Lewes Brooks and Swanborough

The footpath between Iford and Lewes isn’t one I’m familiar with, so with the nearby RSPB reserve looking productively soggy I thought it was time for a visit. There are decent views (if not smells) from the path where it runs behind the sewage treatment works at Swanborough. From here most of the flood can [...]

Goosanders at Arlington Reservoir

Two redhead Goosanders again at Arlington Reservoir yesterday morning (Chris Barfield, SOS sightings). I couldn’t find them between 9.30 and 11am today – just four Tufted Duck, around 20+ Wigeon, half-a-dozen Teal, a few Yellowhammers, one Reed Bunting and a female Bullfinch.

SEOs at OEP

Two Short-eared Owls at the Ouse Estuary Project, Newhaven yesterday afternoon. (Peter Wilson, per SOS sightings). Also recently, up to four Goldeneye at Arlington Reservoir (along with double figures of Wigeon and Shoveler) and a (presumed escape) Swan Goose on Lewes Brooks.

Egyptian Goose etc

A walk along the river from South Heighton up past Piddinghoe this afternoon proved quite interesting. Fourteen Greylag & two Canada Geese in field alongside Piddinghoe Pond were the first Geese I`ve seen in the valley this year,a drake Shoveler on the pond itself, a pair of Wigeon flushed from a section of the old [...]

Glynde Reach in the gloom

A couple of hundreds Lapwings, lots of thrushes, 4+ Common Buzzards, Wigeon and Little Egret. Full report on Firle Birds.

Cuckmere counts + Hen Harrier @ Glynde

From Paul Stevens on Tuesday: Nothing unusual, but the west side of the lower Cuckmere Valley held 26 Curlew, 30 GBB Gulls, 80 Wigeon, 5 Redshank and 1 Kingfisher. Today at Glynde, the first local Hen Harrier of the season, reported by James Grover (SOS sightings).

Lower Cuckmere 18.09.2008

September 18th: walk up the lower Cuckmere valley from Chyngton Barn to Exceat and back. Most excitement for the jackdaws which successively mobbed, over 2 to 3 hours, a couple of kestrels (3 seen in all), 2 hobbies, 2 sparrowhawks and a raven. The wigeon have returned with about a dozen near one of the [...]