Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Sightings - December 2022

This month saw multiple sightings of Dartford Warbler on Harbour Farm and the Beach Reserve, with perhaps two or three birds involved. This small, delicate, long-tailed warbler almost disappeared from the UK due to the loss of its preferred heathland habitat, with only a handful of pairs left in the 1960’s. However, since then it has made a comeback with over 2000 pairs now breeding. This species is unusual in that it overwinters in the UK rather than heading for warmer climes likes its relatives. This makes it very susceptible to cold winter weather and certainly at Rye Harbour the pattern seems to be that it will become more regular over a run of milder winters, but will all but disappear during prolonged colder spells.

Lapwing. Image: Barry Yates

A good range of wader species were present during January, though with no really significant counts. The highest numbers were provided by Lapwing, with 643 on the 1^st, while at least 378 Oystercatcher were counted at the high tide roost on Flat Beach on the 11th with around 100 Dunlin and 18 Grey Plover here on the same date. Wader highlights were a Spotted Redshank on Ternery Pool on the 12^th and sightings of Jack Snipe at Castle Water on the 21^st and 22nd, while there were sightings of Avocet on several dates with four on Flat Beach on the 13^th.A cold spell during the month saw some good wildfowl numbers, with a count on the 11^th finding 1155 Wigeon, 117 Shoveler, 62 Pochard and 33 Pintail, while at least 180 Teal were present on Harbour Farm on the 12^th. This month also saw the first Goldeneye of the winter, with a male on Ternery Pool on the 2^nd (where he remained throughout the month!). A Black-necked Grebe was present on Castle Water on the 24^th and 27^th (perhaps the same long-staying bird) with another present on Long Pit on the 27^th along with a Slavonian Grebe. Both Great White Egret and Spoonbill were regular during January with at least four of the former seen at Castle Water on the 6^th, while the highlight was probably a Bittern on Long Pit on the 15^th. Raptors during December included Merlin on the Beach Reserve on the 22^nd and, Peregrine over Harbour Farm on the 12^th, as well as more regular Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. The highlight however was a Hen Harrier over Ternery Pool on the 11^th.

Goldeneye. Image: Barry Yates

As well as the regular Dartford Warbler passerines during December included at least 20 Fieldfare at Caste Water on the 14^th, with two Chiffchaff here on the 24^th, several sightings of Kingfisher near the Discovery Centre and a couple of flocks of Greenfinch on Harbour Farm, with 13 on the 1^st and 11 on the 8^th.

Greenfinch