13/11/2019 Great Bustard (code 92) near Seaford, Sussex

Wednesday 13 November 2019
Seaford , East Sussex

It's not often you get the chance to see a Great Bustard in Sussex.  In fact the last one was seen over 100 years ago.  So it was a no brainer for me to go to see this bird in a kale field between the villages of Bishopstone and Denton, near Seaford. 

I parked in a lay-by on the Bishopstone Road before walking up the hill to join the main footpath from Bishhopstone to Denton.  From this elevated position I could see the bird feeding at the bottom of the hill just in front of the Stud Farm.  It was bright and sunny so the views were excellent.

On returning to the car I met a Kent birder who I had met earlier. He had been looking in the wrong place for the bird.  As it was getting late, it was easier to take him to the viewing point.  From there, using my scope, he too was able to enjoy the views and I was rewarded with a second helping.



When I got home I checked out the history of this bird. 

• It was first seen on 6 November by Simon Linington, leading a Sussex Ornithological Society walk at Birling Gap.  The bird flew in from the east, much to the astonishment of the 13 in the group.
• The bird landed in a nearby field and for well over an hour many local birders were able to get down to the coast to see it. 



courtesy of Simon Linington and the SOS

• It then flew off again heading west. 

  

courtesy of Matt Eade and Twitter



• The Bustard was next reported on a Seaford residents Facebook group on 8 November.   A non-birder found the bird and described it so well that its ID was soon established.  Without this information, it is highly likely the bird would not have been seen again as the South Downs around Bishopstone is a very underwatched area.

courtesy of Andy Wilkes and Twitter

The bird had a red ring on its left leg, coded 92, although I was unable to see it myself because of the tall vegetation.  From this code the full history of the bird became apparent.

•  Code 92 placed the bird as one of the Wiltshire Great Bustard Reintroduction Scheme birds.....
• ... it is a young female....
• … just shy of 6 months old ….
• …and hatched from an egg brought in from Spain last summer....
• it hasn't been seen in Wiltshire for a couple of weeks.

Word has it that no more imported eggs are planned after this year as the 100+ birds currently here represents an almost self sustaining population.  Great news!



Its a fascinating prospect that here on the south coast we may soon have Great Bustards, White Storks and White-tailed Eagles as a result of the various reintroduction schemes that are in place.


 
What a lovely couple of hours in a local area I have never visited before.