Green Sandpipers over

Three Green Sandpipers flew low south-west over the garden at 7 this morning, calling as they went.

These are my first for Firle, and a reminder that autumn migration is well underway for some northerly species. It’s also a wee bit depressing, seeing as we don’t seem to have had much of a summer here yet.

The sandpiper sighting follows that of a couple of Sand Martins, which were hunting and settling on wires with forty or so (mainly juvenile) House Martins and a few Swallows on Sunday morning. In inland areas without much open water, early autumn gatherings of hirundines seem to provide the best chance of seeing Sand Martins.

Aside from the migrants, yesterday a Little Owl sat out in the open enjoying the sun, around the farm buildings on the right side of the Bostal Road just south of the village, and a Linnet sang from the allotments.

Today, both Sparrowhawk (over the village) and Buzzard (over the escarpment) were up early to hunt.

Time for a Quail?

Still daydreaming. There aren’t so many birds around in July (hence the daydreaming) but it’s as good a month as any to hear Quail. Haven’t yet heard one in Firle - perhaps this is the year.

The trick is, I think, luck. And failing that, patience and hard-work. When we lived in Alciston (three or four miles east of here) I used to walk the dog around the village most nights. I’d often stand at a five-bar gate on the edge of the village and attempt to imitate Quail. Always slightly embarassing when you think you’re alone in the dark, and you’re imitating a scarce game bird, and another villager looms out of the night and says ‘Good Evening’. But not embarrassing enough to stop me.

I have to confess I didn’t have a high success rate with this. But one night, after weeks of doing this, my call was returned from the hay meadows. Assuming it wasn’t another obsessive birder - and if it was, their imitation was much much better than mine - I’d found my own Quail.

Last week, Liam Curson heard two calling birds on the downs north of Seaford (close to where I’ve heard one before), and it seems to be a pretty good year for them across Sussex, with multiple calling birds at sites such as Pulborough, Burpham and the usual spot at Lancing. Who knows how many more are out there, ‘wetting their lips’ amongst the crops on otherwise unremarkable tracts of arable land?

Only one way to find out.

Indulgence

I’ve started a new page, called If I had time on my hands. It’s a bit of an indulgent title - actually, it’s a bit of an indulgent concept, full stop. But the idea is that it suggests what birds (including rare ones) might be seen locally, by someone with the time and inclination.

I’ve started with four locations - the escarpment above Beddingham, the Downs between Firle and Seaford, Glynde Levels and the escarpment behind Alciston. It’s all words for the moment, but I’ll liven it up with some pictures and maps as it develops.

I’d appreciate any thoughts on how this could be made more useful to visting birders/keen locals. Be honest, I can take it.

Safari Britain, 12 July

Less windy than last weekend, but rather chilly when the sun was in. Nine guests of the Safari Britain camp came along for a short walk along the escarpment, and the birds didn’t let us down.

Close to the campsite, a couple of Kestrels manoeuvred themselves in the breeze, showing off the skills that give them their alternative (and better) name, ‘Windhover’.

In the copse just up from the campsite, a party of Goldcrests called from the trees but kept themselves hidden. In the quiet that is mid-July, a loud lone Wren made sure there was some song to listen to. A Woodpigeon cooed softly and a Carrion Crow made gruffer sounds in handy comparison to the occasional Rooks and Jackdaws.

Onto the open hillside, and Meadow Pipits were in evidence, plus a Green Woodpecker flying low across the grass. Overhead, small, loose groups of Swifts headed east, along with numerous Herring Gulls, and one Black-headed. A couple of neat fly-by Stock Doves offered a change from the ubiquitous Woodpigeons.

In the strip of woodland on the pasture’s edge, a Blackcap provided welcome snippets of sweet music, but Blackbird and Chaffinch could muster only contact calls.

Back at the campsite, a Red-legged Partridge called from the hillside, and at least a couple (perhaps a family group) of Treecreepers ‘whispered’ their way through the trees.

Spot flys again

A welcome sqeaking as I left the house this morning.

In the garden over the road, a Spotted Flycatcher was hunting from the top of a row of beanpoles, with another calling nearby. It’s the first time I’ve set eyes on one since late May, although several times I’ve been walking through the village and heard likely sounds. I find the nondescript nature of their call makes them tricky to be sure about without seeing them.

Perhaps the presence of two here in mid-July means we might hope for the squeak of tiny flycatchers before the summer’s out….

During the couple of minutes I was enjoying the beanpole bird, a Kestrel flew low overhead, a Green Woodpecker yaffled from the direction of the cricket pitch and a couple of Swifts zoomed through.

Safari Britain, 5 July

Mid-morning, early July, and the wind was whipping along the escarpment. But the rain held off, and we had a good walk, with six guests of the Safari Britain camp.

Around the campsite itself, little was singing bar the obligatory Chiffchaff, which apparently stops for nothing. A Red-legged Partridge was disturbed from the corn, while a few Rooks, Carrion Crows and Jackdaws braved the gusts, along with the ever-present Herring Gulls.

Along the Old Coach Road, Wren, Dunnock and Whitethroat sang, as did what was either a Blackcap or a Garden Warbler, but not with enough conviction to give away its identity.

A couple of Linnets went over, and Chaffinch and Goldcrest called but kept themselves mainly hidden. Single Lesser-black backed and Black-headed Gulls moved through.

Heading back along the escarpment, Meadow Pipits continued to perform their display flights, a Skylark briefly sang, and a Goldfinch kindly sat out on a tree, allowing ’scope views. Two Mistle Thrushes flew from the pasture into the trees, in exactly the manner they had done on a previous walk.

A couple of Marbled White butterflies were seen, adding to the Red Admirals, Meadow Browns and Speckled Wood from earlier. No blues though - still too early, or just too windy?

Grass Vetchling

My new favourite plant name - sounds like something from the Hobbit.

I took this photo at the same time as that of the Pyramidal Orchid (early June), but had no idea what it was.

I’d been meaning to ask for advice, and then yesterday came across the same flower on the Kingsdowner website (thanks Steve).

It’s as weird as I thought it was. It grows amongst long grasses (mine was in the verge beside the A27) and looks like grass. But it’s not a grass, and produces a delicate, pea-like flower, that hangs amidst the greenery almost as if by magic.

Apparently they’re less common in recent years, but I’m looking forward to finding more of them.

Cuilfail

Finally made it up Chapel Lane in Lewes, which climbs over the Cuilfail Tunnel onto Caburn. It’s an amazing spot. You look down over the river, the railway land and the town, giving you the chance to see birds of prey from above, and Little Egrets following the Ouse.

Yesterday, on a warm morning in early July, there wasn’t much activity, but Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs called from around the meadow, and Marbled White butterflies flicked through the grasses.

Given the birds that pass along the Ouse Valley and over Caburn, this could be a great place to see something unusual. Last spring I saw what was almost certainly a Goshawk passing over the eastern side of Lewes - paerhaps from this vantage point the ID would have been clinched.

To bee or not to bee

I know, it’s a cheap gag.

I took this shot of a bee orchid last week, beside the A27 at the junction with Firle. Being a bit of a plant novice, it was the first time I’d ever seen this wonderful flower.

At one point a few days ago, there were at least eleven spikes loosely scattered amonst the grass, and the pyramidal orchids.

Today though there are none, as the verge has been mown.

Hopefully some of these plants managed to seed before they had their heads lopped off. But I guess we’ll have to wait until next year to see them again.

Stork over Caburn?

A possible Stork over Mt Caburn at 1.45pm, seen from a train by Matt Eade. Sounds like it could well be the same bird as seen over Preston Park, Brighton earlier this morning.

One to add to the list: ‘Great Birds That Have Probably Flown Over My Head (Without Me Noticing)’.

And ratcheting down the excitement a few notches…. Yesterday, during a brief stop at Arundel Arboretum I heard a singing Siskin - perhaps they’re commoner in summer in this part of Sussex, but there does seem to have been an unusual spate of county records in recent weeks, as reported to the SOS site.