Castle Water evening

A lovely sunny and calm evening at the Castle Water hide with hundreds of common ducks - Gadwall, Shoveler, Mallard Pochard, Tufted and Teal - including some courtship from the newly feathered males. Also, a few late Swallows and hunting Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier and Barn Owl (photo). All close to the hide. This hide is showing its age and will soon be refurbished - keep an eye on www.WildRye.info for notification on dates of closure.

Rye Harbour

Apart from the usual suspects that have appeared in recent posts highlights over the past few days have included 2 Red-breasted Merganser flying low over shore ridges, a Slavonian Grebe gave close views sitting on the sea out from the old lifeboat house. At least 80 Skylarks have been present feeding around harbour farm, 3 Swallows passed overhead at the wader pool and 25 Brent Geese were lingering on the new saltmarsh area. At Castle Water several small flocks of Fieldfares and a few Redwings have been present around the hide and the southern end pf the main pit. The fields at the nortern end of the main pit (castle farm) have attracted 6 Ruff, 400 Lapwing, a Wheatear and a few Brent Geese.

Ash dieback

The media and politicians appear to be whipping up a storm of "action" against this "new" disease, but in his article - click here - Tony Whitbread (Chief Executive of the Sussex Wildlife Trust) concludes... "In the end I suspect that the only sensible course now is to let nature take its course and try to encourage a new generation of resistant ash trees."

Snow Bunting

 A Snow Bunting has been on the shingle at Pett Level (opposite the pools) for a few days and was reported by John Humphries. (Still present on 3rd.)

Large Lobster

A very large Lobster was washed up on the shore at Winchelsea Beach yesterday. The claws were missing, but the length of the shell was 48cm, so must have been quite old.