Rye Harbour

Rye Harbour - 1030hrs - mild, overcast, s 2 - Together with SB from Dunstable we did the five mile circular walk around Castle Water, down towards the beach by the Mary Stanford lifeboat station and back through the beach reserve, knocking up a pretty tidy list with a decent range of wildfowl, waders and passerines. From the viewpoint at Castle Water, Bearded Tit, Cetti`s Warbler, Goldcrest and Chiffchaff noted along the edge of the reedbed, plus Stonechat. Goldfinch and Linnet on the walk around to the hide, plus a flyover Bittern and two Marsh Harriers. From the hide plenty of common wildfowl and Lapwings on the water, Snipe and Water Rail in the reedbed and a perched Peregrine in a dead tree.

                                 Lapwing and Teal, Castle Water

                                  Peregrine, Castle Water

                                Teal, Castle Water

En-route to the beach loads of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins, Dunnocks and Wrens in the bushes, plus 20 Fieldfares, two Siskins over, Linnets, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Stonechats and a pair of Bullfinches. Passing the western end of Long Pits five Goldeneyes noted. The beach reserve was packed out with Lapwings, Golden Plovers, Curlews and the like while a Spoonbill and Spotted Redshank showed well on the pool by the caravan park.

 

                                Spoonbill, Beach Reserve

Hawthorn Corner - On the way home we crossed the Marsh checking the fields, but in truth there was very little of note until we turned the bend in the lane by the model flying club to be confronted by an enormous mixed flock of Fieldfares and Starlings. Approaching the junction birds were everywhere and it was quite a sight with over 1,000 birds plundering hawthorn berries.
A spectacular end to another great day in the field.