Wednesday 5th June 2024: Tide Mills and the South Downs

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 We started our day at Tide Mills, with a lovely walk in warm sunshine alongside the creek, producing some enjoyable bird sightings. Whitethroat were everywhere, pirouetting into the skies in their characteristic manner, and singing cheerfully from the tops of bushes. Dunnock were also plentiful, and several Wrens sang boldly from prominent branches. A Kestrel perched on a ruined wall, and nearby a stunning male Stonechat posed on top of a tall bush. A beautiful moth resting on a rock caught our attention, and on our return we identified this as a Cream-spot Tiger, a new moth species for me. 

Kestrel
Cream-Spotted Tiger Moth

In the damp grassland adjacent to the river, several pristine male Reed Buntings looked magnificent in their breeding plumage and a noisy Sedge Warbler returned frequently to a shrub beside the path and poured forth its jaunty song. A Cetti’s Warbler, with wide fanned tale, ducked into a bush, but failed to sing or call, possibly not wishing to give away a nest location.

On the creek, a few Herring Gulls and Little Egret were the best we could muster, rather disappointing in comparison to previous visits.

As we returned along the river, vibrant Linnets toured the scrub, and a fluffy, young Song Thrush skulked deep in a bush. 

Linnet

From here we drove to Southease station and set off for a 5 mile walk, starting beside the river before heading up to the downs. Reed Warblers were heard but not seen, with Reed Buntings being more obliging. At some muddy pools, we found several families of Moorhen, and unexpectedly, a pair of Red-legged Partridges. Amongst the hedgerows we encountered Goldfinches and Greenfinches, as well as Chiffchaff and a female Blackcap. 

As we descended through some arable fields, a pair of Yellowhammer were feeding on the path, somehow our first of the year! We picnicked here and had several more sightings as they flew across the fields. Finally on our final descent towards Rodmell, a single Swift flew into view, twisting and revealing its typical and definitive scythe shape.


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