PLODDINGBIRDER

Thursday, 19 February 2026

19/02/2026

With a cool northerly blowing this morning I gave the sea watch a miss. A wander around Scotney saw 1,000+ Golden Plover, 500+ Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpipers, Curlews, Redshanks, Ringed Plovers but I couldn't find the American Wigeon or any wild Geese.

Walland Marsh was much the same but again all the Grey Geese seem to have moved on.

At Cockles Bridge the 2 adult Whooper Swans were still with the Mute Swans and at least 14 Cattle EWgrets were in the triangle.

Juvenile Whooper Swan and parents at the back of the sand pit Jurys gap this morning

1w drake Scaup on Scotney from the double bends

35 Bewick swans on Walland Marsh today

Little Owl, Lydd

Female Sparrowhawk, Walland Marsh

Tree Sparrows on Walland Marsh today

The Lesser Whitethroat still present today

Wednesday, 18 February 2026

18/02/2026

A Mediterranean Gull battling against the strong SE wind today

07.15-09.30 & 12.00-14.00 from the hide with JS, SF, RW, OL, JY, SB. Wind a biting ESE 6 Temp 6º,

Brent Goose: 2E

Shelduck: 4E

Teal: 6E

Velvet Scoter: 6W
Common Scoter: 5E 2W

Red-necked Grebe: 1 landed on sea and drifted West. (Jacob and Charlotte only)
Great-crested Grebe: 16E 60 Present

Oystercatcher: 22E

Curlew: 1W

Dunlin: 20E
Kittiwake: 39E
Black-headed Gull: 63E
Common Gull: 78E
Herring Gull: present
Great Black-backed Gull: present

Razorbill: 91E 17W
Guillemots: 1812E 2W
Auk sp: 91E 17W

Red-throated Diver: 295E 2W
Fulmar: 3E
Gannet: 49E 2W
Cormorant: present no count

Peregrine: 1 present

Harbour Porpoise: 3 present

Grey Seal: 1 present

On the way back from the early morning sea watch I stopped at Cockles Bridge where there was 2 Whooper Swans with some Mute Swans in the fields opposite the bridge. In the triangle 14 Cattle Egrets and 3 Little Egrets were feeding.

After breakfast a short excursion to Scotney where 1,000+ Golden Plover were on the sward, along with 17 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew, 18 Redshank and 500+ Lapwing. c250 Wigeon were in the pool but I couldn't find the American Wigeon.

While having a quick coffee before going back to the sea watch hide the Lesser Whitethroat was feeding under the Camelias in my garden.

Tuesday, 17 February 2026

17/02/2026

Sea watching the last few days has been rather Ground Hog Day like, so today with a cold NW wind blowing this morning I gave the sea watch a miss to spend more time with Lesser Whitethroat.

From reports I heard it was a good decision, a couple of Dartford Warblers were seen around The Point along with the odd Firecrest and Chiffchaff. There were no reports of Geese, Swans and the American Wigeon.

A plywood tray placed under the feeder to catch a poo sample

Today was the Lesser Whitethroats(halimodendri) 50th day in the garden, so I spent the whole day staring at the feeders watching it, hoping it would provide me with a poo sample. I placed pieces of ply under the feeders to catch any poo sample, unfortunately the bird had other ideas and used it as a handy table to feast on the the spilt Sunflower chipsHERE

The Lesser Whiethroat

The first Great Spotted Woodpecker of the year in the garden

Lesser Whitethroat and Goldfinch

Jackdaws are frequent at the feeders

Plenty of Goldfinches were visiting the feeders

Friday, 13 February 2026

13/02/2-26

The highlight of another very slow sea watch was watching a Herring Gull swallow a Dogfish whole after a bit of struggle.

Herring Gull about to swallow a Dogfish

08.00-09.00 from the hide with RW, Wind SW 2, Temp 10º, Misty
Brent Goose: 4E
Common Scoter: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 2E 1 Present
Kittiwake: 4E
Black-headed Gull: Present
Common Gull: present
Herring Gull: present
Great Black-backed Gull: present
Guillemots: 2E
Auk sp: 61W 6E
Red-throated Diver: 26E 48W
Fulmar: 1E 1W
Gannet: 4E 14W
Cormorant: present no count

There were no reports of the Tundra Bean Geese or Pink-footed Geese but they could well be out on Walland somewhere.

A fairly thorough search of Scotney by various locals couldn't find the American Wigeon, but it would not surprise me if it turns there again or on the reserve.

There was no sign of yesterdays flock of Cattle Egrets in the Horse Paddock this morning

Tree Sparrow on Walland Marsh

The family of 3 Whooper Swans still residing in the field behind the Jurys Gap sand pit, East Sussex today

My daily Lesser Whitethroat image

Good to be getting several Green finches on the feeders

Nadine, the neck collared satellite track Bewick Swan is still residing on Walland, just lately SW of Hawthorn Corner, the rest of the herd seems to still be at Ashentree Lane/Hook Wall.

Wednesday, 11 February 2026

11/01/2026

07.30-10.00 from the hide with OL,RW, JY, CP. Wind SW 3 Temp 8º. Drizzle
Brent Goose: 161E (3 flocks)
Wigeon: 2W
Common Scoter: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 1E 2W
Oystercatcher: 6E
Kittiwake: 19E 13W
Black-headed Gull: Present
Common Gull: present
Herring Gull: present
Great Black-backed Gull: present
Razorbill: 37W
Guillemots: 8W
Auk sp: 65W
Red-throated Diver: 7E 17W

Fulmar: 2E 1W
Gannet: 4E 28W
Cormorant: present no Count
Harbour Porpoise: 2 present
Grey Seal: 2 present

After a rather poor sea watch, a disappointing long wander around the Walland Marsh Lanes, I could only see 31 Bewick Swans though others could be down in the dips, also no sign of any of the grey Geese, possibly because several Anglers were were wandering around the Hook Wall fields. The lanes held a few Yellowhammers and Tree Sparrows, I didn't see a single Fieldfare and only 3 Redwing. While I was at Scotney the family of 3 Whooper Swans were still in the field at the back of Sand Pit.

Richard and John saw 3 Caspian gulls on the reserve between them and seemingly not a lot else.