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Monday 7th September 2026: Red-necked Phalarope at West Rise Marsh, Eastbourne

- September 07, 2026

After a morning of chores, I managed to persuade Tim to take a little trip out to West Rise Marsh where a Red-necked Phalarope had been reported. This is not a bird we see every year, with most of our previous sightings having been fleeting and distant, mainly in June. When we arrived, I instantly spotted the tiny bird in the adjacent corner of the lake. It was quite windy, making the water choppy, and it had possibly been pushed towards the shore by these conditions. However, for us this was advantageous as it gave some brilliant close views, and good photo opportunities. As is often the case at this time of year, it was a juvenile bird, with beautifully coloured markings on the back and pristine white underparts save for a pinkish flush around the shoulders. The bill was thin and pointed, enabling it to dart at insects on the water surface. At times it stuck its head forwards to drive rapidly across the water. We were treated to just one flight view when a Herring Gull appeared ...

Monday 31st August: Curlew Sandpiper at Venus Pools

- August 31, 2026

We travelled with Kate to Venus Pool where we thrilled to find this rather lovely Curlew Sandpiper feeding on the mud. It was initially elusive, obscured by vegetation, but as both we and the bird repositioned ourselves it eventually showed very well. This was a juvenile bird, tinged with a subtle pink flush and pronounced supercilium in excellent light until the rain poured down! Curlew Sandpiper Other highlights here included a couple of Common Sandpipers, which looked very diminutive when compared to the robust and longer-legged Curlew Sandpiper. This Common Snipe also posed obligingly directly in front of the hide. Snipe One bird many locals were also hoping to see was Turnstone, with a pair having been reported in recent days. These were not present today. It made me very aware of the geographical differences in bird populations - being on the coast I see Turnstones on our local estuary almost daily, but a Shropshire Dipper would be a stunner for me, as these do not occ...

Sunday 30th August 2026: Long-tailed Shrike

- August 30, 2026

We finally made it to Gloucestershire, diverting from a family visit in Bicester, to catch up with the long-staying Long-tailed Shrike, a stray bird normally found in Asia. With reports on Birdguides that it had almost completed it's moult and would likely depart once its tail feathers were fully grown, it had been an anxious few days hoping it would not depart before we could get there. So it was some relief to discover it had been reported before we departed from Bicester in the morning. It took around 40 minutes to drive to the car park, which was surprisingly busy with birders considering how long the bird has been there. It was a 5 minute walk to the hedgerows where the bird was located, and what a beauty it was. We had sustained, clear views as it moved around various perches in the hedgerows and swooped onto prey on the dry grassland before returning to its post. It had certainly been worth the drive! On arrival there were rumours of a possible Montagu's Harrier over ...

Fridy 21st August 2026: Chantry Hill

- August 21, 2026

We discovered last week that Sue had never been to Chantry Hill, so took a walk up there this morning, Initially it appeared fairly quiet, with a hint of an autumnal nip in the air perhaps reducing activity, and certainly the chill was a shock to the system for us after weeks of sweltering weather! As we approached the dewpond things began to improve, with a beautiful golden Yellowhammer highlighted by the morning sun, glinting at us from a berry laden bush. A flock of Linnets meandered across chirruping noisily. On the pond were a family of endearing duckings about a week old, and in a nearby bush a female type Kestrel perched on a leafy bush. Kestrel Passing some agricultural fields, Tim managed to morph a couple of lumps of rock in the stubble into Grey Partridge hunkered down. Overhaed a Red Kite drifted lazily across and a pair of Ravens crooked across the valley. Kestrels were everywhere, with at least six seen, seemingly hovering over every field we passed. Grey...

Wednesday 16th August 2026: Thorney Island

- August 16, 2026

We led a group of 23 Sdos members on an outing to Thorney Island today, including several for whom this was their first event. So it was a little disappointing after weeks of dry weather to start our walk in the rain! We set out along the easy side of the island, not lingering due to the weather. passing plenty of tempting elderberries and tasty blackberries, but no birds feeding in the wet conditions.Arriving at the Thorney Channel, we looked out over an expanse of mud, which I had hoped would be full of birds. It was not! We wandered along the track in dismal light, but gradually the rain eased and it began to brighten, and we began to find some birds. Redshanks fed on the mud close to the channel, with a number of Curlew, with their top-heavy bills a little closer to us. A Whimbrel was here too, noticeably smaller and with a shorter and less curved bill, and the red bills of several Oystercatchers stood out in the gloomy conditions. In the channel Little Egrets strutted and a G...

Monday 10th August 2026: Migration hunting on the Monarch’s Way

- August 10, 2026

At this time of year any downland walk offers the prospect of migrating birds passing through and pausing their journeys to feed up on the hedgerows, where berries are plentiful, or to search for insects amongst the fields. Late this afternoon along the Monarch’s Way SE of Beeding Hill, we observed a group of at least three very mobile Whinchats plus a number of smart Wheatears perched very visibly on fence lines alongside resident Stonechats and Linnets. There were few warblers seen, these possibly more active in the morning, when we were busy with visitors. Brushing by the close scrub along the track, we were putting up clouds of butterflies, mostly Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers feeding on the bramble, but many Clouded Yellows patrolling the path were a delightful bonus. Whinchats

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