24/10/2026

Great Northern Diver off the fishing boats this morning, shame about the appalling morning light there.

I wasn't expecting to be at the fishing boats long this morning due to weather conditions and the appalling early morning light. Although there was not much sea passage going on there was some visible migration of Finches, Pipits and a few Larks notably 3 Wood Lark thanks to Steve Gales timely radio message. Off shore a Great Northern Diver was feeding close in which is quite unusual here, also at least 4 Red-throated Divers were feeding among the many Cormorants and a single Great-crested Grebe, 66 Gannets moved west with 8 Kittiwakes and a Little Gull, a few Auks were tooing and froing along way out. while 8 Turnstone were gleaning the shoreline, 2 Swallows departed out to sea.

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

Red-throated Diver

As I arrived at Hanson hide this afternoon the apocalyptic rain started, so i decided to count the Shoveler, I got to 532 though there must have been many more I could not see, a Bittern gave a brief flight view and the colour ringed Wigeon was still present. On Burrowes 2 Godeneye and a Greenshank were the highlights.

 

23/10/2026

 An excellent mornings sea watching thanks to storm Austen watching from the relative shelter of the fishing boats, once the eye passed through the wind came from a Northerly vector curtailing the fun as passage appeared to move far out to sea. Some of the Leach's Petrels were close in, as were a Sooty and the Manx Shearwater, also the juvenile Pomarine Skua which was beating up Kittiwakes. Normally I would have tried to photograph them but I deliberately left my camera in the car, because of the rain and sea spray and also the danger of of rogue waves, one of which took Steve Gale by surprise leaving him with cuts, very wet and a slight loss of dignity.

Near adult Yellow-legged Gull

Back at the fishing boats for an hour this afternoon at low tide. On the beach a Yellow-legged Gull and a debatable Caspian Gull, while at sea apart from many Cormorants and a few Gannets abolutely nothing else.

1w Caspian Gull, though it doesn't seem to be pure to me

20/10/2026

Some of the 380 Little Gulls that passed the fishing boats this afternoon

As soon as the weather improved the passage ended as they appeared to move further out to sea,

 
Owen, Richard and myself were in the sea watch hide when Jacob called on the radio 5 Bean Geese heading for the new lighthouse, by the time we tumbled out of the hide they were heading out to sea, which is my excuse for such a poor image of them.

There 4 Black Redstarts along the perimeter wall this morning

There was smattering of Redwings and Ring Ouzels around this morning, though I only saw a single Ring Ouzel departing rapidly West. At least 4 Woodcock were seen alas not by me.

My first Goldcrest of the autumn

There was no sign of yesterdays of Yellow-browed Warbler, which I failed miserably to photograph.

Lot of Chiffchaffs around

18/10/2026

The highlight of my day staring out to sea today was the return of Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV for its 7th winter at the fishing boats.

The last few days birding on the peninsula has not been great, especially if like me your hearing is going and eye sight not as sharp, basically getting old. Fortunately I have been catching some rather nice moths.

Merveille du Jour probably one of the most attractive moths, not annual in my trap

A colourful Vestal one of 6 in the trap this morning

Palpita vitrealis one of 6 in and around the trap this morning good numbers trapped this year

Bordered Straw quite scarce this year

  Scarce Bordered Straws are still occurring daily

Small Mottled Willows are still daily in the trap

Male Gem quite scarce this year

Female Gem

Chestnut not annual in my trap

Dark Chestnut not annual in my trap

 

14/10/2026

A chilly wander in the early morning fog around south of the TA, a few bits going over but very little grounded, highlight was seeing the Tree Sparrows being released with their new bling.

One of the Tree Sparrows trapped by Jacob & Charlotte this morning

I can't cycle past without taking a quick snap

Another cycle around the Scotney complex, 6 Turnstone on the eastern lake shore were unusual, also 6 Ringed Plover out in the back ploughed fields which might be Tundra birds, however most of the time out there was very quiet avian wise. 

I came back via Springfield Bridge where 1 caught up with the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper found by Barry, Gary & James, also 3 Grey Plover and 2 Dunlin and 11 Cattle Egrets there.

One of the many Razorbills off of the fishing boats this afternoon

Sanderling and Dunlin past the fishing boats yesterday

12/10/2026

Todays excellent sea watch

Juvenile Long-tailed Skua that flew west this morning behind the sea watch hide over the power station

Juvenile Long-tailed Skua over the power station

Brent Geese migrating West along the beach at the fishing boats

Gannets off the fishing boats

Common Scoter off the fishing boats

Red-throated Diver off the fishing boats

11/10/2026

It's a 4 mile cycle ride mostly along an excellent cycle path to The Midrips from my house. The cycle path allows me stop and scan the Scotney Pits and also the the fields of Walland Marsh, so the 4 miles can often take me a couple of hours with many stops.

The Midrips Pools, East Sussex

As is usually the case I was the only person there. When the MOD are firing there is strictly no access for obvious reasons, they do sometimes fire from 8.00-23.30 though usually they are finished by 16.30, they do post all the coming firing times at the various entrances to the ranges. The Midrips however is difficult to access in fact almost impossible if you are infirm. At low tide you can take the steps onto the beach and walk along the beach to access, how ever at high tide it is a dangerous scramble over the sea defence rocks which can be very slippery and dangerous as Steve Gale can attest to, which is why I am almost always the only person there. I do have to padlock my bicycle to the fence outside as I cannot get it over the rocks.

This juvenile Merlin was just about to land on the concrete walkway on the sea wall when it suddenly realised I was standing there, it wuickly powered off over the beach and away, another superb experience for me.

Juvenile Merlin powering away over the beach

Juvenile Merlin powering away over the beach

As well as the Merlin, Grey Plovers, Knot, Dunlin, Golden Plovers, Oystercatchers, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Redshank, Curlew, Brent Goose, Sandwich Terns, Stonechats etc were seen.

Grey Plovers coming into the pools to feed and rest