Getting started on my 2024 list

1.   Uckfield Area

I take my dog Odin out walking twice a day, every day and in doing so I have managed to start my 2024 list with a good number of everyday species.  The highlight of these has got to be the waxwings.

I have also visited a number of venues in the area and these are detailed below.

2.  Cuckmere Haven

I made 2 trips to Cuckmere Haven.  

• On New Year's Day,  I spent the afternoon on the eastern side of the river looking for the long-tailed duck that has been around for a while.  I was unsuccessful.
• On 11th January I spent the late morning session with Martin looking for the long-billed dowitcher which has been around for almost 3 months now.  This time we were spectacularly successful as we were able to get really good close up views of the bird as it foraged away in the mud.  We were indebted to Simon Linington for the heads up on this one.

Both pictures courtesy of Martin Jeffree.

3.  Isle of Sheppey with the East Grinstead RSPB Local Group  6th January.

The highlights of this outing are shown below:

• A male hen harrier, seen from the raptor viewing point at Capel Fleet in the afternoon.

Courtesy of Martin Jeffree

• At least 2 short-eared owls were also present and seen for most of the afternoon.

Courtesy of Patrick Sullivan

• Also seen were corn buntings, a peregrine, kestrels, 2 white-fronted geese, several marsh harriers and many basic shore birds.

Overall this is not a bad start to the new birding year!

My complete records are shown below.

2024 species count=74