With Dungeness being quiet and beautiful weather it seemed perfect for a bike ride around Rye Harbour. I chucked the bike into the back of the Chelsea tractor and parked up at Jurys Gap at 07.45 and set off at very gentle pace, stopping and scanning at all the small pits up to North Point. It's amazing how many birds you here from a bike that you miss from the car. Numerous Reed and Sedge Warblers and a surprising amount of Cetti's Warblers, Mediterranean Gulls mewing overhead Lapwings in the fields and Marsh Harriers hunting. From Northpoint to Rye and to Harbour Road and on to the new floods. It was low tide so few waders 3 Avocet, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank and 4 Oystercatchers. Along the seafront access road Little Terns were tooin and froing with Sand Eels for there mates, not sure how many pairs but at least a dozen. On to the Ternery Pool which gave great photo opportunities.
Hundreds if not 4 figures of Black Headed Gulls many now with chicks.
Dozens of Mediterranean Gulls probably more hidden at the back of the islands.
Most of the Sandwich Terns were on the back Islands but this one posed infront the hide.
Numerous Common Terns gave excellent photographic opportunities.
As did this Redshank posing in front the hide.
From the Ternery Pool it seemed like a good idea to carry on to Pett Pools. On the way more Terns another Marsh Harrier hunting near RM Canal and few other bits and pieces. Once at Pett Pools it seemed a good idea to carry on up to the Pannel Valley Which was fairly productive with a minimum of 4 Common Buzzards another Marsh Harrier, 2 eclipse drake Garganey, a Little Ringed Plover, c40 Avocets, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers and 2 Hobby's. I finished up at the Pannel Bridge hoping to see the Glossy Ibises but no luck. I made my way back to Winchelsea and then out to the Castle Water hide. From the hide another hunting Marsh Harrier and a pair of Garganey were the only birds of note. By this time my legs and arms ached I was sore in a few places and still had at least another 8 miles to cycle to the car. I gradually made my back with frequent stops for drinks and Ice Creams eventually reaching the car at c15.00. As I fell in the car I got a text from CT about a Red Crested Pochard at Springfield Bridge, as I was only a few minutes away I went to have a look. Fortunately MH was there to point out where it had buried itself in the vegetation. After about half an hour it came out and swum across the lake.
sounds like a really nice bike ride - a lot better than mine to work - although Pett Level to Pannel Valley must have been a bit rough? Can you read the Med Gull's colour-ring? I saw two white on greens on the Adur in 2010 which had been ringed on Elbe Estuary, none since though.
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