Rye Harbour waders

Lade - 0600hrs - sunny, warm, sw 4 - A stunning morning with blue skies from the off and a much fresher feel following yesterday evenings thunderstorms. Plenty of common moths in the Skinner, including Oak Eggar and whilst emptying the trap a Grey Wagtail flew over the garden heading south, a very early migrant as they`re not usually expected until the end of next month -  and new for year! Now, where`s that year list...

                                Oak Eggar, Lade


Rye Harbour NR - We spent most of the morning at Rye with Mrs PT (I think after 40 years she`s actually showing an interest...) looking for waders where we eventually rattled up 12 species, including passage Whimbrel, Greenshank, Ruff and Common Sandpiper on the lagoons down towards Harbour Farm. On Flat Beach it was good to see Avocet, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Redshank with well grown young where also 55 Dunlin, Curlew, LRP and Ruff. On Ternery Pool 65 Redshanks at roost on the islands, while an unseasonal Red-breasted Merganser was noteworthy.
On the tern front it appeared that the Sandwich Terns had deserted the main island on Ternery Pool, although we did see four adults and two juvs on Flat Beach where plenty of Common Terns seemed to be faring well. From the John Gooder`s hide 18 Little Terns counted but apparently they too have failed to breed successfully again due to a shortage of small fish or sand eels. Also noted Med Gull, Kestrel, Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, Whitethroat, Mipit and Skylark around the site.
As always a pleasure to visit, and we look forward to many more visits for shorebirds as the season progresses.

                               Common Terns, Rye

                               Red-breasted Merganser, Rye

                                            Lesser Burdock, Rye