of them was a large flock of Ringed Plover, numbering 20+.

What a delight to see this unusual (to me) behaviour! 

Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne

I then travelled on to Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne to twitch the Black Guillemot. It had been seen just 20 minutes before I got there so again I was optimistic about my chances. 

• The bird was in the channel just below the footbridge but spending most of the time under the water.  For the next 20-30 minutes, I enjoyed superb views, from less than 10m.

4th time lucky but well worth it!  An early finish as Sue and I need to be at Uckfield Cinema for the early evening showing of Darkest Hour.

What a great couple of hours birding!