Bexhill - 30th December

Early this morning I spotted a Red-throated Diver fairly close in on the sea at Bexhill-on-Sea. Later in the day it started to drift in even closer until it finally decided to sit on the shingle. By this point it seemed to be struggling a little and had even appeared to go under the waves a couple of times before coming out of the sea. We called the East Sussex Wildlife Rescue Ambulance Service (WRAS) who responded quickly and very impressively arrived about 45 minutes later from Brighton. The bird appeared generally ok but was apparently underweight. Later they found that it also had a problem with its left eye. It is now being cared for by WRAS and you can follow its progress on their Facebook page.

Red-throated Diver

Red-throated Diver

Red-throated Diver

Red-throated Diver

Red-throated Diver

Cuckmere Haven - 29th December

At Exeat Bridge in the car park by the pub I watched a Kingfisher and Little Egret working the same patch of the river and finding many small fish to eat.

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Little Egret

Little Egret

Rock-a-Nore - 28th December

I am not an expert but it seems that the Fulmars at Rock-a-Nore in Hastings are currently performing an interesting pre-nuptial dance whereby the males fly close to the females seated on the rocks and then 'hover' for a few seconds before going around for another repeat circuit. Perhaps this is all part of the social bonding that these birds are well known to adopt since they apparently stay together for many years.

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmar

Bexhill - 26th December

A windy morning with several Gannets passing by off the sea although none came particularly close and the light was generally poor.

Gannet

Gannet

Rye Harbour - 24th December

A very cold day at Rye Harbour NR. Upon arrival there were few waders visible from the Gooders Hide, courtesy of a peregrine which was zipping around and causing havoc. Later the Golden Plover, Lapwings and Oystercatchers all returned to their usual places. Other highlights were 4 Brent Geese, several Shelduck and some Little Egrets. Further round on the circuit we found a confiding Redshank feeding in one of the gullies. 

Golden Plover in flight

Golden Plover

Redshank

Redshank

Later a brief stop at Pett Level was rewarded with ca. 15 Ruff, some Curlew and an Egyptian Goose.

Curlew

Egyptian Goose

Ruff

Ruff

Bexhill - 20th December

The conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn is a very rare event, last occurring 400 years ago and next scheduled in 800 years time. At the conjunction these two planets come close together before their orbits take then apart again. I though I would have a go at trying to photograph this phenomenon with my hand held camera and 400mm telephoto lens. I had to increase the ISO speed to its highest rating but just about got a picture where you can make out Jupiter and its moons with the elliptical shaped Saturn above. 

Jupiter with four of its moons visible and Saturn above.

Splash Point & Newhaven - 12th December

My first trip to Splash Point which is at the eastern end of the promenade in Seaford, East Sussex, where the cliffs start to rise before dropping again at Cuckmere Haven. I had read that this was a good place to see Black Redstarts and sure enough as soon as I arrived I found two female type birds on the sea front. They seemed oblivious to the passers by, many of whom stopped to look at them and take pictures with their i-phones. Further up on top of the cliffs there was an equally photogenic Raven.

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Raven

Raven

Later I drove to the west pier at Newhaven where there were two Fulmars sitting on the cliff face and a Rock Pipit on the pier.

Pair of Fulmars

Rock Pipit

Rye Harbour - 22nd November

A cool cloudy day at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve where the highlight was undoubtedly the large (several hundreds) flocks of Golden Plover which periodically took off in groups for an aerial display, often flying very high and in formation, before landing and then repeating the manoeuvre. On the beach, when the tide went out, there were mixtures of mainly Dunlin, Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover with the occasional Grey Plover. On the way back a brief stop at Pett Level provided an opportunity to get close to a Little Egret.

Dunlin

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Little Egret

Bexhill - 4th to 19th November

The combination of variable weather and multiple online Zoom meetings meant that opportunities for photographing birds were limited. However, Bexhill-on-Sea often provides interesting sunsets, sunrises and other weather related visual spectacles and there are always gulls and other common birds to be seen when walking along the promenade.

Herring Gull at Galley Hill

Herring Gull at Galley Hill

Rainbow over the Delaware Pavillion on 4th Nov

Sunset on 4th Nov

Sunset on 19th Nov

Horseshoe Plantation & Combe Valley - 22nd October

Another warm late October day encouraged a Comma to bask in the sunshine at Horseshoe Plantation. Several Corn Buntings singing on the west side of Belle Tout Wood together with a male and female Stonechat. At Shooters Bottom there were several Chiffchaffs and Goldfinches.

Comma

Corn Bunting

female Stonechat

male Stonechat

Early afternoon I drove to Crowhurst and walked into Combe Haven where I found two Clouded Yellows and a Small White near the lake where there is a small meadow with flowers including Hemp Agrimony. On the lake were several Shoveler and Wigeon.

Clouded Yellow

Small White

Galley Hill, Bexhill - 14th to 19th October

Considerable visible migration during the week with pulses of goldfinches flying east in groups of ca. 25 every 15 minutes or so, occasionally interspersed with small groups of Redpolls. Also hundreds of Swallows, with some House Martins, gathering around the house and hotels on the seafront preparing to depart. The highlight at Galley Hill was a Northern Wheatear which first appeared on the 14th October and then stayed around until the 19th. It proved to be extremely approachable as it fed on worms and crabs in the sand at the foot of Galley Hill. A very smart Stonechat was present on the 15th with a few Meadow Pipits and six Turnstones.

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

male Stonechat

Turnstone