An enjoyable day today scooping up various yearticks local to me. I started at Newhaven Harbour but a bait digger there meant no Gulls, and nothing in the harbour at low tide either. Splash Point only produced an adult
Mediterranean Gull and a few
Gannets in a short visit. The west side of the Cuckmere is now looking very good with plenty of water about, and this has resulted in many birds hanging around, mainly many small Gulls but today did also produce a
Black-tailed Godwit and four
Shoveler, whilst the three ever present
Barnacle Geese and single
Brent Goose remain.
The
Black Guillemot was easy to find in Sovereign Harbour, as were two
Water Pipits at West Rise Marsh, but typically being very flighty.
Pevensey Levels were next and I started off at Horse Eye Level where I decided to step into a puddle that actually went up to my waist, as well as submerging half of my scope. After ringing out my socks and tipping the water out my boots, I carried on the squelchy walk. A
Water Pipit was seen slightly better here, and two
Marsh Harriers showed well. Little else here so I drove up to Lookers Cottage and stayed until dusk with Chris Ball where we enjoyed prolonged views of the
Hen Harriers, a
Short-eared Owl,
Great White Egret and a
Kingfisher.
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| Black Guillemot in Sovereign Harbour |
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| Cuckmere 'Brooks' |
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| Pevensey Levels |
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| views over the Austrian Alps yesterday |
