Sunday 12th November 2025
Rye Harbour NNR
Ashdown
Bird Group
(10 members present)
Trip
Report
Today’s visit,
targeting the Castle Water area, was arguably our longest walk of the 2025
programme. Thankfully, the weather was
ideal, being dry and calm throughout but, most importantly, with firm
conditions underfoot. Our reward was a
glut of birds, including a few rather interesting ones.
As always,
we started at the car park by the Martello Tower. This time, however, we took the
anti-clockwise route - going down to the industrial area before heading out to
the Castle Water site and beyond, joining the central reserve at the Long Pits
and Harbour Farm, finally finishing up at the café in the Discovery Centre.
Route Map
Our first
port of call was the Reedbed viewpoint, where we spotted several species.
- This Kestrel was my early
favourite.
Courtesy of Patrick
Sullivan
- Most of us
saw a Sparrowhawk
Courtesy of Phil Aylen
- Only a lucky
few got glimpses of the Bearded Tits as
they flew across the narrow channel in the reedbeds.
- By the time
we left, we had accumulated a sizeable species count of almost forty, albeit
most of them were the usual suspects.
On to Castle
Water and the Halpin hide, there was a greater variety of birds on show.
- Two Great White Egrets caught our immediate attention at
the edge of the vegetation and then flying around in the vicinity.
Courtesy of Martin
Jeffree
- There was
also a Common Sandpiper showing
well.
Courtesy of Ian Hodgson
- These Lapwings were popular with our
photographers.
Courtesy of Andrew Burns
- There
weren’t many Pochards around, so
this one swimming with the Tufted Ducks
and the Coot was a welcome sight.
Courtesy of Ian Hodgson
- Look
carefully and you will recognise a Black-tailed
Godwit.
Courtesy of Phil Aylen
- As we entered the central reserve by Long
Pool and headed down to Harbour Farm, the highlight was seeing several Marsh Harriers, including this one.
Courtesy of Phil Aylen
Once on the
central reserve, we headed for Denny Hide then Parkes Hide to pick up several
interesting birds.
- The Spoonbill caught our attention
immediately, looking imperious in the distance.
Courtesy of Phil Aylen.
- Several new waders were added to our list, including Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, and Turnstone.
Along with the Dunlin was a smaller bird, which we looked at several times, hoping it was a Little Stint. After much discussion, we concluded it was just another Dunlin. Thankfully, Phil managed to get some images of the bird, and that evening, he studied the enlargements carefully and realised it was indeed a Little Stint. Seeking further confirmation, he posted the images on Birdforum, and the consensus of the replies
agreed with his findings.
Courtesy of Phil Aylen
Courtesy of Phil Aylen
- So we had a Little Stint after all.
- This Redshank approached us as we sat in
Parkes Hide, begging to be photographed.
Courtesy of Ian Hodgson
Courtesy of Martin
Jeffree
Our final
session was a short seawatch from a position above the hides we had just visited. Several gannets flew close to the shore, and for me, they provided the highlight of the day as they flew around just in front of us, regularly “dive-bombing” into the sea looking for fish. Patrick captured this brilliantly in the following sequence of images.
Courtesy of Patrick Sullivan
Courtesy of Patrick Sullivan
rtesy of Patrick Sullivan
Courtesy of Patrick Sullivan
Amazing!
The ABG is also about other aspects of nature and today we
had another example of this when we came across this delightful fungus.
- ·
The
Shaggy Ink Cap or the Lawyers Wig in different stages of
maturity.
Courtesy of Andrew Burns
Courtesy of Ian Hodgson
Courtesy of Phil Aylen
- Our members
- in a different stage of maturity
Courtesy of ian Hodgson
Thanks for another excellent outing Martin.
The
Little Stint was a real bonus – boosting most members’ year list count and the
show put on by the Gannets was superb!
Species List:
|
Name:
|
Count
|
|
Name:
|
Count
|
|
Bearded Tit
|
1
|
|
Linnet
|
40
|
|
Black-headed Gull
|
2
|
|
Little Egret
|
41
|
|
Black-tailed Godwit
|
3
|
|
Little Grebe
|
42
|
|
Blackbird
|
4
|
|
Little Stint
|
43
|
|
Blackcap
|
5
|
|
Long-tailed Tit
|
44
|
|
Blue Tit
|
6
|
|
Magpie
|
45
|
|
Brent Goose
|
7
|
|
Mallard
|
46
|
|
Buzzard
|
8
|
|
Marsh Harrier
|
47
|
|
Canada Goose
|
9
|
|
Meadow Pipit
|
48
|
|
Carrion Crow
|
10
|
|
Moorhen
|
49
|
|
Cetti's Warbler
|
11
|
|
Mute Swan
|
50
|
|
Chiffchaff
|
12
|
|
Oystercatcher
|
51
|
|
Collared Dove
|
13
|
|
Pheasant
|
52
|
|
Common Sandpiper
|
14
|
|
Pied Wagtail
|
53
|
|
Coot
|
15
|
|
Pintail
|
54
|
|
Cormorant
|
16
|
|
Pochard
|
55
|
|
Curlew
|
17
|
|
Raven
|
56
|
|
Dunlin
|
18
|
|
Redshank
|
57
|
|
Dunnock
|
19
|
|
Robin
|
58
|
|
Egyptian Goose
|
20
|
|
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon
|
59
|
|
Gadwall
|
21
|
|
Rook
|
60
|
|
Gannet
|
22
|
|
Shelduck
|
61
|
|
Goldcrest
|
23
|
|
Shoveler
|
62
|
|
Golden Plover
|
24
|
|
Siskin
|
63
|
|
Goldfinch
|
25
|
|
Skylark
|
64
|
|
Great Black-backed Gull
|
26
|
|
Snipe
|
65
|
|
Great Crested Grebe
|
27
|
|
Sparrowhawk
|
66
|
|
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
28
|
|
Spoonbill
|
67
|
|
Great White Egret
|
29
|
|
Starling
|
68
|
|
Green Woodpecker
|
30
|
|
Stock Dove
|
69
|
|
Grey Heron
|
31
|
|
Stonechat
|
70
|
|
Grey Plover
|
32
|
|
Swallow
|
71
|
|
Greylag Goose
|
33
|
|
Teal
|
72
|
|
Herring Gull
|
34
|
|
Tufted Duck
|
73
|
|
House Sparrow
|
35
|
|
Turnstone
|
74
|
|
Jackdaw
|
36
|
|
Water Rail
|
75
|
|
Jay
|
37
|
|
Wigeon
|
76
|
|
Kestrel
|
38
|
|
Woodpigeon
|
77
|
|
Lapwing
|
39
|
|
Wren
|
78
|
Species count = 78
