Yellowhammer

No Man's Land is in a quiet little dip in the downs on the Monarch's Way between Steyning Round Hill and Cissbury Ring. It is a fair hike from the access at both points, consequently on a weekday it is a nice place to sit and observe the avian fauna. I parked on the Bostal road and as I got out of the car I was treated to the view of my first Swallow this year. This guy was definitely on a mission, flying due North east with no deviation, in a clear blue sky. To the east, the Adur valley and well into East Sussex, the landscape was cloaked in a silver mist.

In the early morning sun the Skylarks and Corn Buntings were all singing like mad and Yellowhammers were everywhere. On the path up to Langmead's Tomb I flushed a hen Pheasant which I suspect has nested in the shallow hedge, not the best of places as there is usually a constant stream of dog walkers. I paused at the top, searching for the male Black Redstart reported previously - no sign. So onward to No Man's Land, the walk there is easier than the walk back that is almost all uphill.  It has always surpised me how well found this part of the Monarch's Way is, almost like a metalled road and as I descended into NML it dawned on me that this is where West Sussex County Council dispose of their road planings. A fact confirmed to this dim idiot by a large Cat's Eye plate right in the middle of the path! Doh!

I sat for two hours at NML, disturbed just once by a rider on what was a very fine looking horse, galloping along the grass strip along the side of the fields. A constant movement of Yellowhammers, Corn Buntings, Chaffinches, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks and Blackbirds kept me on my toes. Not many photo opportunities apart from the obliging Yellowhammers perched on the tops of the hawthorn bushes. A passing male Sparrowhawk sent the tits into loud alarm calling, he didn't hang around and went looking for a meal elsewhere. Over the valley the Jays were doing their level best to disturb the Blackbirds with their insane screeching. 



The return journey offered no surprises, no Wheatears or other spring migrants. However, if the present weather continues there will be precious little in the way of food in bone dry grass fields.




Yellowhammer



Yellowhammer



Yellowhammer

No Man's Land - The Oxford English Dictionary contains a reference to the term dating back to 1320, and spelt nonesmanneslond, when the term was used to describe a disputed territory or one over which there was legal disagreement.

Cetti's and Snipe

A new venue for me, very impressed by the wide open spaces but not by the long walk to the hide! First observation was the sheer number of Cetti's Warblers calling, not from the usual position in reeds but most birds in bramble or hawthorn bushes. I nearly got a clear shot of one but they are quick and never pose.

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler

When I got to the hide there were plenty of Gulls to be seen and it was nice to see a few Lesser black-backed in with the horde of Black-headed, Mediterranean and Common Gulls. A pair of Common Snipe posed well whilst feeding in the grass immediately in front of the the hide. There was a fairly cool easterly blowing in to the hide so I stood outside in the sunshine to warm up and was rewarded by a very loud Chiffchaff in full song.

Lesser Black-Backed Gull



Common Snipe

Common Snipe

Common Snipe



Chiffchaff

The Jackdaw flock resident in Camber Castle rose as a single unit and it was pretty obvious that there was a raptor about - a Peregrine that flew straight over me and by the commotion coming from the lake was creating havoc there too. 




Camber Castle Jackdaws

All the Great Cormorant nesting sites appear to have been occupied and throughout my visit there was a constant procession of birds carrying large amounts of vegetation of various kinds.




Every Home Taken

On the walk back to the car park I passed a small flock of Shelducks - they didn't move but they all stood up an kept a wary eye on me until I was well past

We are watching you

Corn Buntings

Another early start, no wonder I am always tired. A glorious morning on the downs, early sunshine with just a hint of mist, the promise of warm weather for the day.  I was hoping to find some Wheatears but nothing doing yet. Last year they were plentiful at this time, lots have been seen on the coast, but none stopping here.
There were many Corn Buntings calling, really nice as they are in decline. The Skylarks were up, the ubiquitous Pheasants calling and a pair of Red-leggged Partridges sounding off. With no Wheatears I walked on along the path as far as No Man's Land. All the usual suspects were present with plenty of Yellowhammers in evidence and oddly enough a plethora of Blackbirds all scrapping for territory. A  lingering Redwing flew by and several Chiffchaffs worked their way through the undergrowth stopping now and then to call.



Corn Bunting



Corn Bunting



Corn Bunting

Yellowhammer

By this time the first cyclist had appeared, quickly followed by dog walkers, joggers and ramblers - time to vacate the scene. On the way back to the car I met Alan Kitson and exchanged pleasantries and recent birding experiences - hope he had a nice day too.

Snow Geese

Today was a visit to RSPB Dungeness. again a before sun up start to avoid the traffic and as I always say the "early birder gets the photograph". Although the sky was blue and the sun was out there was a wicked easterly wind whipping across Dungeness straight through the window of the Hanson Hide. Not surprisingly there was little about, all the ususal suspects of the duck world and a speculative visit by one of the many Marsh Harriers stirred things up a bit and ducks were soon in front of the hide in numbers - by far the most numerous were the Shovelers.



Marsh Harrier



Shovelers

My enthusiasm soon wilted and I went back to the car after about an hour. I was in the car park enjoying a nice cup of tea when I heard "Clang clang clang"  repeatedly. The sound had a familar rhythm but the note was definitely different. It didn't take long to find the source - my first ever Great Spotted Metalpecker. He obviously thought that the post was a tree but beak on metal can't have been doing him any good. By the look of the post this isn't the first visit - plenty of scars.




Great Spotted Metalpecker

Next stop was Denge Marsh hide, and again the water was sparsely populated, the major species being Greylag geese, but on a field at the back of the lake - 7 white dots, feral Snow Geese! A wandering harrier flushed them on to the lake but before they landed I was treated to a fly past.




Snow Geese




Snow Geese



Snow Goose

The Visitor Centre offered little to raise the pulse - lots of birds recorded during the week but nothing of note today. On my way home I passed Scotney Pit and just 100 yards into Sussex there on the grassy bank - 7 white dots - the same Snow Geese grazing peacefully.




Snow Goose



Snow Geese

Iceland Gull and Kittiwakes

Another early start on a glorious day, I hit the road before sunrise heading for Newhaven Harbour to find the Iceland Gull that has been about for some time. Following superb instructions from a kind birder who posted on SOS was to no avail, I arrived at the harbour - no Iceland Gull - in fact no gulls at all! So in despair I headed off to Seaford Head. The plan was to photograph Kittiwakes at the colony just past Splash Point. No disappointment here, the air was filled with birds and a majority of the nest sites have been taken. Every now and again a Fulmar would glide past, there aren't as many as in previous years and they were hard to detect on the cliff.

I slowly climbed up the hill in order to get some flight shots but most of the birds remained below the level of the cliff top and I really didn't fancy getting closer to the edge to peer over.





Kittiwake



Kittiwake



Kittiwakes



Kittiwake

Kittiwake



Kittiwake



Fulmar



Fulmar

Two other kind birders informed me of a male Black Redstart on the cliff path  and they gave me excellent location information. So, after much huffing and puffing, and in the company of another birder we eventually located a somewhat skittish bird who really wasn't amenable to having his photo taken. So, after a considerable investment of time, it was back down the hill to take some more static shots of birds on the cliff.




Black Redstart



Black Redstart

Finally I departed for home via Newhaven Harbour, as soon as I parked I could see the Iceland Gull perched on the third wooden post next to the Harbour Master's Office so it was click click click and home feeling very satisfied.




Iceland Gull



Iceland Gull



Iceland Gull

Iceland Gull

Another surprise was waiting for me when I downloaded my photographs on to the computer, in with the flight shots of Kittiwakes at Splash point I had fortuitously captured another Iceland Gull. Identified, I hasten to add, by subscribers to Bird Forum.



Iceland Gull

Iceland Gull



Iceland Gull



Iceland Gull



Mediterranean Gulls

An early start, leaving home at 0600 in thick fog it took two hours to get to Rye Harbour. When I arrived I was anticipating a long walk to the Ternery Pool hide shrouded by the fog and being able to listen to all the birds calling. No chance  - monster industrial scale works going on in the harbour entrance - four cranes and a colossal amount of plant making the most horrendous row. However as the distance away increased the cacophony of hundreds of Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls coupled with the scratchy calls of about 100 Sandwich Terns soon filled the air.  The work on the islands has really paid off, many more nesting sites available and the birds occupying them already. Wonderful to see the Meds displaying, probably in excess of 50 pairs now on site.  They have some very weird display activities - one of which can only be described as being from "The Ministry of Silly Walks" - hard to capture on a still image.

Further on down Ternery Pool  one island was occupied by a real mixed bunch which included a small flock of Golden Plovers and two Avocets which were almost ready to start courtship displays but were put off by the antics of the Med gulls  




Mediterranean Gulls

Ministry.....



...of Silly...




....Walks!

Sandwich Terns are back




Avocet

Meadow Pipit




Golden Plovers

On the way back to the car park I came across a Meadow Pipit - a rather tatty specimen but he was asking to be snapped so I duly obliged. Also, my first butterfly of the year - a Small Tortoiseshell happily basking in really warm sunshine.