I went to Pett Level, in part to see if I could see the Russian White-Fronted Geese that had been seen there of late; I didn't see them. But when I was in the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, I visited the Denny Hide on Castle Water, and finally saw the Black-Necked Grebe which I knew had been around for quite a few months. Another birder pointed it out to me, as he saw it in his spotting scope; which will tell you something of how far away it was. Prepare to be a little disappointed with my photos of it! They aren't very good photographically (they are very indistinct). But I am not disappointed with them; they are records of an enjoyable experience.
All the photos in my blog posts are designed to record significant experiences (the beauty or interest of birds and/or landscape that captured my attention on that day), that I can view in the future to recall those experiences. They are also designed to engender interest in nature and pro-environmental behaviours. If I get a good photo I am pleased, but I do not aim to take great photos. Every photo of mine is a record of an experience; so every photo is a "record shot".
Like my previous trip to Pett Level and Rye Harbour, see Pett Level and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve: a Great White Egret & a Spoonbill. 04.01.22, I started this walk at Cliff End (where Fairlight meets Pett Level), and walked to Winchelsea Beach, into the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve (Sussex Wildlife Trust). I took the train from Brighton to Hastings and then the Stagecoach 101 bus from Hastings Station to Cliff End (once an hour). From Rye Harbour I walked to Rye town station to get the train back to Brighton (changing at Hampden Park). However, unlike on 04.01.12, I took a different route through Rye Harbour; this time I walked to Castle Water, to visit the Denny Hide and then walked down to the harbour entrance to the reserve and walked to the Salt Pool to see if the Spoonbill was still there; it was. Unlikely my last trip to Pett Level, the tide was very low, so the submerged forest was visible.
The photographs are presented in chronological order. Birds seen (in chronological order):
Pett Level:
Curlews, Robin, Dunlin, Lapwing, Greylag Geese, Grey Herons, Herring Gulls, Redshanks, Coots, Grey Plover, Golden Plovers, Oystercatchers, Wigeon, Gadwall, Marsh Harrier, Tufted Ducks, Cormorants, Mute Swans, Moorhen, Pied Wagtails, Turnstone
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve:
Rock Pipit, Blackbirds, Moorhen, Magpies, Dunnock, Marsh Harrier, Wigeon, Shelducks, Shovelers, Curlew, Starlings, Tufted Ducks, Chicken, Robin, Cormorant, Black-Necked Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Gadwall, Mallards, Lapwing, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Woodpigeon, Little Egrets, Redshanks, Spoonbill
The highlights for me were getting a good very look at a large flock of Dunlin on the beach at Pett (a red listed bird); and the huge flock of Golden Plover on Pett Level, which performed acrobatics in the sky (see the video); the large number of Lapwing (also a red listed bird) on the marshes, and some good views of a Marsh Harrier over Pett Level. It was good to see the Black-Necked Grebe for the first time; and to see the Spoonbill (I presume the same one) in the same place (Salt Pool) at the same time (just before dusk)
Pett Level
Pett to Winchelsea Beach (west entrance to the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve) (map: https://goo.gl/maps/eYTS9fvtmGjyYcZr5) Route in orange. There is a route map of my journey round Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, at the beginning of that section.
Pett Level/Cliff End (end of the Fairlight Cliffs) - the Sunken Forest
Buried under the rugged coastline near Hastings lies the last remnants of a great Stone Age forest. About 5,200 years ago, the prehistoric forest at Pett Level would have dominated the nearby landscape. Its array of oak, hazel and alder trees would have provided the perfect hunting grounds for the neolithic humans. But rising sea levels brought an end to the forest's dominion over the surrounding East Sussex skyline, with sea levels rising 30m since this age. About 5,200 years ago, the prehistoric forest at Pett Level would have dominated the nearby landscape. Its array of oak, hazel and alder trees would have provided the perfect hunting grounds for the neolithic humans.
Today, the remains of the sunken forest can sometimes be seen at low tide in the sand opposite the levels. This depends on whether recent sea conditions have buried the remains further underground. Spongy wooden roots, fallen trunks and tree stumps can be found across large areas of the beach near Pett Level. Pett: The Sussex village where a prehistoric forest is buried under its coastline - SussexLive
A Curlew flying down to the beach.
The Battery Observation Post on Toot Rock, part of the WWII Pett Emergency Coast Defence Battery
A fire control centre for a gun battery, the term is usually synonymous with Emergency Coast Defence batteries. A BOP might be purpose-built or be established in an existing building, such as a Martello Tower. The BOP usually housed a range-finder as well as a Dumaresq fire control computer. Pett Emergency Coast Defence Battery (2) (pillbox.org.uk)
Walking along the seawall (dyke) at Pett Level affords views over to marshes (north) and over the beach and sea (south) as the dyke is about 10 ft above sea level
Robin by a wheel of a truck parked on the Pett Level road
A flock of Dunlin
A Curlew and two Dunlin; for size comparison
Looking back to Cliff End
The Pett Level Marsh
Sheep and Lapwings
Greylag Goose
Grey Heron
Greylag Geese and Lapwings
Grey Heron and Greylag Geese
Herring Gull
Oystercatcher, Herring Gull and Redshank on the beach
Many Coots
Grey Plover on Pett beach
Curlews over Oystercatchers
Grey Plover
Curlew and Oystercatchers
Wigeon on one of the Pett Pools
Wigeon and Coots
Gadwall
Marsh Harrier
Widgeon in flight; spooked by the Marsh Harrier
Wigeon asleep
Lapwing
Gadwall
Three male Tufted Ducks and a Herring Gull
Wigeon in flight.
Cormorants
Cormorants landed to the east Pett Pool
Herring Gull, next to frozen drain
Lapwing
Lapwings, Golden Plovers (lots) and Sheep
Golden Plovers in flight.
Mute Swans
Moorhen
Pied Wagtail
Oystercatchers
Lapwing
Oystercatchers
Turnstone on a groyne post
Lapwing
Pied Wagtail
Pied Wagtail going
Rye Harbour Nurture Reserve (my route in range) - starting at Winchelsea Beach and ending at the Salt Pool. I returned to Rye station by walking up the Rye Harbour road to Rye
Rock Pipit on the sea wall north bank, Winchelsea Beach
Bunny on shingle
Female Blackbird
Magpie
Dunnock
Marsh Harrier flies into the Wigeon above the first (west) pool of the Rye Harbour reserve
Wigeon
Shoveler ducks in the first pool
Curlew and Starlings
Female Tufted Duck in a small pool on the way to Castle Water
Farm Chicken
Robin
Castle Water
Wigeon asleep on Castle Water
Male Tufted Ducks
Camber Castle
Female Shoveler
Female Shovelers flying over Wigeon
Male Tufted Duck
Cormorants roosting
Views from the Denny Hide
Black-necked Grebe (third from left) amongst Wigeon and Tufted Ducks)
Black-Necker Grebes (third from left)
Marsh Harrier flying over Cormorants
Close up of the Marsh Harrier
Black-Necked Grebe and two Wigeon
Cormorant and Lapwings
Cormorant
Lapwings and Gadwall
Mallards
Male Shoveler
A pair of Shovelers
Lapwing
Cormorants roosting
A pair of Tufted Ducks
Looking over Castle Water from the "viewing point" - further east from the Denny Hide
Female Shoveler and a Coot
Path to the main entrance (east) of the reserve.
Female Blackbird
A pair of Blackbirds
Great Crested Grebe in the reed beds by the east path
Woodpigeon
Rye Martello Tower -see: Martello Towers in Sussex - Martello Towers
Martello Tower No.28 was the first Tower in Sussex, built on the west bank of the River Rother and commanded the then entrance to the Harbour. It is located in a moat and is known as the 'Enchantress Martello Tower'. Martello tower No. 28 survives well, and retains many of its original components and associated features, including its glacis bank.
Redshank in the New Saltmarsh
Little Egret
Shelduck
Curlew on the Salt Pool
Salt Pool - Lapwings, Redshank
and Little Egrets and Shekducks
Spoonbill - in the same location (Salt Pool) as I have seen this Spoonbill twice before
Lapwings on the Salt Pool
Sheep grazing around the Salt Pool
