Cuckmere Haven 25/1/17

A quick jaunt down the Cuckmere before work wasn't too bad. I walked the east side with only a flushed Water Rail being of note. A quick look out at sea produced a good flow of Divers and Auks heading east. On the return route I scanned over to the west side and checked the Gulls and was not overly surprised to find a juv. Glaucous Gull (two birds being present at Arlington yesterday). Just as I started walking off having photographed this individual, a second Glaucous Gull appeared flying up river, which then turned around and settled close to the first individual. When I left an hour later both birds were still present although other Gulls were constantly heading off north, presumably to Arlington. The Barnacle Geese were also still present.

 first Glaucous Gull

the second and much smaller Glaucous Gull, though unfortunately not small enough

Newhaven Heights 23/1/17

A morning of freezing fog was enough to get me on the cliffs hoping for some coastal 'winter movement', but there was little if anything moving through. However, the same field that I had encountered plenty of Buntings last year was yet again full of birds. The majority of which were Skylarks, but also stacks of Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings and Linnets. I just wonder if a stray Pine Bunting could be mixed in with this lot, and I'll certainly keep looking through these birds just in case there is.

Estimated totals are as follows:

Skylark - 250
Corn Bunting - 150
Linnet - 150
Reed Bunting - 75
Meadow Pipit - 10

 Corn Bunting

 Reed Bunting

 looking back towards Peacehaven undercliff

 Newhaven Heights - a frosty crop field holding several hundred birds, most of which can easily be viewed along the hedgeline along the right side of this photo

Budapest on Tuesday - a lovely sunset with temperatures at a chilly -8 celcius

East Sussex 21/1/17

Another brilliant day out in the east of the county. The main target for the morning was to see the Lapland Buntings behind Scotney GP, and these were found with ease despite them being very mobile......at least they were easy to pick up with their distinctive flight call. All the Geese were still present which as always were a treat to see. I quickly stopped at Jury's Gap and found two Velvet Scoters offshore and then went to see the Red-necked Grebe again. A long walk around Rye produced just a Bittern of note, a quick stop at Pett produced yet more Geese, and much closer to home at Newhaven Harbour a superb Merlin flew through.

Yesterday I arrived at Burton Mill Pond before first light, and I'm pleased I did as at 7.02 the Bittern flew out of its roost. This did however only provide me my worst views ever of a Bittern as only a brown smudge flying around was the only feature I managed. Later on I eventually caught up with the long-staying Great White Egret.

Highlights for today are:

Lapland Bunting - 2 Scotney (back pits)
Tree Sparrow - 3
Tundra Bean Geese - 4
Pink-footed Geese - 4
Velvet Scoter - 2 off Jury's Gap
Red-necked Grebe - 1 at Camber
Goldeneye - 1 drk on Long Pit
Bittern - 1 Castle Water
Bearded Tit - 5 Pett Levels
Pink-footed Goose - 1
White-fronted Geese - ca. 20
Merlin - 1

 Lapland Bunting at Scotney GP

 Bittern at Castle Water

distant Great White Egret at Arundel WWT - 20/1/17

Newhaven Harbour 18/1/17

With reports of a severe RTC in Seaford my plans for visiting the Cuckmere were ruined, so I went to Newhaven Harbour instead finding yet another first-winter Caspian Gull on the beach. Very little else about.

a very leggy first-winter Caspian Gull at Newhaven Harbour late morning

Splash Point 17/1/17

An ok seawatch this morning between 8.15-9.15 produced the following going east unless otherwise stated:

Auk sp - 545 

Razorbill - 180 

Guillemot - 2

Common Scoter - 18

Red-throated Diver - 3 + 12W

Brent Goose - 7

Gannet - 9

Newhaven Tide Mills 16/1/17

I had just arrived at the Cuckmere and started scanning a small group of Gulls when Paul James kindly phoned me saying he had re-found the male Serin at Tide Mills. I quickly gave up on the Gulls (nothing there) and headed straight there seeing it straight away. The bird was constantly singing and seen showing well on the deck.

male Serin at Tide Mills

Pett, Scotney & East Grinstead 14/1/17

A semi-relaxing day with Paula was planned in the east of the county, but as usual the birds ruled the day and it turned into a bit of a rush. Pett Levels was first where the normal Geese were present. News then came through of a single Waxwing at Fairlight, and despite getting there 10 minutes later there was no sign so we continued onto Scotney. More Geese and a Black-necked Grebe at the Sussex end, and annoyingly a Great White Egret was just inside the Kent border.

Back at Northpoint news came through of a flock of Waxwings in East Grinstead. We contemplated the idea over a sausage sandwich and hot chocolate at a café in Rye Harbour. I cracked and 90 minutes later we were watching a superb flock of Waxwings, that roughly half hour later took off not to be seen for the rest of the day. A walk around Gill's Lap after produced just a few Redpolls.

Highlights today are:

Pett

Taiga Bean Geese - 5

White-fronted Geese - 15

Marsh Harrier - 1

Scotney GP

Tundra Bean Geese - 3
White-fronted Goose - 18 (17 on back pit)
Black-necked Grebe - 1
Great White Egret - 1

East Grinstead & Gill's Lap
Waxwing - 33
Redpoll - 7

 2 Tundra Bean Geese at Scotney

 single White-front & Beans at Scotney

33 Waxwings at East Grinstead - surely not the last flock this winter, but good to get them out the way