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Recent Sightings

Rye Harbour Wildlife – December 2005

Bird highlight of the month was a Great Northern Diver which was present briefly at the northern end of Castle Water before flying off east on the 6^th. This is only the eighth record of this essentially maritime species at Rye Harbour (the last in 1999), and one of the few times it has been recorded inland on the reserve.

Despite the unseasonably mild weather during December, winter visitors continued to put in an appearance on the reserve. The first Smew of the winter was recorded at Castle Water on the 12^th, and by the end of the month, up to eight individuals of this species were present on the reserve, including five spectacular males on the 29th. Other winter visitors included two Bewick Swan at Castle Water on the 27^th, up to two Slavonian Grebe on Long Pit from the 10^th to the end of the month, a maximum of four Goldeneye, the occasional Bittern and large numbers of more familiar waterfowl including over 600 Wigeon, 264 Tufted Duck, 200 Teal, 100 Pochard and 70+ Shoveler. Winter waders included over 1500 Lapwing, 200 Curlew and 715 Oystercatcher, the last of these an all time record for the reserve. Best of the bunch, however, were a Woodcock flushed on West Beach on the 2^nd, part of a small influx of this species on the south coast at this time, and a Jack Snipe at Castle Water on the 31^st. Passerines included 16 Snow Bunting on Camber Sands on the 5^th, over 300 Fieldfare and 100 Redwing on the 27^th, and the occasional wintering Chiffchaff, while on Harbour Farm the resident flock off Corn Bunting topped 250. Offshore, numbers of birds were limited, though up to 200 Common Scoter, 19 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Red-throated Diver, six Eider and small numbers of auks were present during the month. Among the birds of prey the highlight was a ringtail (a female or immature male) Hen Harrier over Flat Beach on the 2^nd, while there were occasional sightings of Marsh Harrier, Merlin and Peregrine. A maximum of three Short-eared Owl continued to roost on Harbour Farm opposite the Old Lifeboat House during December, up to two Long-eared Owl were present at the Castle Water and Narrow Pit roosts throughout the month, and there were also occasional sightings of Barn Owl on both Harbour Farm and Castle Farm.

While birds constituted the main interest on the reserve during December, there were also a couple of notable mammalian sightings during the month. A Common seal was seen swimming down the River Rother on the 17th, while a Water Shrew was found at Ternery Pool on the 12^th.

For latest sightings go to RXwildlife

Dates For Your Diary

January

Sun 1^st Friends New Years Day walk.

Sat 21^st Winter Lecture – ‘The Wonderful World of Orchids’. All illustrated talk by Sue Buckingham. 2.30pm at Winchelsea Beach Community Hall

Sun 22^nd Beach Reserve Circular Walk. A closer look at our waders, wildfowl and other wintering birds. Meet at Rye Harbour car park. 11pm – 2pm. 2 miles. Donations please.

February

Sun 5^th A Winter Ramble Around Pett Level. A look at the wintering birds of the levels and a visit to the hide at Pannel Valley Nature Reserve. Please bring your own lunch and binoculars if you have them. Meet at the roadside pool at Pett Level - TQ903146 at 10am. Return about 2pm. 4 miles. Donations appreciated.

Sat 11^th Friends Bittern Walk.

Sat 18^th Fun Bird Activities. Why not come and join in the fun of learning about nesting birds, and try your hand at making things to take home to your garden birds. Meet at Lime Kiln Cottage between 10am and 2pm for these craft activities. Donations appreciated.

Sat 25th Bittern Watch. Watch at dusk from the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve viewpoint for the Bitterns coming in to roost. Meet at the Rye Harbour Car Park at 3.45pm return 5.30pm. Donations appreciated.

Volunteers

The first and third tuesday of every month is a workparty day, led by Chris, Sam or Barry.

You can help with the practical management on the reserve, and find places and wildlife that they may not otherwise see!

There is usually something for everyone, not just the strong and fit.

Meet at Rye Harbour car park at 10am, return about 3pm.

Bring old, warm clothing, work gloves, boots, lunch, a hot drink and a good sense of humour!

News

The two new hides at Ternery Pool are now up and open. More space, more headroom, more comfortable, and wheelchair accessible .

One was part funded by the Brett Environmental Trust and the other as part of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund Project with funding through English Nature and the Friends of the Nature Reserve. They were constructed by Gilleards and they have done an excellent job. We hope they give you all many happy hours of birdwatching!

New Wetland at Rye Harbour

During last autumn a new large area of wetland has been created at Rye Harbour Farm as a result of the Environment Agency improving the sea defences to protect several villages. A new three kilometre embankment has been built from Rye Harbour Village to Winchelsea Beach creating a secondary sea defence, to retain flood water that breaches the more natural shingle defences. The consultants Halcrow have liaised closely with English Nature and the Nature Reserve to get a route for the new bank that causes least damage to the shingle ridges – the most important feature of the site.

The new bank has been made with local material, so seven new pits totalling about 15 hectares have been created. These pits have been roughly landscaped, but it is expected that they will be more carefully landscaped next autumn. The water will be brackish, so they should develop as Saline Lagoons, a scarce habitat. There is also the potential to create about 25 ha of saltmarsh, a habitat that was extensive here about a hundred years ago.

Although wetland plants and animals will colonise this new area quickly, it will take many years to realise the area’s full potential. Much of this new wetland will be viewable from the existing footpaths and already the waders, ducks and gulls are making use of it. It will bring some of our amazing wetland wildlife much closer to most of our visitors because the largest pit is close to our Information Centre at Lime Kiln Cottage, less than 500 meters from the car park, village and bus stop.

Virtual Tour

Now you can learn about the special wildlife and the history of the area as a Virtual Tour on a CD to use on your PC.

It contains more than 420 screens of text, maps, sounds, photos, more than 200 videos of local wildlife and a look inside Camber Castle.

Video highlights include the Bittern project excavation, a Bittern feeding, Redshank chicks, 3 species of breeding terns with chicks, Whimbrel, Pacific Golden Plover, Dotterel, nesting Cormorants and lots, lots more.

Now with the Creature Comforts video of the Countryside Code. Click here to see a clip of the video.

So order your copy now from the Nature Reserve address.

Cost is £6 inc. p&p and all proceeds go to the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and so will benefit the wildlife of this special area.

(This was created for use on special screens that respond to touch, but on your PC you will have to use the mouse! It does not work fully on some Macs.)

Reports Available

Rye Harbour your guide to a shingle nature reserve

is a free colour guide to the area. Send an A5 sae with 44p stamp to the Nature Reserve address.

Click here for a 1MB download of this booklet.

RX Wildlife – wildlife sites from Hastings to Romney Marsh

is a free colour guide to the area. Send an A5 sae with 44p stamp to the Nature Reserve address.

Click here for a 1MB download of this booklet.

The Birds and other Vertebrates of Rye Harbour 82 pages of all species. £2 p&p £1

The Flowering Plants of Rye Harbour - spiral bound 41 pages of all species. £2 p&p £1

or get them from Lime Kiln Cottage when it is open by volunteers, most days 10-4.

Camber Castle

The Castle is opened to the public in July, August and September on

Saturday and Sunday afternoons 2 until 5 (last admission 4.30pm).

Also the guided walks listed above.

In Focus

The binocular and telescope specialists visit the Nature Reserve regularly at Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre.

Check their web site for details by clicking on In Focus above.

To receive and contribute your wildlife sightings in Rye Bay,

join our e-group