Red-rumped Swallow in Uckfield!

Wednesday 27th April 2022

Uckfield South

• What a bit of luck - a red-rumped swallow turned up here in Uckfield in the area south of Victoria Park where I often take Odin on one of my long dog walks. 

• It was with a large mixed flock of house martins and barn swallows that were indulging themselves at the water treatment works.  Word has it that the chemical they normally use to control the flies etc is in short supply at the moment, enabling the flies to flourish and attracting the birds of course.

In all I made 3 trips to the site:- 

• on the first trip I found it incredibly difficult to pick out the bird from the other swallows but eventually, with the help of Paul and Edward, I was able to do so.  Before leaving, I was able to get 3 good views, including a cracking one as the bird flew low over our heads.  

courtesy of Alison Playle

• mid afternoon saw me back there again for a second look and this time I was having more success.  Alison had left work to make the twitch and between us we were able to ensure she got some decent photographs - not easy when you switch your binoculars for the camera because the bird has gone by in an instant.  

courtesy of Alison Playle

• early evening and I was back again, this time with Bob and Judy from the Weir Wood group.  The red-rumped swallow was doing exactly the same routine so I was able to leave them there while I took Odin for his walk.  When I got back Alison had returned too - now thankfully outside of working hours - and we enjoyed some more excellent views.

courtesy of Alison Playle

Time to celebrate - my first lifer of 2022 and on my own patch!

Year total - 180

UK life list total = 363

With the East Grinstead RSPB Local Group at Pulborough Brooks

Sunday 24th April 2022

RSPB Pulborough Brooks

A fine, dry, chilly, day attracted our best support for some time with 16 members making the trip.  We were rewarded with some fine birding, with a large species count that included a good number of spring migrants.

• Top of the list were nightingales; with at least 5 singing males, including 2 at the start before we even left the car park.

courtesy of Nicholas Galley and Twitter

• There were 2 lesser whitethroats which we could hear very well but only about half of us got to see one as it flitted from one tree to the next.
• There were umteen chiffchaffs, blackcaps, willow warblers and common whitethroats around the site.

courtesy of Alison Playle

courtesy of Alison Playle

courtesy of Alison Playle

There were some interesting waders present too!

• There was a cracking green sandpiper showing well

courtesy of Alison Playle

• A greenshank is always an interesting bird to watch.

courtesy of Alison Playle

• We even managed to see 2 little ringed plovers.

The Egyptian geese deserve a mention, simply by virtue of their large number.  As well as a flock of 18 there were several family groups taking the total up towards the 50 mark, by far the most I have ever seen on one site.

In the afternoon we relocated to Waltham Brooks for another delightful session.

•  This was "greenfinch heaven".
• We also had excellent views of the sedge warbler, my first of 2022.

courtesy of Alison Playle

 A first class outing with good friends.  All in all we had at least 62 species so everyone went away happy!

Year total - 178

Nightingale Survey at the Knepp Estate in Sussex

 Friday 22nd April 2022

Up at 04.00 in order to get to Knepp with Martin for a nightingale survey from 07.00 to 08.30 hr.

• We recorded at least 5 singing males on our patch; there were over 30 recorded overall - remarkable!.
• We also heard, then saw, our first turtle dove of the year at the southern tip of the estate.  It was sitting on the overhead wires.

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• Thee wasn't much white stork activity but we did see one foraging in the field near the visitor centre and there were a couple of occupied nests.

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

It's always nice to be at the Knepp Estate!

Year total - 175

Staying Local - looking for migrant birds

Tuesday 12th April

• I saw my first whitethroat of the year at Weirwood this morning.

Friday 15th April 2022

John, Martin and I spent a delightful morning at Old Lodge where we managed to see all the bird species that we had on our wish list.

• 2 redstarts were the highlight.  They were in a tree just 10 metres away and showing well in the morning sunshine.

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• We heard lots of willow warblers as we walked round the reserve and we caught sight of a couple.
• Surprisingly I saw my first swallow of 2022 in this most unlikely habitat.
• We heard the cuckoo and after a while we got to see it perched at the top of a tall tree.  A second one was calling from afar as we were admiring the first one.

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• We managed to find at least 2 tree pipits at different places on the reserve.   Both were singing well from the top of the high trees.  The first one also delighted us with its characteristic display flight.

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• There were at least 5 Dartford warblers showing well.

A productive morning spent with friends - lots of newly arrived birds and some excellent weather.

Sunday 17th April 2022

• I heard, then saw, my first nightingale of the year as I was walking my dog, Odin, just south of Uckfield.

Year total - 173

Coastal Birds

 It's that time of year when I turn my attention to the coastal birds.

9th April 2022

• Went down to Newhaven to see the fulmars before moving on to Seaford where I saw the nesting kittiwakes at Splash point.  No luck with black redstarts or purple sandpipers.

 

11th April 2022

Martin and I did a late afternoon seawatch at Splash Point and what a rewarding experience it turned out to be.

• I saw my first gannets of the year, mostly far out to sea but a few came in close.
• My first whimbrels of 2022 came by in flocks and looked spectacular as they flew past us heading east.  The lower image shows the kittiwakes floating on the sea. 

courtesy of Martin Jeffree

       

                                 

                                                                           courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• There were lots of terns around too, mostly sandwich terns but there were also some common terns.
• Incredibly there was a good passage of Arctic skuas and we saw at least 6.
• Pride of place though went to the 2 pomarine skuas we finally got to see after tracking their movement  along the south coast on WhatsApp from Selsey and Worthing.  Indications are that this is the earliest date on record that these lovely birds have been seen.

courtesy of Matt Eade and Twitter

What a great start to the seawatching season!

 Year total - 166

Adding to my Year List

 

Sunday 3rd April 2022

• I heard my first blackcap of 2022 as I walked the dogs through the woods near my home this morning.

After lunch I went to Warnham NR, Horsham, for a twitch.

• Top of the list was the jack snipe that had been seen several times over the last couple of days.  What a well behaved beauty, bobbing up and down and showing well from the Attree Hide!

courtesy of Jeff Curnick and twitter

• There was also a lovely little ringed plover close by. 

courtesy of Jeff Curnick and twitter

• By way of a bonus, a lovely grey wagtail graced us with its presence.

A very good twitch!

Monday 4th April 2022

• At  Martin's house, I was trying out a digiscoping device  when a pair of bullfinches showed up at the feeders in his garden.  My first sighting this year. 

 Year total - 159

Rye Harbour with the East Grinstead RSPB Group

 

Sunday 27th March 2020

Only 4 of 10 members turned up for this event, due to a combination of Mother's day commitments and covid-related illness.  We decided to spend the bulk of the day at Castle Water.

Most of the birds were the same as those seen on last weeks trip with the Ashdown Bird Group, the biggest difference being 2 peregrines and a raven seen at Camber Castle.

A terrific trip, like last week!

Year total - 155

Oare Marshes with Mark, Elizabeth and Martin

Thursday 24th March 2022

Oare Marshes

• The highlight of today's trip was undoubtedly the 3 garganey we saw on West Flood.
• I also heard my first bearded tit of 2022 as we walked round the main route.
• We had several sightings of Mediterranean gulls.

Year total - 155

Rye Harbour with the Ashdown Bird Group (ABG)

 Here's a copy of the trip report that I wrote for the group.

Sunday 20^th March 2022,

Rye Harbour NNR

Ashdown Bird Group

(7 members present)

Trip Report

Once again we were fortunate with the weather, enjoying bright, sunny conditions throughout the day.

We were determined to visit Castle Water, a part of the reserve often missed out because of the additional long walk needed to get there.

 

·         Our target species today was the long-staying black-necked grebe.

·         We were also hoping to find our first wheatear of 2022.

·         Maybe the spoonbill would still be around.

Stage 1 saw us go round the main reserve.

• Alison led us from the car park to the Salt Pool but there was no sign of the spoonbill - an early setback.  We heard later that it had left the site a few days ago, heading east, and had not returned.

Things improved rapidly when we moved back on to the main track, past the Discovery Centre to a position just outside Gooders Hide where we had commanding views over the New Saltmarsh and Flatbeach.  

• Our species count accelerated as we ticked off the waders and the other water birds like the avocet … 

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

….and the cormorant that Martin liked so much….

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

  

•         There was great excitement when a peregrine flew by us.

Courtesy of Alison Playle

• We saw 5 close Sandwich terns on one of the islands and shortly afterwards a flock of 12 flew overhead.
• The other notable species was golden plover with scores of them on view.
•  As we walked out further towards the sea we got clearer views of the lone bar-tailed godwit that was on Flat Beach.

After a brief seawatch which yielded little apart from a small group of teal, we headed for Denny Hide and then Parkes Hide where we saw a few more interesting species:-

•          Like this ruff, one of 2 present today……

Courtesy of Alison Playle

•          ….and a small group of ringed plover from Parkes Hide.

  

Stage 2 involved us relocating north down Harbour Road to the industrial site, picking up the footpath that led out to the reedbed viewing ramp and then on to Castle Water and Halpin Hide. 

•          From the viewing ramp we saw our first marsh harrier when one flew low over the reeds.
•          Moving on, along the long footpath, we saw some Egyptian geese, in flight and on the ground.

Courtesy of Alison Playle

After the long, but most pleasant, walk we finally arrived at Halpin Hide where we spent a most relaxing, yet productive, couple of hours.

• Bird of the day was, without doubt, the black-necked grebe looking absolutely majestic in its summer plumage.

courtesy of Alison Playle

• There were lots of species here, most of which we had seen on the main reserve earlier but the 3 lapwings we saw were our first of the day. 
• There were frequent sightings of the marsh harriers.
• The pochards and pintails looked superb in the afternoon sunshine.

 

On the return leg we still managed to add to our impressive species count.

• This lovely green woodpecker was the last new bird that we saw – clearly enjoying the early evening sunshine..

 

courtesy of Alison Playle

 

Martin’s species list is shown below.

Species			Species
Avocet	1		Linnet	32
Bar-tailed Godwit	2		Little Egret	33
Blackbird	3		Long-tailed Tit	34
Black-headed Gull	4		Magpie	35
Black-necked Grebe	5		Mallard	36
Blue Tit	6		Marsh Harrier	37
Brent Goose	7		Meadow Pipit	38
Canada Goose	8		Moorhen	39
Carrion Crow	9		Mute Swan	40
Cetti's Warbler	10		Oystercatcher	41
Chaffinch	11		Peregrine	42
Chiffchaff	12		Pheasant	43
Collared Dove	13		Pied Wagtail	44
Coot	14		Pintail	45
Cormorant	15		Pochard	46
Curlew	16		Redshank	47
Domestic Greylag Goose	17		Reed Bunting	48
Dunlin	18		Ringed Plover	49
Egyptian Goose	19		Robin	50
Gadwall	20		Ruff	51
Golden Plover	21		Sandwich Tern	52
Goldfinch	22		Shelduck	53
Great Black-backed Gull	23		Shoveler	54
Great Crested Grebe	24		Skylark	55
Great Tit	25		Starling	56
Green Woodpecker	26		Stonechat	57
Grey Plover	27		Teal	58
Herring Gull	28		Tufted Duck	59
House Sparrow	29		Turnstone	60
Jackdaw	30		Wigeon	61
Lapwing	31		Woodpigeon	62
			Wren	63

 

Species count = 63

 

 

 

What an terrific visit – and we didn’t see a single wheatear!

 

Bob Hastings

30/03/2022

Year total - 153