Tuesday 14th January 2025: Pett level and Dungeness

 We departed from Shoreham at 7AM with a group of thirteen SDOS members for our inaugural overnight minibus trip, meeting three others at our destination, who had made their own way across. Our first stop was at Rock-a-Nore, nestled beneath a cliff at the end of Hastings seafront, where a strategic toilet stop offered the opportunity to get the ball rolling with a Fulmar tick. It didn't take long for us to locate a single bird huddled on the cliff, and before long a few more traversed the rockface, stiff white wings, fringed with grey borders lending an elegant air to their flight.

A smattering of small birds were feeding in the vegetation on the roadside bank, the highlight being a Firecrest found by Tim, although few in the group managed to get onto this.  A Buzzard perched on a ledge gave excellent views.

Common Buzzard (David Park)

With a full day planned, we didn't linger too long, and continued on to the wonderful open terrain at Pett level, with a glorious mosaic of reed-lined pools and damp grassland stretching out in front of us, and the sea wall rising behind. The sun was shining, bathing the landscape in warm light. In this beautiful setting the birds came thick and fast, with Curlew and Lapwings spattered across the grass, and a flock of feral Barnacle Geese munching enthusiastically very close to the road. A Kestrel posed on a nearby gate post, whilst a beautifully marked male Marsh Harrier hawked across the reeds. We got the scopes out and were soon able to find small groups of Redshank and Dunlin busily feeding amongst the larger waders. As we surveyed the landscape, more Curlew flew in, their evocative calls filling the skies as they circled round to join their peers, adding to the wonderful atmosphere of this rather special place.

Kestrel (David Park)

Marsh Harrier (David Park)

Lapwing (David Park)

On the pools we found a good variety of wildfowl, with the morning sunlight enhancing their magnificent plumage features - bronze-headed Teal, ghostly grey Pochard with contrasting conker-brown heads, beautifully marked Wigeon blazing bold golden-striped foreheads, and brightly coloured Shoveler sporting chestnut sides, dark green heads and ridiculously oversized bills. A diminutive powder puff Little Grebe bobbed gently in the centre of the water. and a good number of Coots rested on the grassy bank.

Little Grebe (David Park)

With the sea and beach bereft of birds, we continued on our way, pausing briefly at Scotney gravel pits, where we added Egyptian Goose and Rook to our increasing tally. From here we drove on to meet Sue at the ARC hide at Dungeness nature reserve. Alongside the regular ducks, we found a couple of elegantly poised Great Egrets, feathers gleaming in the bright sunshine. A pair of up-ending Shelduck were in the middle of the lake and amongst a raft of Tufted Ducks, a drake Goldeneye played hard to get, with  frequent dives as we tried to get everyone in the group onto him. Eventually we had success, and a few distant Gadwall added to the mix, before we departed. A quick loop around the boardwalk proved birdless save for a single Wren, so we drove across to the main reserve.

Great Egret (David Park)

A short walk from the track to New Diggings, rewarded us with great views of several Goldeneye, including a group of two males and four females, making a mockery of our hardworking efforts from the last hide! The other highlight here was a female Long-tailed Duck which showed well for everyone, with a Great Crested Grebe and soaring Great Egret powering towards us all adding to the mix. Some were lucky enough to see an iridescent Kingfisher flash past, sadly too quick for me! Next we headed for Dennis' hide by the car park where we ate our lunch overlooking Burrowes Pit. A Great Northern Diver was the star bird here, and the whole group enjoyed excellent scope views.

Suitably refreshed, we headed for Hookers Pit, a short walk to a mound overlooking a reed bed and watery channels.  As we approached, a group of Long-tailed Tits were feeding in the bushes. Here we spent several minutes observing a cluster of nine Bearded Reedlings, acrobatically feeding on a narrow strip of reeds just a short distance from us, giving incredible views, for this notoriously tricky bird. This was a definite highlight of the trip, and a lifetime tick for many in the group.

Bearded Tit (David Park)

After drinking in this wonderful sight, with time pressing on, we dragged ourselves away to scan the distant flocks of geese near Boulderwall Farm, where we managed to identify a few White-fronted Geese, white-blazed bills and black banded patches on their bellies just visible though the scopes. Canada Geese and Little Egret added to our growing list.

 By now it was mid- afternoon, and with sunset at around 4.30PM we piled back onto the bus and headed out to Walland Marsh, driving through a maze of narrow country lanes till we located a flock of Bewick's Swans, obligingly resting fairly close to the road, and allowing a close inspection of their distinctive yellow and black bills. A bonus here was a small flock of Golden Plover, which entertained us with a brief, yet mesmerising murmuration across the field to settle on a pool of floodwater, their soft golden mantles and bold white bellies sparkling  in the evening glow. A fitting finale to a great day's birding in good company with over seventy species seen.

Bewick’s Swan (David Park)