Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Sightings - November 2022

Bird Highlight this month was a Great Northern Diver seen briefly on Ternery Pool on the 26^th. Largely a winter visitor to the UK, with birds usually found out at sea, there have only ever been a handful of records of this species at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, with the last in 2008. In North America this and related species are known as Loons, from the Scandinavian word for ‘clumsy’ due to their ungainly walk when on land.

Curlew

Wader numbers continued to grow on the reserve as the year moved on with the bulk provided by Golden Plover, with in excess of 2000 on Flat Beach Level on the 13^th, and Oystercatcher, with 600+ roosting on Flat Beach on the 29^th. In addition at least 436 Lapwing were present around the reserve on the same date, with 200+ Dunlin here on the 27^th, 108 Curlew were seen going in to roost on Harbour Farm on the 17th and at least 100+ Snipe were seen over the reserve on the 27^th. Highlights were two Little Stint on the 13th, 19^th and 29^th and sightings of Spotted Redshank on Harbour Farm on several dates, while at least 29 Grey Plover were on the shore on the 13^th and Flat Beach on the 19^th, nine Ruff were on Harbour Farm on the 13^th, with two Knot on Flat Beach on the same date, and an Avocet was on Flat Beach on the 19^th. Similarly good number of waterfowl during November, with 479 Wigeon around the reserve on the 13^th, at least 430 Teal at Castle Water on the 22^nd and 82 Shoveler on Flat Beach on the 11^th, while at least 100 Brent Goose over flew the reserve on the 13^th, 52 Pochard were on Long Pit on the same date.

Shoveler

Also 19 Pintail were on Flat Beach on the 10^th. Best of the bunch was a Goosander on the 4^th, five Great White Egret on Harbour Farm on the 18^th, Black-necked Grebe at Castle Water on the 1^st and 11^th and regular Spoonbill, while at least 85 Common Scoter were offshore on the 19^th. Raptors during November included small numbers of Marsh Harrier, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, with a Buzzard at Castle Water on the 11^th and a Merlin on Harbour Farm on the 2^nd. Passerine records during October included Swallow over Harbour Farm on the 4^th, up to 30 Skylark on the new saltmarsh, and Rock Pipit on the 13^th and 19^th. Highlights were records of Dartford Warbler on Harbour Farm on the 4^th and 16^th, Black Redstart on Harbour Farm on the 4^th and Beach Reserve on the 20^th and two Brambling over Harbour Farm on the 4^th. In addition, at least 600 Wood Pigeon overflew the reserve on the 4^th and small numbers of Greenfinch were present on the reserve late in the month.

Common Darter

Little in the way of non-avian sightings this month though there were several records of Common Darter early on and a queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee was seen at Watch Cottage on the 2^nd. Plants in flower included Wild Angelica, Viper’s Bugloss, Ivy, Wild Carrot, Gorse and Yellow Horned-poppy.

Wild Angelica