Rye Harbour on a sunny winter afternoon; and possibly a Greater Scaup. 10.12.21

I arrived at Rye Harbours Nature Reserve at 13.00; the sun was already low in the sky.

As I walled into the reserve I saw these House Sparrows back-lit by the sun.

and these Mallards

On the New Saltmarsh, a Little Egret opposite the new Discovery Centre. 30 minutes before there had been a Spoonbill in this gulley; according to other birders - but it had gone. I looked for it round the reserve; but didn't see it.

Probably a Grey Plover

Oystercatchers on the Flat Beach - where they always are!

Environment Agency trucks moving shingle from East to Wets, to ameliorate the impact of the year's longshore drift; and Oystercatchers

For an explanation of longshore drift, see: What is longshore drift? - Internet Geography

Lapwings in flight above the Flat Beach

Oystercatchers (Flat Beach)

Dungeness nuclear power station; just to the east of Rye Harbour and built on the same area of vegetated shingle

Redshanks

A Little Egret with neck stretched

The same Little Egret as above (Flat Beach)

Oystercatchers (Flat Beach)

Digger, levelling of the shingle that has been bought form further east at Rye Harbour / Winchelsea Beach

Herring Gull

World War 2 'Pill Box"'; looking east. See: Pillboxes | Rye Harbour Nature Reserve (sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk)

Beach

Ternary Pool, from the Crittal Hide

Lapwings and Oystercatchers

Little Grebe

Lapwings

Little Grebe

The Denny Hide (looking east)

Cormorants

The Moon (14:39)

Dungeness nuclear power station (looking east)

Tufted Duck pair (male: block and white; female: brown); on the Ternary Pool, from the Parkes Hide

Cormorants over the Ternary Pool (where they typically roost)

Ducks (Wigeon?) - Salt Pool

Redshank - New Saltmarsh

Cormorants over the New Saltmarsh

Mallards

Lapwings - over Salt Pool

Wigeon in the Salt Pool

Female Stonechat on the Salt Pool fence

Lapwings in the Salt Pool

Teal (?) on the Salt Pool

Lapwings over the Salt Pool

Redshank - New Salt Marsh

Winf Turbines

Flat Beach from the Denny Hide

Possible a female Greater Scaup - or a female Tufted Duck

Wigeon (Flat Beach)

Egyptian Geese landing - 1

Egyptian Geese landing - 2

Egyptian Geese landing - 3

Wigeon

The Discovery Centre

Red Shank - New Salt Marsh

Little Egret over the New Saltmarsh

same Little Egret, flying past Discovery Centre

Wigeon, getting out of the water - Salt Pool

Magpie - Salt Pool

Ducks (New Saltmarsh)

Little Egret

Curlews - New Saltmarsh

Curlews over the New Saltmarsh

Dick and Redshank - New Saltmarsh

Shelducks - New Saltmarsh

Mallard

Mart Stanford Lifeboat House; toward Winchelsea Beach

Little Egret - New Saltmarsh

From inside the Discovery Centre

From outside the Discovery Centre; Fairlight Cliffs in the background.