Knepp Castle Estate 2022 with the Ashdown Bird Group

This is a copy of the trip report I wrote for the Ashdown Bird Group visit to the Knepp Estate

Sunday 22^nd May 2022,

Knepp Castle Estate, Sussex

Ashdown Bird Group

(6 members present)

 

Trip Report

Martin again convinced the “weather gods” to look kindly on us for this long-awaited visit to the Knepp Castle Estate. 

Our walk began at the village car park at Shipley and we followed the route, anticlockwise, via the Kings Windmill (of Jonathan Creek fame) down to the northern entrance to the estate by Hampshires Farm. After an eventful lunch break at the southern tip of the estate we returned via the Hammer Pond and Church Farm, after making a short detour to New Barn Farm.

 

 

Our target species today included the following Knepp staples:

Turtle Dove

Nightingale

   White storks.

 

• We didn’t have any luck at all with the turtle doves, even though we knew they were present on site.  Try as we may we were unable to pick up there evocative “purring” sound.
• We knew before we started that the nightingales would probably have stopped singing as they were all paired up and settled at this stage in the breeding season.  Nevertheless, one obliging male performed admirably for us.
• The hedgerow birds were there in good numbers with garden warblers, blackcaps, whitethroats and chiffchaffs in fine voice.  Pick of the bunch however was the lesser whitethroat which gave very clear calls on several occasions.

 

 

 

 

Pride of place today however went, undoubtedly, to the white storks!

 

• We had brilliant flight views as we walked down the western edge of the reserve, just before lunch. They were taking advantage of the thermals to circle above us.  At one point we had 5 in one scope view – a truly memorable sight.

 

 

 

• Not satisfied with that, we then enjoyed great views of the birds at their nest sites as we moved back up the eastern edge of the reserve towards the Mill Pond and New Barn farm areas

                                            

 

     

 

 

Another highlight today involved a family of Tamworth pigs that decided to join us as we were taking lunch.  

•  Mam and dad and 9 piglets just emerged from the nearby track and made their way past us, but not before the piglets tried very hard to get at our lunch items. 
  
  

      

Absolutely fascinating and truly hilarious! 

 

 

 

Pictures courtesy of Martin Jeffree

 

A fabulous trip to our very own “Garden of Eden” right here in Sussex

 

Bob Hastings

01/06/2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Species List

Name:			Name:
Blackbird	1		Kestrel	23
Blackcap	2		Lesser Whitethroat	24
Blue Tit	3		Long-tailed Tit	25
Buzzard	4		Magpie	26
Carrion Crow	5		Mallard	27
Chaffinch	6		Moorhen	28
Chiffchaff	7		Nightingale	29
Collared Dove	8		Pheasant	30
Coot	9		Pied Wagtail	31
Cuckoo	10		Red Kite	32
Dunnock	11		Reed Warbler	33
Garden Warbler	12		Robin	34
Great Crested Grebe	13		Rook	35
Great Spotted Woodpecker	14		Song Thrush	36
Great Tit	15		Starling	37
Grey Heron	16		Stock Dove	38
Greylag Goose	17		Swallow	39
Herring Gull	18		Swift	40
Hobby	19		White Stork	41
House Sparrow	20		Whitethroat	42
Jackdaw	21		Woodpigeon	43
Jay	22		Wren	44

 

Species count = 44

Same trip, one week later with the East Grinstead RSPB gave the same mix of birds.

•  yet again, no turtle doves.
•   Brilliant show from the storks...
• ..... and a better performance from the singing nightingales.

Another superb trip - best attendance of the year 18 members present.