Eastbourne - 2024 | Birding Beaumonts

EASTBOURNE 2024

4th October - West Rise Marsh

54 species today at West Rise. Lots of GULLS

were on the lake including the first CASPIAN of

the autumn, a few COMMON and a

MEDITERRANEAN.

SWALLOWS were almost constantly wafting

overhead, and a single WHINCHAT was at the

beehives.

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3rd October - Beachy Head

Excellent weather today for once - blue skies, fluffy clouds and little wind. I had a rare wander around the headland early morning which was teaming with SWALLOWS and MEADOW PIPITS flying past, and dozens of CHIFFCHAFFS were milling along the hedgerows. My first (distant) BRAMBLING of the autumn was heard and a GREY PLOVER flew high overhead, calling four times, although it, too, remained invisible. Along the track down to Longdown was a single WHEATEAR and a couple of obliging STONECHATS.

2nd October - Hampden Park & West Rise Marsh

Early morning in the park was nice but nothing

out of the ordinary - a good number of species

including GREY WAGTAIL and MISTLE THRUSH,

and CHIFFCHAFFS were everywhere.

A short stop at West Rise in the afternoon

produced more ordinary stuff, although great

to see a couple of MEDITERRANEAN GULLS

on the water with the others, long time no see...

24th September - West Rise Marsh

52 species today including a GREAT EGRET, SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, WHINCHAT and, best of all, a rare JAY in a tree by the entrance gate.

17th September - Hampden Park

EVP7 was back again with the other BLACK-HEADED GULLS this morning but bird of the day was a WIGEON swimming around the pond, a patch tick! A smart LESSER WHITETHROAT was near the skate park.

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16th August - West Rise Marsh

Birds of the day were a small group of 5

YELLOW WAGTAILS near the buffalo shed,

incredibly the only ones I've seen here all year.

A WHEATEAR was in the same area.

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12th August - West Rise Marsh

A few MAGPIES were hitching rides and nibbling away on the backs of sheep this morning. Small numbers of HOUSE MARTINS were clearly migrating overhead, although I could only find one lonely-looking SWIFT. 2 COMMON SANDPIPERS and a GREEN SANDPIPER were flighty around the lake where many GULLS were hanging about, including a YELLOW-LEGGED one.

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10th August - Hampden Park

Interesting to see another ringed BLACK-HEADED

GULL this afternoon at the pond. This one is called

EVP7 and has an additional (much smaller)

ring on it's left leg.

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6th August - West Rise Marsh

Best bird today was a WOOD SANDPIPER which

called in the distance as I walked through the

entrance gate and, a few seconds later, flew

overhead northeast towards Pevensey.

There were quite a few DUCKS on show including a

group of 14 GADWALL, and LITTLE GREBES

have suddenly appeared again after a very long

absence (2 yesterday and a group of 5 today).

4th August - West Rise Marsh and Hampden Park

Nice walk around the marsh early doors - these 3 CATTLE EGRETS were a surprise, flying northwards in a hurry and showing no signs of landing, and a distant WHEATEAR, the first of the autumn, sat for ages high on a distant pylon and had a good look around.

In the afternoon, at Hampden Park, it was great to find, at last!, a BLACK-HEADED GULL asleep at the duckpond and sporting a ring (CVP7). Will find out soon, hopefully, what it's been up to in life.

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24th July - West Rise Marsh

Excellent start to the day with this super PURPLE HERON flying around high over the site looking for somewhere to land, eventually passing quite close, going over the lake and pitching down at Lotty Pool. Visibly nervous and wary, though, it shortly flew off and probably landed again somewhere, but me and Al (who was also there today and saw it) couldn't find it anywhere after that.

2 COMMON SANDPIPERS and a SNIPE were seen, but paled into insignificance...

19th July - West Rise Marsh

DUCK numbers have been slowly edging up recently with handfuls of POCHARD and TUFTED DUCK now on site, and a new arrival this morning was this excellent GARGANEY swimming around in the close company of 3 GADWALL.

18th July - West Rise Marsh

Fantastic views of 2 juvenile BEARDED TITS this

morning as they slowly nibbled their way along

the edges of the dyke behind Lotty Pool.

Another YELLOW-LEGGED GULL was on the lake

and 2 GREEN SANDPIPERS were feeding on a

shallow muddy pool alongside the Langney Sewer,

the only half-decent speck of wader habitat

available these days. Hopefully the levels will drop

soon with the hotter days ahead...

14th July - West Rise Marsh

Excellent views of 3 juvenile BEARDED TITS and a smart-looking MARSH HARRIER briefly circled, the first in a very long while.

A COMMON SANDPIPER flew low across the lake where more and more juvenile gulls are turning up - this morning saw another 2 YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS in the mix.

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10th July - West Rise Marsh

Recently BLACK-HEADED GULLS have started

appearing in numbers, flying over westwards

in small groups, and for the second day running

there were one or two MEDITERRANEAN GULLS

sneaking in amongst them.

There were 52 species seen or heard today

including 2 nice juvenile YELLOW-LEGGED

GULLS, loosely together out on the water, and a

close HOBBY.

About 30 or so SAND MARTINS appeared

intermittently.

8th July - West Rise Marsh

48 species today was good going, the best bird

probably a scarce GREENFINCH singing and

songflighting in the northwestern corner.

There was a fairly good number of GULLS, a pair

of POCHARD and a couple of juvenile BEARDED

TITS pinging close in.

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3rd July - West Rise Marsh

Very cloudy this morning but quiet and still with not

a puff of wind, luvely.

There's been a dearth of DUCKS over recent weeks

but today a couple of SHOVELAR showed up, along

with a pair of POCHARD and a single GADWALL.

The adult PEREGRINE was perched on his favourite

pylon again (for the third day running) and at least 1

BEARDED TIT was pinging from the reeds.

Best bird today though was this juvenile YELLOW

-LEGGED GULL which, unlike the usual nervous

and flighty gulls in the middle of the lake, was

happy to just stand for ages on Fisherman's Point

and let people and dogs pass closely by.

1st July - West Rise Marsh

A flighty GREEN SANDPIPER was about this morning and a flock of 18 BLACK-TAILED GODWITS flew eastwards over the Sevenoaks Road.

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29th June - West Rise Marsh

A briefer-than-usual walk around early this morning: some great SWIFT action with birds coming down low to skim the lake, and this CATTLE EGRET was a surprise, leaping up from the grasses where cattle were grazing.

28th June - West Rise Marsh

Been quiet these past few days but an OYSTERCATCHER

flew in and there were a small number of juvenile

SAND MARTINS flying over the lake.

There were 6 adult GREAT CRESTED GREBES

this morning but none of the pairs has produced

any young so far - I'm thinking maybe that MINK

are to blame?

24th June - West Rise Marsh

The bubbling call of a CURLEW through the early morning mist was a great start to the day. There turned out to be 2 of them, both eventually flying together northwest overhead towards Hampden Park.

21st June - West Rise Marsh

Once again it was all happening at the Lotty Pool: yesterday's GREAT EGRET was still there and performing much better, stomping around and catching numerous tiny fish out at the back of the pool. Maybe the fish were just a bit too tiny, as our bird didn't stay very long and was last seen as a speck flying strongly southwest towards Beachy Head.

And the pair of nesting COOTS nearby had a terrible time - at one point the bird on duty suddenly left the nest, calling in alarm as a MINK swam across the water towards it, hitched up onto the nest and left just as quickly with a stolen egg in it's mouth. I think that nest is doomed...

20th June - West Rise Marsh

This was the view across Lotty Pool this morning where a pair of COOTS has decided to build a nest right in the middle. This is to be their second brood, the first lot as big as the adults now and swimming around near the nest, although apparently not helping out much.

Other good news from here was the sight of a GREAT EGRET flying about and landing in the reeds, out of sight there at the back.

19th June - West Rise Marsh

A nice early morning wander with Al today: as I

walked into the car park a low flying CURLEW went

right over my head, and later we found a family

party of BEARDED TITS and had good views of a

juvenile at Lotty Pool. Another baby bird out and

about was this cute-looking BLACKBIRD, and no

doubt one of it's siblings was hidden close by and

making these unfamilar calls.

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00:00 / 00:29

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11th June - West Rise Marsh

A nice leisurely stroll around early morning - a wonderful lack of wind for once. Nothing exciting to report except for impressive numbers of SWIFTS (easily over 200) zooming around low over the lake and surrounding fields, brushing so close at times that wingbeats were heard. I could only find a single HOUSE MARTIN though.

10th June - West Rise Marsh

A surprise to find the 2 OYSTERCATCHERS there again this afternoon, and great views of a HOBBY hunting insects over Lotty Pool.

30th May - West Rise Marsh

A fantastic morning, finding this super RED-

RUMPED SWALLOW careering low over the lake

amongst a large swarm of SWIFTS and hirundines!

I assumed it would hang around a while but it

unfortunately disappeared after just a few

minutes, drat!

Just enough time, though, to get a photo.

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23rd May - Hampden Park & West Rise Marsh

There were two singing FIRECRESTS again in the park this morning and the baby LITTLE EGRETS are finally standing up for themselves and getting bolder. In the afternoon it was pretty quiet at West Rise until I noticed this OSPREY (a much-needed patch tick) circling away to the northeast.

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21st May - West Rise March

It was cold, cloudy and grey early this morning out at West Rise before the rain arrived. Fascinating to watch this small tingling pyramid of CANADA GOOSE goslings, all piling up on top of each other in an effort to keep warm. The weather brought down lots of SWIFTS and HOUSE MARTINS which were roaming low around the lake, but the first HOBBY of the year was apparently not interested and dashed straight through.

12th May - Birling Gap

A really good seawatch this morning with POMARINE SKUAS on the move - a total of 15 went through before 09h30, by which time activity had died down and a heat haze was kicking in. 3 BLACK and 6 LITTLE TERNS were spotted in amongst distant packs of COMMIC TERNS scurrying low, and 5 MANX SHEARWATERS were also quite a way offshore.

Star bird though today was arguably Terry the TREE SPARROW, who arrived very recently and was there again this morning with the HOUSE SPARROWS around the cafe - it's a major bird for Beachy.

10th May - West Rise Marsh

47 species this morning on a nice early wander, including these 2 GREENSHANKS which flew around a bit, had a look and carried on by - with the high water levels these days there's little chance waders will land on site. An exception is COMMON SANDPIPER which is always quite happy to run around on the low, grassy banks, and there was a group of 6 such birds today, a record number for me.

Great views of a few BEARDED TITS today, and a singing CUCKOO and LESSER WHITETHROAT were year ticks for West Rise.

9th May - Beachy Head

Not a lot going on out at sea early this morning - like a millpond it was in the windless conditions. A few SCOTER and BAR-TAILED GODWITS were moving though, and a shifting line of 60 godwits, high in the sky, was quite impressive. After that I wandered up the track to Cornish Farm with all its singing SKYLARKS and CORN BUNTINGS. From here this QUAIL, a county first for me, was heard singing briefly in the distance!

8th May - West Rise Marsh

Lots of RED KITES are moving at the moment - there were 9 this afternoon going high to the northeast, and there were at least 14 doing the same yesterday.

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30th April - Birling Gap

With the end of that blasted northerly and a shift

to light southeasterlies, and milder, warmer

weather, there were high hopes of a "Pom Day"

today at Birling: but alas it was not to be. Can't

really complain though - there was a handful of

them along the south coast and fortunately one of

those birds, a super pale morph with spoons, was

spotted by Sean on our second seawatch of the day

as it careered around in the distance after a

HERRING GULL. It was pretty good seawatching

with a fair few ARCTIC SKUAS, a GREAT

NORTHERN and 2 BLACK-THROATED DIVERS,

and no less than 4 GREAT SKUAS (as many as

there were all last spring!).

In the late afternoon a stroll up to Cornish Farm

produced corking views of several singing CORN

BUNTINGS.

29th April - Hampden Park

Grainy record shot here of my first ever GREAT

BLACK-BACKED GULL on site here, a surprise find

on the playing fields in the early morning

before any dogs and dogwalkers arrived.

It was a good morning actually - 43

species seen including my first SWIFT of the year.

There are apparently two REED WARBLERS at the

pond, and a FIRECREST is singing.

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19th April - West Rise Marsh

Incredibly another OYSTERCATCHER put in an

appearance this morning (or maybe it was one of

Tuesday's birds?)...it flew in calling and spent an age

flying round and round the lake, low over the water,

looking for somewhere to land.

Around the buffalo shed was a small band of 7

WHEATEARS, sticking very much together, and a

couple of WHINCHATS (my first of the year) were

tagging along.

Surprisingly few hirundines about at the mo (just a

couple of SWALLOWS today).

2 COMMON SANDPIPERS on site.

18th April - West Rise Marsh & Cuckmere Haven

Nice wander around West Rise this morning, although for the second time this week I had the tricky job of avoiding the newly-arrived herd of cows (or are they bulls?) which meanders menacingly all around the marsh. There were 2 smart-looking WHITE WAGTAILS on site, a PEREGRINE sat on its favourite pylon, more groups of MEDITERRANEAN GULLS flying high overhead, and the first HOUSE MARTIN of the year.

Later in the morning I made another failed attempt for the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER that's still at Cuckmere Haven. In order to avoid parking charges the trip involved parking at Birling and then doing the long, knackering, up-and-down walk along the clifftops...at least the weather was good.

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16th April - West Rise Marsh

2 OYSTERCATCHERS on a flooded field were a real surprise this morning (patch tick!). Again, not much on the lake but a distant group of about 25 MEDITERRANEAN GULLS flew northwest, calling en route, and SEDGE and REED WARBLERS were singing.

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14th April - Hampden Park

I was there early enough today to get close to two vocal TAWNY OWLS, and at first light a drake MANDARIN was a surprise find on the pond. Bird of the day though was easily this CUCKOO, a patch tick, which called on 3 occasions but remained invisible.

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13th April - Beachy Head and Hampden Park

Early morning at Birling Gap proved to be a waste

of time with no wind, and sea like a mill pond. A little

later Whitbread Hollow produced my first

WHITETHROAT and LESSER WHITETHROAT of the

year, and a BLACK REDSTART was singing from the

cliff edge.

During a short walk around the lake at Hampden Park

in the late afternoon, two RED KITES meandered

slowly overhead. LITTLE EGRETS and GREY

HERONS are busy at nests now on the central island.

12th April - West Rise Marsh

There's a different feel to the place right now - there's warmer, drier, weather and an empty look to the lake (almost all the ducks have gone). BUZZARDS are about again, and summer migrants are appearing in dribs and drabs. Today's star birds were this BARNACLE GOOSE (although "plastic" to some I'm having it as a patch tick!) and at least 3 singing SEDGE WARBLERS, just in today from Africa.

Yesterday's 3 WHEATEARS were still there at the buffalo shed, and there were another 4 running about on the fields beyond the Langney Sewer. An invisible REED WARBLER was singing, and a very nice MARSH HARRIER flew low overhead.

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10th April - Hankham

Drove the short distance to Hankham near Pevensey this afternoon in search of the reported HOOPOE, which duly obliged in a field not too far from the side of the narrow country road. It seemed very content to be there, feeding for ages in a tiny area of grass, visibly wet with a good supply of worms and grubs which were downed with relish.

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23rd March - Hampden Park

No birding really today, but whilst sitting on the

garden step with a mug of tea this smart WILLOW

WARBLER, my first of the year, suddenly popped

up in a nearby bush, in the close company of a

CHIFFCHAFF.

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22nd March - West Rise Marsh

The first WHEATEARS of the year were near the buffalo shed this morning, and my first BLACKCAP could be heard tacking at the car park.

21st March - West Rise Marsh

It was cold and misty out at the marsh this afternoon. The first SAND MARTINS of year were racing over the water and flocking up and disappearing for periods in the mist - it was quite difficult to see whether there was just one large group or whether several groups were migrating through. There was a huge group of MEADOW PIPITS over the fields behind Lotty Pool, at least 120 I'd say, all wisping around and never landing. A large number of preening GULLS were settled in a field, including this 2nd cycle YELLOW-LEGGED GULL.

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20th March - Cuckmere Haven

I've got this thing about not twitching anymore - what a

waste of time and money! However today, on a wonderously

warm and sunny spring afternoon, I finally cracked and drove

(with Al) the few Kms down the coast for the long-staying

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER that's been hanging around for last

6 months or so. Unsurprisingly we could not locate the little

blighter, but it was a thoroughly agreable afternoon, and this

distant SPOTTED REDSHANK was a nice find along one of the

muddy creeks.

18th March - Birling Gap & West Rise Marsh

A pretty unproductive seawatch early doors with Richard - just a few small flocks of BRENT GEESE going through, conveniently high up and in lines which made counting easier. One or two RED-THROATED DIVERS also, a few sitting on the sea.

At West Rise later in the afternoon I was happy to see a bunch of 4 BEARDED TITS diving down into reeds, the first I've seen in ages. My first SWALLOW of the year was picked up, racing low over the water.

14th March - Birling Gap

Another seawatch early with Chris, James, Laurence

and Richard. The wind was more southerly than

yesterday and there were far fewer BRENT GEESE

and BLACK-HEADED GULLS on show. They were

still both migrating though, and occasionally the

odd DUCK could be spotted sneaking in with the

geese, like this single GADWALL here.

Unlike yesterday there were plenty of

RED-THROATED DIVERS moving east.

13th March - Birling Gap

Spectacular seawatching early from the Gap this morning with 3365 BRENT GEESE moving east in a 3-hour spell, exciting stuff and, according to Richard, the highest ever morning count from here. There wasn't much variety though, it was basically geese and BLACK-HEADED GULLS (at least 877) that were hurrying along in flocks, with hardly any ducks or divers or auks.

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10th March - Sovereign Harbour

Rain all day today! In the early morning me and Sean chanced a short trip to the northern section of the harbour where the fabulous long-staying BLACK-THROATED DIVER was there again, giving excellent views (Sean's best photo here for the record).

Made a short stop on the way back at West Rise but gave up quickly as the rain set in - a nice array of DUCKS on the lake, including a lonely-looking GADWALL.

8th March - Birling Gap

Two very different mornings at Birling: yesterday was all go, with a few flocks of BRENT GEESE, interspersed sometimes with SHOVELER, COMMON SCOTER, SHELDUCK and PINTAIL (and a distant flock of those appears above). A fine MEDITERRANEAN GULL went east along with small numbers of COMMON GULLS, and the first migrating SANDWICH TERN of the spring appeared close offshore.

Today, however, the wind was a stiffer easterly, and it was colder and all totally different - not a single goose in sight, and nothing else either apart from this tight group of TEAL going east.

5th March - Sovereign Harbour & Darwell Reservoir

The BLACK-THROATED DIVER which I saw last week has now moved slightly east, to the northern section of Sovereign Harbour, where I managed to find it just after daybreak in the pouring rain. Great views again before it flew off high towards to sea. Another target today was GREATER SCAUP, a bird I haven't seen in over 30 years. 3 of them have been at Darwell Res for a while and so I drove there with Al later in the morning. After a long slog in the rain through the forest, sloshing about along poorly marked tracks, we eventually got to the water's edge where we found the birds swimming about contentedly, half hidden behind an annoying wall of tangled branches.

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29th February - Princes Park

Absolutely brilliant views of the reported BLACK-THROATED DIVER this morning down at Princes Park Lake. At one point it was just yards away and could be heard calling, but by the time I'd rushed to the car and back with a sound-recorder it had flown off over the houses towards the nearby sea...drat ! Luckily it returned a little later (it obviously likes the place) and swam around more distantly.

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19th February - West Rise

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Good birding early doors in spite of the grey, cold and windy weather. Once again a MEDITERRANEAN GULL flew over towards the coast but there were no large gulls gathered out on the lake, where a lonely-looking drake GADWALL was looking on at a small group of WIGEON and POCHARD.

A fine RED KITE battled slowly southwest against the wind, getting briefly harassed by a RAVEN on the way. And just as the first rain shower arrived one of the WATER PIPITS suddenly dropped in close and gave some rare good views.

15 February - Birling Gap & West Rise Marsh

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An agreable seawatch with Richard and Laurence early doors but nothing much happening, in spite of a favourable southeasterly blow. Plenty of RED-THROATED DIVERS were flying east though, along with quite a steady stream of COMMON GULLS.

In the early afternoon I made a good decision to try West Rise, which turned out to be quiet and sunny with no wind, and wonderously free of dog-walkers. A couple of WATER PIPITS were flushed, and this lovely CASPIAN GULL was amongst a small gaggle of gulls on the water.

12 February - West Rise Marsh

A nice afternoon stroll around the marsh: it all felt rather spring-like with 3 calling BUZZARDS swirling around together in a blue sky and the first singing CHIFFCHAFF of the year. There was a good array of ducks on the lake including plenty of TEAL and 9 GADWALL, and this SHELDUCK flew off and away from one of the flooded fields.