Page 14 - Out Birding Autumn 2023

Shared chef-cooked meals were the plan for evenings with a dinner out at the Borve House Hotel rounded off the week splendidly.
The early and late ferries delivered everyone back to the mainland. All of us having had a great 􏰀me. My par􏰀cular thanks to Andy and George for accommoda􏰀ng me so nicely and all of Andy’s driving.
Jim
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve 24/05/2023
This year we were really pleased to have brought this annual event back into the GBC calendar as we have not been able to run it since 2019. Eight members met on a sunny but breezy day for this event. We visited three out of four of the hides on the reserve, having our packed lunches in one of them. Some birds provided us with iden􏰀fica􏰀on challenges - an Egyp􏰀an Goose (asleep with head tucked down, we had to look at it carefully to iden􏰀fy), Whimbrel (there were few of these and the presence of one Curlew made this ID easier) and a juvenile Sandwich Tern. The hides allowed us to get really close views of some birds - Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Turnstone in summer plumage. We also saw two Li􏰁le S􏰀nt (brief views) , Grey Plover, Common Gull and a Mediterranean Gull.
Because we concentrated on a small sec􏰀on rather than the whole reserve we had a chance to observe some behaviour. One of very numerous Avocet was calling loudly to get two of its chicks who had wandered away to come back, once the parent had no􏰀ced a Black-headed Gull ge􏰂ng very close to the chicks. A couple of Common Tern demonstrated aerial agility when trying a chase a gull away. We spent a fair amount of 􏰀me observing Skylark dust bathing very close to us on a path.
Between us I believe we saw at least 40 species of birds during the event. Bu􏰁erflies seen included: Small Copper; Holly Blue and Red Admiral. A􏰃er the end of the walk seven of us went to the Sussex Wildlife Trust Discovery Centre for cake and a drink.
We wish thank the following for their observa􏰀ons, company and being willing to travel so far to the reserve: Sim, Chris C, Sarah H, Lynda R , Norma and Kath.
This event was part of 5 day very enjoyable holiday for ourselves. During the rest of the holiday we observed a further 8 species of birds. During an evening walk on the reserve we also saw several Skylark singing from fence posts rather than on the ground.
Mark and Simon
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