Friday 9 January 2009

East Sussex

Survey work at Offham Marshes was quite productive following a hard overnight frost. Three different Woodcock were flushed and 5 Snipe flew up from one of the newly created ponds. A Water Rail was heard calling by the railway embankment where there were also 2-3 Bullfinches. Other birds included Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a party of Long-tailed Tits.














I then went to Glynde where the Reach was still completely frozen. Despite walking at least a mile along the river, there was no sign of the Great Grey Shrike, just a Buzzard, 2 Kestrels and 10 Fieldfares. Arlington Reservoir was also almost completely frozen. On the ice there was a family of 5 White-fronted Geese (up until midday only), 19 Greylags and what I assume was a Greylag x Canada hybrid. A small area of open water held 27 Great Crested Grebes while a scan through the gull roost produced an adult Mediterranean Gull. A Little Grebe and a piebald Coot were also seen but there was no sign of the recent Red-throated Diver. Late afternoon there were 2 Lapwing on the Holmbush roundabout at Shoreham!

No comments:

Post a Comment