Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Wildlife Sightings: October 2025

David Bentley

October was rather unsettled, but mild, with periods of heavy showers followed by a cooler spell towards the end of the month.

It is a time when summer and winter birds can overlap; so it was that the first Merlin was seen on 11th before what is likely to be the last Hobby on 15th.

Wigeon numbers increased significantly during the month and it looks like it may be another excellent winter for Pintail with 51 at Castle Water on 18th and a similar number at Flat Beach on 25th. One, possibly two Mandarins, were an unusual record at Narrow Pit on 22nd.

There were still over 70 lingering Sandwich Terns at the start of the month, sometimes attracting an Arctic Skua or two. It was a good month to see Gannets of all age groups feeding close to shore on numerous days.

One and sometimes two Spoonbills became regular visitors to Flat Beach and Castle Water, often around high tide when they were likely pushed off the nearby River Rother.

The first Spotted Redshank of the season was at Barn Pool West on 16th, with two at Salt Pool on 21st. There was a late Whimbrel on 12th in front of Gooders Hide and a Little Stint was at Flat Beach on 18th and 19th. Golden Plover numbers increased, with up to 2,000 on occasions towards the end of the month. There were single figure counts of Grey Plover, often giving superb views in front of the Gooders Hide.

It was interesting that most of the sightings of Brent Geese over the sea were of birds heading East, rather than the expected West. One suggestion is that the marshes of Hampshire and West Sussex were already 'full up' with geese and that birds were tracking back to find less inhabited habitats, perhaps in North Kent and Essex.

One interesting sighting of a common bird was 12 Magpies at Ternery Pool, heading North, seemingly coming in off the sea on the 14th. Winter thrushes put in their first appearance, with around 20 Fieldfare heading west over the Discovery Centre on 6th and small numbers of Redwing at various locations from the middle of the month.

Five Wheatear near the river mouth on 2nd formed part of the last flourish of this lovely Autumn passage migrant. A Water Pipit on 14th near Parkes Hide was a rare sighting of a lovely bird that the reserve looks well suited to support. A Dartford Warbler was occasionally seen from the middle of the month near Cuckoo Corner, a regular wintering sight for the species.

Swallows were seen passing through on most days, though numbers inevitably dwindled towards the end of the month.

There were several sightings of Weasel and Stoat throughout the month.

Least Lettuce was still in flower on 15th. Also observed in October: Bristly Oxtongue, Hawkweed Oxtongue, Common Toadflax, Common Ragwort, Prickly Sowthistle, Common Storksbill, Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Rottingdean Sea-lavender and Yarrow.