Great White Egret at Glynde

A Great White Egret reported from Glynde this afternoon (via Birdguides) – “in creek north of railway, south of Ranscombe Lane early afternoon”.

Osprey over Firle and Glynde

An Osprey low over the A27 at Firle, heading towards Glynde, at 6.20pm this evening (via Firle Birds).

Crane departed?

Several observers saw the Piddinghoe Crane fly off strongly to the North at around 10.30 on Saturday morning, and it wasn’t reported again all day. Will those of us who left our pilgimage to see it a little late (in my case about 2.5 hours after the last sighting) regret it?

The Ouse valley can seem rather birdless: a walk from Southease up to Rodmell and back for Paul Stevens and me on Saturday afternoon produced five Common Buzzards in the air at once, a single Corn Bunting and one Cetti’s Warbler (in the usual spot at Beddingham) but not much else.

In partial compensation, plenty of reports of Red Kite over the past few days, from Firle, Glynde and Lewes.

Green Sand at Glynde

A Green Sandpiper at Glynde Reach, east of the Bridge last Thursday (Kevin Burns, via Firle Birds) – first record for the season.

Caburn Raven and Glynde White-fronts

A walk between Lewes and Glynde today was almost birdless, but a Raven acrobatically outmanoeuvring the local Jackdaws was good.

On Glynde Levels, six White-fronted Geese were reported (Alan Kitson, SOS site) – presumably an augmented version of the party of five seen there and at Arlington Reservoir sporadically over the past three weeks.

Glynde Reach and Levels

No report of the Great Grey Shrike at Glynde Reach since Friday, but continued attention to the area has turned up some other good birds (if not all as remarkable as the Great White Egret on New Year’s Eve).

Today, Paul S and I saw a male Blackcap beside Glynde Bridge, and a Common Snipe and two pairs of Stonechats along the Reach (via Firle Birds).

Meanwhile, there were 60 Golden Plover and a Barn Owl seen on Glynde Levels by Alan Kitson and Miou Helps (via SOS site).

Great Grey Shrike at Glynde

A Great Grey Shrike seen at 2pm yesterday in Glynde by James Grover: “Showing well in large hedgerow by river on the northeast side of the village.” (via SOS)

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).