Pulborough Brooks with the East Grinstead RSPB Local Group

Saturday 13th April 2024

RSPB Pulborough Brooks

(25 Members present)

Wow - what a turnout!  Well done everyone.  The weather played its part too with dry, bright conditions and a light breeze.  Despite the recent spate of wet weather the paths were dry and amenable.   We walked around the main reserve in the morning and switched to the Wiggonholt Common area after lunch.  All in all we recorded 62 bird species including some newly arrived migrants as well as some stunning local resident birds.

Top of our wish list was nightingale.  Expectation was high as several had been seen on this site since arriving in the country last week. 

• Our first attempt to see the bird was in the picnic area near the Visitor Centre where 2 birds were singing away and showing, very briefly, on occasions.
• However it was Alastair who directed us to the Fattengates Courtyard area, the usual “hotspot” for nightingales, where one was displaying very well on the branches of a tree in the background.  This was by far our best view and the one everyone had come for.   The bird was singing away on a branch of a tree directly in front of us. 
• What a delight!  The bird was too far away for our cameras but Alan managed to digiscope an image using his mobile phone.

Courtesy of Alan Loweth

Nightingales are skittish birds by nature so to see one is no mean feat and to get prolonged views of one is really special.  Everyone left the area in a very happy frame of mind.

We were also hoping to see a white-tailed eagle today but nothing could prepare us for what we encountered as we looked over the brooks from Jupp’s View and Hangar View.  

• There right in front of us was a white-tailed eagle, sitting regally on a set of stumps, watching the proceedings in the surrounding area. 

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

• It wasn’t long before we got a flight view.

Courtesy of Ian Hodgson

• Patrick photographed the eagle hunting for food over the brooks.

Courtesy of Patrick Sullivan

• This is my favourite view with eagle in full flight and showing its magnificent white tail.

Courtesy of Patrick Sullivan

The eagle grabbed the headlines today, eclipsing even the nightingales, but there were many other birds around that caught our attention.

• A pair of avocets was the pick of the waders seen today.
• We managed to hear a sedge warbler but most of us could not see it.  There was neither sight nor sound of any reed warblers.
• The chiffchaffs were one of the first migrant birds to arrive and they were present all over the reserve today, singing their hearts out.
• Some of us saw a couple of swallows and house martins in the distance - obviously newly arrived in the country.
• There was a cuckoo around.  Some members heard it early on from the car park area.  Most of us heard it repeatedly as we had lunch back at the Visitor Centre.  Unfortunately it did not put in an appearance.
• Right at the end some of us saw a wheatear from West Mead Hide
• Blackcaps have been back several weeks now and we saw several as we made our way round the site.  This photograph, taken by Phil Aylen last week, was typical of what we saw today.

Courtesy of Phil Aylen

There were also some significant non-birding highlights.

• We saw an adder sleeping in the grass near the Visitor Centre.
• There were quite a few butterflies showing as we went round the reserve, including orange tip, speckled wood and peacock.

After a late lunch back at the centre we decided to stay on the reserve and visit Black Wood where we hoped to repeat last years’ experience and see a firecrest. 

• We were successful, seeing not one but two of these beautiful woodland birds.  Unfortunately we couldn’t get a picture so I have recalled Alison Playle’s image from last year to give a good record of what we saw.

Courtesy of Alison Playle

What a great birding experience!  Who would have thought that we would see white-tailed eagles flying freely in the Sussex countryside?

2024 species count=157