Recent Sightings
January 2008
While wader numbers fell somewhat in comparison to December, January still found good numbers of several species on the reserve. On the Beach Reserve, Flat Beach Level held up to 1700 Golden Plover, 550 Dunlin and 215 Curlew, while at Castle Water Lapwing (below)numbers peaked at around 800 mid-month, and up to 423 Oystercatcher and 160 Sanderling roosted on the Shore Ridges. Other notable wader sightings during the month included a Jack Snipe flushed from the Quarry on the 20th, a Bar-tailed Godwit on the shore on the 1st, and Green Sandpiper on several dates.
On Long Pit, the Long-tailed Duck and pair of Scaup were still present during January. Also on Long Pit up to 20 Pintail, six Goldeneye, a Smew and a Red-crested Pochard, as well as a Pochard x Ferruginous Duck hybrid which had many birders excited and exasperated in turn! In addition, over 120 White-fronted Goose flew over the Beach Reserve on the 16th, the highest number recorded at Rye Harbour since 1979, while up to 14 Grey Partridge were present on Harbour Farm. Offshore, activity picked up somewhat in comparison with December, sightings including 200+ Common Scoter, up to 150+ Razorbill and Guillemot, 33 Gannet, 28 Red-throated Diver and small numbers of Brent Goose and Fulmar. The highlight however was a Black-throated Diver on the 8th. The good numbers of waders and wildfowl present on the reserve during January continued to be very attractive to the local raptors. Both Marsh Harrier and Merlin were regular throughout the month, with the occasional Peregrine also taking advantage of the abundant prey, while a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier was reported over Harbour Farm on the 29th. In addition, a Long-eared Owl was present intermittently at one of the regular roosting sites, and there were several sightings of Barn Owls during the month.
Passerine highlight was yet again the Shore Lark (above, image courtesy of Reg Bell), which appeared towards the end of December last year and was present throughout the month, feeding happily with up to 65 Skylark at the eastern end of the Beach Reserve. Overwintering Chiffchaff were recorded in several places during the month, while a small flock of Bearded Tit was present at Castle Water on the 13th. At Castle Water on the 28th a Firecrest was present in the scrub near the viewpoint, a Dartford Warbler was in scrub by Narrow Pit on the 30th, and small numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing were also recorded.
Again there was little in the way of invertebrate activity during the month. However, while running the moth trap during the month turned up a blank, one or two Light Brown Apple Moth did come to lighted windows at Lime Kiln. In addition, up to two Common Seal (below) were present during the month, one even venturing beyond the sluice gates into the River Brede, while a Brown Hare was present on Harbour Farm.
