Bexhill

Any visit to Bexhill, that avoids high tide, practically guarantees good views of Turnstones.

Large numbers of Gulls can also be seen. Years ago I identified my first Great Black-backed Gull here.

I am fairly sure that the second bird on the right is a Caspian Gull. The erect posture and clean white head suggest this. Annoyingly, I only noticed this when I got home.

Patch: Late November

The storms of a week ago did a pretty good job of stripping the leaves from all but the most sheltered of trees. Certainly the scarp woodland is completely bare. This highlights the Ivy, the ferns and the occasional young Yew Tree.

Wrens and Robins are noisy and highly visible on the lower slopes. Up on the Downs, Dunnock and Goldfinch seem to be everywhere. Gorse, looking great in the sun, is the only plant flowering, but it has lost its spicy coconut smell.

Bare Ash, with Ivy clearly visible.

The unexpected sunshine was a real bonus, as I made my way south to the extensive area of scrub above Beachy Brow. I was hoping to see some Greenfinches, a species that has eluded me recently. After some looking I was lucky.

In the excellent light these large finches looked marvellously green, like small parrots. Walking north along the ridge, I passed Foxholes Brow. The whole area has been extensively mown recently, which reveales the impressive ditch around the Barrow there. It is almost possible to imagine it as a small henge.

The colourful stalks of dead Rosebay Willowherb. Combe Hill can be seen through the trees.

Descending down what must have the old East Bourn to Jevington route, there was a fallen Ash over the path. It was heavily covered in Ivy, which must have caught the wind during Storm Angus.

Flowering Gorse.

Down in Further Plantation a few Sycamores still held some bright yellow leaves, everything else was bare. Some of the Yews are massive and their green foliage means they now dominate this patch of ancient woodland. I was pleased to spot a small Laurel.

A Goldfinch.

Goldcrests, Great Tits, Wrens, Blackbirds, a Treecreeper and about half a dozen Redwings, feeding in a Yew tree, were all busy in the wood. Stock Dove live in this area too, and I saw one in the top of a Beech tree. The wood is still quite dry underfoot.



Cuckmere Valley

After storm Angus the wind was still strong on Tuesday. Large numbers of Canada Geese and Wigeon were present in the meadows. These were still quite dry despite recent rain, with only a few pools having formed.



A huge roost of Lesser Black-backed Gulls took off and quickly landed further down the valley.

Several Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails, a Snipe, a Fieldfare and a Lapwing were also present.

Bramblings at Old Lodge

After storm Angus blew itself out I returned to Old Lodge to see the Bramblings.

This is a cropped image of the photo below. It contains 7 Bramblings.

There are at least 12 in this image.

The birds were feeding with Chaffinches in the leaf litter under a row of Beech Trees. There were easily 50 of them.

Another, rather blurry image of the feeding Bramblings.

A distant Brambling.

They were very flighty and nervous, making it very difficult to approach. Added to that the light was poor and the birds were very quick moving.

Ashdown Forest looks marvellous in the Autumn. The orange leaves of the Oaks are currently dominating the landscape. Saw a group of 9 Fallow Deer.

Old Lodge is currently being grazed by Konik Ponies. Interestingly I saw 3 Exmoor Ponies with the herd.

Yellow Stags-horn Fungus.

Slavonian Grebe

An absolutely beautiful morning at West Rise Marsh Eastbourne, with marvellous golden light.

I soon found the reported Slavonian Grebe and managed to get quite close. Only my second sighting of this species.

West Rise Marsh is a fantastic place. Water Pipit, Jack Snipe, Bearded Tit, Water Rail and Marsh Harrier are regular. I have also seen Bittern, Ruff, Yellow Wagtail, Smew, Long-tailed Duck and Red-rumped Swallow. In winter, the calls of wintering Teal are magical on an icy morning.

Mallard and Cormorant.

Caspian Gull

My first self-found Caspian Gull today, in the Cuckmere Valley north of Exceat Bridge on the large meander.

This second winter bird was larger than the nearby Herring Gulls. It held its neck high, though not in this photo. The gently sloping forehead, clean white head with the long straight beak are indicative features.

A lovely Little Egret on the meanders south of the bridge.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Arlington Reservoir.

A delightful Song Thrush in the back garden, lightening up a Saturday that had been dominated by rain and the norovirus.

Long-tailed Duck at West Rise Marsh

After my first Long-tailed Duck, at Cley during half-term, I had a second chance to see one much closer to home.

A Coot, demonstrating courtship behaviour with some pond weed.



A lightning lunchtime visit, in glorious sunshine, was successful.

A distant record photo of the Long-tailed Duck.

I also saw Bearded Tits and a Kestrel, and heard a calling Cetti's Warbler.

Gadwall, in wonderful afternoon light.

Old Lodge

I managed a brief walk here, hoping for some exciting birds.



Other than a distant flock of possible Crossbills and a possible Twite I had no luck. I had to console myself with some marvellous Autumn colour.