The Bale House: Cost of Living Menu!

Already serving up excellent value meals, the Grumpy Cook at The Bale House Visitors Centre, which I blogged was opening last year, is introducing, from the 21st of November, a remarkably great value Cost of Living Menu (above). This is at Hastings Country Park, Lower Coastguards Lane, Fairlight TN35 4AD (facebook).

A friend commented that people who need help are unlikely to visit here, but why not? What a great reason to walk across our wonderful Hastings Country Park, thus improving fitness and health, and with a good value meal to boot, great stuff!

Hastings Seafront Walk & Homage to Byzantium...

I was out quite early this morning, shopping at Morrisons just after 07.00, and then walking via back streets to St Leonards Church at the end of Undercliff, then crossing to the seafront. I walked eastwards and took this photograph looking back to the west (my earliest photographs today are all facing away from the sun 😎), with Eastbourne and Beachy Head way over there in the distance. Indeed, the tide would be turning back towards shore about 10 minutes after I took the photograph.

The first photograph with a direct reference to the vampire film Byzantium (YouTube trailer), half of which was filmed in Hastings and half was filmed in Cork, is of the lower promenade part of the Azur Marina Pavilion (website), which was built in the 1930s; Hastings & St Leonards has quite a few art deco buildings from this time! This part of the building is featured in the film as the lounge of a home for older people, and the character played by Saoirse Ronan plays the piano here, and more, but I shan't ruin it in case you haven't seen the film yet, and decide to... 😉 I first wrote about the Azur over 7 years ago, when I reviewed the breakfast served, and eaten by me, here (blog).

I carried on eastwards, deciding to look back and take this photograph, with the Azur Marina Pavilion dwarfed by, and apparently listing towards it, Marine Court, which I have written about before (blog). Marine Court is another fine 1930s building and modelled on the Cunard Liner the Queen Mary, the blog is well worth the read.

Carrying on to the east and I walked through Bottle Alley, shortly before the end of which I looked back westwards again and took this photograph. I have written about Sidney Little's Bottle Alley before when the new lighting was installed 5 years ago, when I also mentioned it featuring in the film Byzantium (blog).

Carrying on further to the east and I soon reached one of the main stars of the film Byzantium (trailer), as in, the building used in the film as Byzantium. This was originally called the Palace Hotel, and was built in 1885-86, it is now the Grade II listed Palace Court, and is across the road from the beach.

Again looking back westwards, although nothing to do with the film, indeed, it wasn't even here when Byzantium was being filmed in Hastings, but I photographed this really quite marvellous sculpture on the beach. This was created as part of the 950th Battle of Hastings anniversary celebrations and depicts a Norman Longboat (blog).

First of all I have to admit the photograph above is one I took quite a few years ago, so you may well have seen it before, but in the film Byzantium the beaches of Hastings are filmed quite a bit, so a decision? I thought about photographing the groyne on the beach where the other main character, played by Gemma Arterton, well, I shan't say what she was doing there, but she was playing a vampire... 😉 Anyway, the beach above, and some of the fishing boats there, was featured in the film too, and this photograph also includes the East Hill in the background. Very early in the film, when the 2 main characters Clara and Eleanor Webb (Arterton and Ronan) are about to enter Hastings, they cross the East Hill and the camera looks down into Hastings Old Town, I have shared quite a few photographs of similar images before, particularly when walking back across Hastings Country Park during recent 'lockdowns.'

Anyway, the destination of my walk was Rock-a-Nore, and when the footpath ended, and Rock-a-Nore Road enters into car parks, unless walking down to the beach and rocks, this is as far as one can walk, and this one (me) didn't fancy walking any further eastwards today, particularly as the tide was coming in now. So the view of the cliffs looking eastwards from Rock-a-Nore, and up on top there Hastings Country Park.

I hope you have all enjoyed your August Bank Holiday, stay safe folks!

Play Misty For Me: Walking and Some More...

After quite a while not walking across Hastings Country Park, for many reasons, I ventured across to Fairlight and back early(ish) yesterday morning, and you've got it! It was a wee bit misty... I walked along the seafront to the East Hill, stopping for a chat with Paul (the street cleaner), always a great chat, then up the 200-odd steps of the East Hill; looking back in the photograph above, and mist...

I crossed the East Hill to Barley Lane, for a while walking along with, and chatting to, one of my new friends I made in the first lockdown, he mentioned he hadn't seen me for a while, and I left him to get into his car in Barley Lane, whilst I carried on eastwards until I was above Fairlight Glen, which I walked down into, and back up out of (above), and, yes, it was still misty...

I then walked across to, and down into, and back out of, Warren Glen, across the top and into the larger of the old Fairlight sand quarries, where I spotted this new information board, maybe someone had read my blog last year, certainly this information could have been shared long ago, better late than never. 😉 Interestingly, there are not just new information boards around, another at the new visitors' centre at Fairlight, Bale House (blog), but quite a few new direction signs too.

And some bullocks have turned up during my absence (above, just down from the information centre), this in addition to the usual 6 Belted Galloway, which can just be seen in the photograph below, way down across Warren Glen, honest!

Warren Glen, still misty!

And walking back, to my right, is this field (above) with wild flowers, including sunflowers, it will likely have a crop planted next year, and still misty! Oh yes, and I collected sufficient sloe berries for this year's vintage sloe gin...

And from Fairlight to St Leonards, indeed, even as far to the north as Westfield, the weekend just gone, and next weekend 11th and 12th September, there are the Coastal Currents Arts Festival Open Studios (website), keep your eyes open too! Examples...

I'm sure I wanted to say something else too, I'll likely remember by tomorrow, cheers!

Oh yes, the West Hill Lift is working again! 😀

Artists, Hastings & Hastings Country Park

I have written before about 19th century artists coming to Hastings and its environs to admire the scenery and to paint, particularly 6 years ago when I wrote a blog about Watercolourists, notably J.M.W. Turner, and a blog about the Pre-Raphaelites. Well, I reminded myself many times whilst walking across Hastings Country Park for my exercise during the COVID-19 Crisis and observing this view down Warren Glen, and particularly when filming this video whilst looking down the glen and admiring the cattle.

One of the founding members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, William Holman Hunt, came to Hastings a number of times, particularly in 1852 to carry out a commission, Our English Coasts, a visit during which he was accompanied by Edward Lear, who requested tutoring, and when they stayed at Clive Vale Farm, which no longer exists. This is discussed in my earlier blog, as is Hunt's painting of the daughter of a local labourer, The Schoolgirl's Hymn. Hunt and Lear were joined by Millais for some of that time, and Hunt was accompanied by Millais again during a later visit in 1858 where they stayed at Fairlight Lodge, when he worked on Fairlight Downs, Sunlight on the Sea (above) which he had originally started during the first visit 6 years previously, and The Schoolgirl's Hymn, which was completed in 1859. 

You will notice that the first photograph above is from slightly below the view from where Holman Hunt worked on Fairlight Downs, Sunlight on the Sea, but this field now is more likely to have either Exmoor Ponies or Belted Galloway Cattle in it, rather than sheep. Also, the dog in the painting was added later I believe, and is likely a black spaniel, but it was suggested in correspondence with Dante Gabriel Rossetti that it was based on the Clive Vale farmer's Newfoundland dog that Hunt met during the 1852 visit.

The fun they had... 😉 and it is a great view, enjoy!

Bird Blog 9 - The Final Chapter? - Birds of Prey plus...

I've entitled 9 of these 'bird blogs' but maybe I should include an earlier blog when I mentioned that I would be writing such blogs, consequently it would make a much nicer 'round ten' to finish the series with? Not to say I won't write more about birds seen locally... anyway, my ninth, or tenth, bird blog. I have continued to use Gooders' book The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide* as my structural tool, and as a source of information about birds I have seen whilst on my regular travels/exercise, walking across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March last year. Also, I was very much influenced by the sound of birdsong during my walks last Spring and early Summer, notably in the larger sand quarry at Fairlight (YouTube), which helped me to keep sane, as well as fit.

This blog is called, among other things, Birds of Prey, but it is really me winding up by including other birds I have seen but not mentioned in these blogs so far, which is just the odd pheasant or two (above) and birds of prey, or at least the birds I recognized and was aware of seeing. I have seen other birds of course, for example a stork (blog), but that has been away from the country park, so not really relevant to this series, but still an acknowledgement that writing about birds will not stop here, particularly now my 'birder' instincts have been reawakened by the lockdowns.

I have to admit that seeing, or more often hearing Pheasants, was a bit of a surprise at first, but quite common over the months. The pheasant is one of the most common, and certainly most widespread, ground-dwelling gamebirds around the country, inhabiting woods, hedgerows and fields, and feeds on shoots, seeds and berries. Quite often I've seen one in a field, as in the photograph above, not a great image, but it flew away from me after crossing my path. Indeed, I've even had one just hopping/flying away from me down the same path without escaping to the side, not the brightest of creatures!

I only spotted a Buzzard once during last year's earlier walks/exercise, which is a bit surprising as they have recently displaced the Kestrel as being the most observed and widespread of the raptor species, having multiplied in numbers by at least 7 times since the 1960s (Sussex Wildlife Trust). They had been in danger beforehand as their population diminished because of food shortages during the myxomatosis outbreak among rabbits, and because of the use of pesticides like DDT that caused eggshell thinning in contaminated birds, thus preventing attempts to reproduce. 

Numbers had been decimated in earlier times too, as gamekeepers shot them, sadly, as they erroneously believed they would attack landowners' gamebirds. Indeed, the Buzzard mostly feeds on small mammals and is happy to take advantage scavenging roadkill too, and may even eat earthworms in colder months, which may have been what the Buzzard I saw in a field by Barley Lane was eating before taking off.

Also, early on during my walks I had seen a Kestrel, or maybe a Hobby as I have since been told that a Hobby has been spotted in the area near to Fairlight and above Warren Glen, but I tend to think it was the much more common Kestrel sitting on a post, before flying off at my approach, but you never know. 😉 Anyway, the photograph above, which I think is a Kestrel, was taken reasonably recently by a mate when we met up for a socially distanced meeting, as allowed outdoors. Not a clear image, but I believe it is a Kestrel hovering above Warren Glen, a raptor that feeds on small mammals and birds.

So, that's it for today and the final 'chapter' of this series of bird observations. Many thanks for reading these blogs, and keep safe folks!

Photograph of the Buzzard reproduced with many thanks to the RSPB and Hazmik.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

Fishing Fleet, Foxes & Frost! There's an Alliteration for you...

Reading the Guardian online recently (website), I wasn't too surprised that it reported that members of the Hastings Fishing Fleet are unhappy with the Government's 'deal' with the European Union. I have written many times about the local fishing fleet since I wrote about the Greenpeace visit to Hastings nearly 6 years ago (blog), which included a meeting where Paul Joy voiced similar thoughts to those he discusses in the Guardian article. A "passionate Brexiter" and knowledgeable about the industry, he had admitted that the UK government department responsible (DEFRA and their website) was guilty of badly translating the Common Fisheries Policy quota details, disrespecting the smaller fishing boat fleets whilst favouring the larger fishing boat fleets.

But I was surprised to read that Paul's fishing boat is not going out fishing now, especially looking back to seeing the lights of 3 or 4 fishing boats out at sea this morning, when I began my daily exercise before 07.00. I have since spoken to one of the fishermen I know who told me that he had gone out this morning at about 06.00 to lay nets which they will return to tomorrow morning. He told me that there aren't many fish around at the moment, but he suggested it's likely that Paul's boat will be out again in the Spring, though there is no hint of that in the Guardian article. Anyway, you will be pleased to know that members of the local fishing fleet are still fishing in local waters. Developments will be very interesting, I believe...

Field above Fairlight Glen

Anyway, foxes! Recently, I heard a couple of foxes 'screaming' in someone's garden just around the corner from where I live in the town centre, and this morning, whilst still quite dark, I spotted what I at first thought was a dog chasing after a fox across the East Hill... But no, it was a second bigger fox, presumably a dog fox, and yes, January is the mating season for foxes, so if you've been hearing foxes screaming at one another, you know the reason why, it's January and foxes are procreating!

Why the photograph above? Well, it was too dark to photograph the foxes, and they were running too quickly for me to get out my mobile phone anyway. And Fairlight was the destination for me to turn around at for my daily exercise today, nice sky too. 😉

And frost? I have to admit I've not owned a car for many years now, mainly using public transport, or walking, to get about, although not so much public transport for the last 10 months! And frost isn't really something I take notice of, although I do remember the inconvenience of having to clear windscreens. But the first lockdown last year changed the way I look at nature, and this morning, whilst walking back along Barley Lane, I couldn't help noticing the wonderful leaf-like patterns not just on windscreens, but on car bonnets too, like in the photograph above that I took this morning. I just looked up why this happens (most references are about patterns on glass, for example this reference), which explains that it is caused by tiny imperfections in, or on, the glass.

Isn't nature wonderful, and Jack Frost an excellent artist?!? 👍

Have a good weekend, and stay safe folks! 

Bird Blog VIII - Gulls!

Yet another 'bird blog' with a shorter title than that of the chapter in Gooders' book* (Waders, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks) as I have only seen gulls from this chapter whilst on my walks during these troubled times and lockdowns, although I have seen Turnstones when walking along the seafront, pretty common there. For anyone reading one of my 'Bird Blogs' for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen whilst on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders says that this "huge group... are members of the order Charadriiformes and are relatively closely related." 

The Herring Gull (above) needs no introduction, I presume, being as many thousands live in Hastings and close by, and many of us will have had a food item stolen by one, or certainly seen food items stolen from others by Herring Gulls. Indeed, they eat virtually anything. In addition, many of us will have also had the 'good luck' to have been hit by its excrement too, and not a few may have been attacked by them, for example, I had one literally jump on my back when I was painting the Stacey Marie (RX134) 4 or 5 years ago! Their aggressive behaviour is understandable as it tends to be associated with protecting their young, or looking for food. And, whether you love them, or loath them, and they are a bit of a 'Marmite' bird, they are a protected species, but breed prolifically locally, with nests on roofs, cliffs, just about anywhere.

I have spotted, more rarely, though they often appear later in the summer down at the seafront in greater numbers, the Great Black-backed Gull (above), and the Black-headed Gull. The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull in Britain, and when seen solitary among Herring Gulls, they do stand out size-wise, and not intimidated at all when outnumbered. They have a relatively more specific diet, preferring to eat smaller seabirds and offal, but in winter may travel inland and attack rubbish dumps. As far as I'm aware they do not nest locally, but further along the coast.

Black-headed Gulls (above), which I've seen more of at Bexhill over the years, are rarer in Hastings, although they are a reasonably regular visitor to Alexandra Park in later summer. The colour is actually more of a chocolate brown than a black head, and this is only in summer, disappearing during the winter when a dark spot behind the 'ear' is what most differentiates them. A much more particular diet for this gull, which eats fish, insects and invertebrates. They nest in reeds and rushes, which is probably why they're not seen in Hastings in the spring and early summer.

So, that's it for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations. The ninth and final bird blog in this series will include a number of birds from other chapters of the book* and more, and called Bird Blogs: The Final Chapter, maybe... Please do watch out for it, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

The photograph of the Great Black-backed Gull is reproduced with many thanks to the RSPB, and of the Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull, with thanks to The Wildlife Trusts.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

Pigeons, Woodpeckers and Allies - Birds Part 7

Another blog with a shorter title than that of the chapter in Gooders' book* as, quite frankly, all I have seen of the birds mentioned in this chapter on my walks during these troubled times and the 2 lockdowns, are pigeons, doves and woodpeckers... For anyone reading my Bird Blogs for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders says that this group is a “rag-bag of species, convenient in that they are the "only perching birds that do not belong to the order Passeriforms." So now you know...

Great Spotted Woodpecker

For my first couple of sightings I refer to the woodpeckers, and, usually heard rather than seen, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, the most common and most widespread woodpecker in Britain. I have heard woodpeckers drumming and drilling away all over the place, notably when walking in the higher parts of Alexandra Park, but early on in my cross Hastings Country Park walks during this crisis I not only heard them, but saw one, I heard it first and was lucky enough to spot it whilst walking long Barley Lane just after Fishponds View, thank you very much! They eat mostly insects and larvae, but during the Autumn and Winter months they switch their diet to include berries and nuts, and they may be seen in gardens pecking at peanut feeders.

I have seen many more Green Woodpeckers than the more common Great Spotted variety during my life, well noticed them anyway, indeed my first ever was as a young lad out with a mate, duffle bag over my shoulder, and flask of tea and some goodies in the bag for sustenance, saw the Green Woodpecker and followed it for quite a way until it flew over a small stream, without thinking I threw my bag over to the other side and leapt over myself; well, thermos flasks in those days had very fragile glass linings and I wasn't forgiven by my mum for ages, and no more tea to drink either that day! Similarly, their main diet is insects, and they can often be seen searching for food on the ground, ants forming a significant part of their diet, indeed, the one I saw, again quite early during the lockdown, was on the ground along a track off Barley Lane.

Collared Dove

The ubiquitous and largest pigeon in the country, is the Woodpigeon, and the most commonly seen pigeon during my walks across Hastings Country Park too, with an almost husky 'coo.' It eats seeds, leaves, grain, fruit, peas and root crops, consequently, it can become a pest to farmers. It's amazing that pigeons appear to know where to live, for example, up on the Country Park the Woodpigeon is virtually the only pigeon/dove you will see, whereas the feral town pigeons (mostly descended from rock doves/domesticated pigeons, although you may spot a hint of white dove or even collared dove interbreeding here and there), well, those town pigeons stay in town!

But back to the edge of town, and smaller than the Woodpigeon, I have spotted Collared Doves close to the Hastings end of Barley Lane during my travels. A relative newcomer to Britain, which was first recorded nesting in Norfolk in 1955 having spread westwards from Asia, but it has since spread throughout this country (and across to America too), and now is quite common in Britain. Again, it 'coos' but in a more gentle manner, almost begging you to listen, and eats seeds and grain from the ground.

Sorry folks, I haven't seen an owl for ages, consequently, not in my chapter! But the photograph above is of a wee painting I was given as a present over 35 years ago.

So, that's it for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations... The next chapter of the book* is called Waders, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks, but my Birds Part VIII blog will likely just be called Gulls, you'll understand! 😉 Please do watch out for it, I'll try not to leave it for so long this time, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

The photograph of the Great Spotted Woodpecker is reproduced with many thanks to Mark Hamblin, and of the Collared Dove with thanks to Gillian Day, and thanks to The Wildlife Trusts for both.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

Walking, Seafront, Parks and Shopping, Lucky Us!

Rather than walk eastwards today, my exercise included a couple of walks along the seafront, first, to the west and then heading away from the seafront by the majestic Marine Court (older blog) and walking up through the delightful St Leonards Gardens (another older blog). I cut across to Bohemia Road via Tower Road to go shopping at Lidl, as you do sometimes when you go shopping. Then, to get home, I walked back downhill through yet another delightful park, Alexandra Park (above, and yet another older blog). We are so lucky, not only do we have the healthy seafront to walk along, but 3 excellent award winning parks too (blog), quality! 

Hastings Lifeboat

It almost makes lockdown bearable... almost, but it does help a lot. Anyway, after a mug of tea and a couple of Rich Tea biscuits, I headed out along the front again, though eastwards this time, as I had to collect something fishing boat/work related. Lo and behold, our Shannon Class lifeboat, RNLI 13-28 Richard & Caroline Colton was sitting outside the Hastings Lifeboat Station (above), that was a pleasant surprise! The video linked in this blog during Storm Ciara earlier this year is well worth watching if you haven't already seen it. Although I've seen it quite a few times and feel blessed by our lifeboat crew and volunteers every time I see it, my respect to them all!

Swallows, Wagtails, Wrens, and Allies - Birds Part 6

This blog has a shorter title than the chapter in Gooders' book* Larks, Swallows, Wagtails, Wrens, Dippers, Accentors and Allies, and, sadly, I'm not sure that I've seen a lark recently. Anyway, here I am again. For anyone who is reading my Bird Blogs for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park since the Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders admits that this is a “grouping of convenience” but “nevertheless, these are mainly small birds, mostly insect eaters, though some take seeds.” 

The first, shown in the chapter image above, is the Swallow, and I have seen a couple of Swallows a few times above Fairlight Glen, or maybe seen more than 2 at different times? A summer visitor that nests inside barns, sheds, garages and other outbuildings, and which you'll more likely see acrobatically flying about to catch insects to eat. Swallows are recognizable with their long forked tails, pale underneath, but dark metallic blue wings and tail, with a red face and throat, a pleasure to behold, and I have had a 'pin badge' of the Swallow for many years now.

Like the Swallow, the House Martin is another summer visitor, similar in shape, but with a shorter tail and wings, 'stubbier' and with blue-black and white colouring. See the image above which shows the difference between them (and Swifts, which I cannot remember seeing or, rather, hearing). House Martins also eat insects, so are agile in flight too. I have seen quite a few House Martins over the summer months, but the Monday before last (14 September) I saw at least 500 coming together and 'flocking' above Warren Glen (see YouTube, although the video isn't from my sighting, but very similar), presumably on their way to Africa for the winter. It was an amazing sight, I was so lucky to have been there, at that specific time, to see and experience it, quality.

A quite tame garden and woodland bird, the Dunnock (above), spends much of its time searching for food on the ground, though, like the Wren, it may be seen up higher when singing. It can be mistaken for the House Sparrow in size and colouring, but it has grey foreparts and a thinner bill makes it easier to separate the two. The Dunnock also eats berries as well as insects, and has been quite a common sight during my daily exercise/walks across Hastings Country Park.

The Wren, popularly called 'Jenny Wren,' is one of the most widespread birds across the country, and thanks to John Gooders* I discovered it is the only member of its New World family (Troglodytidae) to have colonized the Old World! I have seen wrens right across the walk from Barley Lane to the eastern edge of Hastings Country Park, but most often towards the Hastings end of my walks, and it has a right loud voice for such a wee bird when it sings (YouTube). The Wren is another insect eater that you will more commonly see up in a tree or on a taller shrub, but they spend much of their time hunting for insects under more dense ground cover.

I have seen 2 of the Wagtail family during my walks, the more commonly seen (indeed, in Hastings town centre and along the seafront too!) black and white Pied Wagtail (above). A very familiar sight with it's 'wagging' or bobbing tail, and regularly seen on the ground, searching for insects to eat. Seen in this video (YouTube) is the rarer Yellow Wagtail, which I was pleased to see, as it is a summer visitor only (another bird that migrates to Africa for winter), earlier in my lockdown walking days. An elegant looking bird that I saw a few times over at Firehills and the eastern edge of the Country Park, mostly taking off from the ground, with me trying to follow its flight as long as possible.

Well, that's enough for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations... The next chapter of the book* is called Pigeons, Cuckoos, Owls, Woodpeckers, Nightjars and Allies, consequently, my Birds Part VII blog will be similarly called, again probably shorter, but please do watch out for it, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

Photograph of the Pied Wagtail with many thanks to Derek Middleton, and of the Dunnock to Roger Wilmshurst, and to the Sussex Wildlife Trust for both, and many thanks to the RSPB for the image depicting the Swift, House Martin and Swallow.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

Chats & Thrushes - Bird Blog 5

This blog has been a long time coming, apologies for the suspense, and I haven't seen the Whinchat illustrated above, but I have seen regularly on my travels across Hastings Country Park since lockdown began, a number of birds from this family, notably the thrushes. Indeed, a couple of our most familiar birds, and often seen in gardens too, are the Robin and the Blackbird. These are mostly ground-dwelling birds that find the majority of their food on the ground, and who hasn't heard and seen Blackbirds regularly foraging in undergrowth?!?

Male Stonechat

The Stonechat is the only non-thrush of this group that I have seen during this period as far as I am aware (who knows what I may miss among the fast flights across my path and in the distance?), and I have quite taken to the Stonechat too, once I knew what I was observing. Their orange-red breast, and the male's black head and white half-collar, made them stand out for me at first. They like heath and grasslands, and particularly the gorse that grows at Firehills, openly perching and taking off from the gorse and other vegetation there. Stonechats eat insects and worms, and have a distinctive 'chak-chak' call with an added whistle (YouTube).

Song Thrush

The Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush have been enchanting to see and hear, the Mistle Thrush being the slightly larger of the two. Both eat berries, worms and insects, and the Song Thrush also eats snails, and they both visit gardens as well as living in heaths, fields and woodland. I observed them more in the earlier months during the lockdown, and was delighted to see and hear a Song Thrush singing loudly from on high (YouTube) during a specific visit to the old disused Sand Quarry at Fairlight, what a beautiful sound!

Juvenile Robin

The Blackbird, another wonderful singer, and the Robin, are well known to us all, with songs written about them, and they are both great singers too, perhaps the Blackbird's song being the best known as it sings so loudly and clearly (YouTube). The habitat of both is widespread, and the Robin eats mostly insects, whilst the Blackbird also eats worms and berries. I have included an image of a juvenile Robin because I saw one a few days ago, and it took me a while to realize just what I had seen.

That's enough today for this chapter of my bird observations, and the next chapter of the book* is called Larks, Swallows, Wagtails, Wrens, Dippers, Accentors and Allies, consequently, the Birds Part VI blog will be called similar, although probably a shorter title, but please do watch out for it, and many thanks for reading the blog.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

All 3 photographs of individual birds are with many thanks to the RSPB, and specifically for the image of the Song Thrush singing with thanks to Chris Gomersall, and of the young Robin to Andy Bright.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and the Mayor of Winchelsea.

Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers

So, here I am at Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers, Birds Part III, you will have noticed that I haven't tried for a catchy title like my previous Bird Blog (I'm not naturally a comedian, though some people who know me may disagree), but I took a serious thought about what to call this one. I was worried that it may come up on search engines used by porn seekers and young boys (I was a young boy once, honest, and, like most, giggled very easily at certain words), but it is the title of the chapter, it's nonsense for me to worry, and should it happen to even one person, then maybe they'll see something they should have a healthy interest in. So welcome if you are such a reader, many thanks for clicking on this blog. And many thanks to the rest of you for bearing with me and my waffle, enjoy the blog!

Primarily, this was going to be about the Tit Family as these were the only birds from this chapter of the book* that I have noticed during my daily exercise from east to west, and back again, across Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve. These birds are historically woodland birds, however, now many are seen regularly in urban gardens too, they are very adaptable. They are also very gregarious. Although being territorial during the breeding season, they can often be seen to come together in mixed flocks at other times of the year, particularly the winter, indeed Nuthatches and Treecreepers may also join in these mixed flocks!

As the image from The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide is of 2 Nuthatches, I shall start with that bird, as, although I hadn't noticed any in the last few months, one may well have been in my eyesight, honestly, how many times do birds flit across in front of you and you have no idea what it was? Many times, really, and this is true of the last 4 months for me. But the Nuthatch, this colourful little (about the size of a Great Tit), woodpecker-like bird, is an interesting bird to observe, I have never noticed one 'in the wild' but I have seen them in the days I had a garden, climbing upside down on a tree searching for insects, or breaking seeds and nuts.

I include this photograph of a Blue Tit because it is probably one of the birds that most people can recognize, and is a frequent garden visitor, and I have seen many over the months, including 'juveniles' more recently, with their pale greener plumage and crown. They are exotic, colourful, and very interesting to watch. Indeed, the only time in my life I have had a nesting box, Blue Tits nested there, I observed the pair choosing their nest site and flying to and fro whilst feeding their young ones. I also had the great honour of spotting the last half a dozen young leaving the nest; they typically have 8-12 chicks, sometimes as many as 20! You could see the nesting box from our kitchen window, and I was washing up the breakfast dishes at the time, not that I ever needed to find an excuse to watch the box, but I was fortunate that morning.

The other tits I have seen include the largest, the Great Tit, more frequently at the beginning of the lockdown period, but am still seeing them now and then. Similar the Coal Tit, which I have not seen for at least 2 months now. All the tits are omnivores, eating insects and seeds, and anyone with a Nut Feeder will have seen them tucking in there too, though mostly going for the kernel of the nut, with bits and pieces of nuts flying off for ground feeding birds to take advantage of! I have also seen Marsh Tits, maybe Willow Tits as well, difficult to tell the difference, although their song is different (YouTube), hence why I know I have seen Marsh Tits, but... Oh yes, and the video shows other tits and birds at garden feeders and tables too, so well worth the watch.

It has been a pleasure to observe these gregarious birds, but onwards I go, and the next chapter of the book* is called Warblers and Flycatchers, consequently, so will the Birds Part III blog, please watch out for it.

Sorry, as far as I'm aware, I haven't seen a Treecreeper ever, let alone recently...

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

Photograph of the Nuthatch with many thanks to Derek Middleton, and of the Blue Tit to Bob Eade, and to the Sussex Wildlife Trust for both.

Corvids: Stone the Crows!

I thought that may catch some people's attention, CORVID, not Covid! As I said in Birds Part I (blog) my next Bird Blog Part II will be about Crows, although the book's* chapter is called Orioles, Shrikes, Crows and Starlings, I have only noticed crows during the last few months exercising (me, that is), and I can't even remember seeing a starling would you believe?!? Also, I have never 'stoned' a crow but I have certainly had a few surprises in my life, and seeing my first Jays when I started as a postgrad research student, many years ago now, shocked me a little as they are so wonderful to look at! Anyway, the relevant chapter image in The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide for this chapter is above, and is of a Jay, so a good place to begin...

I've seen Jays towards the Old Town end of Barley Lane during my Coronavirus Crisis exercise walks mostly across Hastings Country Park, it is primarily a woodland bird, but is well adapted, like most crows have become, to farmland, towns and gardens too. As I said, when I first saw a Jay I was impressed with its colours, with pink, purple, blue, brown, cream, grey, black and white, it is certainly a striking sight, as can be seen from the photograph above. Like humans they are omnivores, but with a slightly different range of diet, they eat acorns, nuts, seeds, worms, insects, small mammals and nestlings of other birds... I'm okay with the nuts, thank you.

Strangely, representatives of all 4 members of the crow family I have seen during these walks over the past few months are not to be seen in the north of Scotland (presumably they dislike cold, or cannot cope with the competing wild haggis, maybe 😉), although this is not true of all Corvids, for example the Raven, which I haven't noticed hereabouts, but from which the name Corvid comes, corvus being latin for raven. In addition to Jays, I have also seen the ubiquitous Magpie, plus Rooks and Jackdaws galore, and they are all omnivores, frequenting all manner of abode.

I have shown the RSPB image of the Jackdaw with the description (and you should never forget it now, unless you already knew, of course) because, apart from the Magpie, and Jay, once you've fathomed out which crow it is, it is the easiest to recognise, and I have seen them right across Hastings Country Park, and often seen them down by the black net huts in Rock a Nore Road too, searching for scraps, and less aggressive than the gulls! I call them all 'Jack' wherever I see them, the strange person that I am, the lockdown reducing my human contact has meant me talking to all and sundry during my walks, birds, ponies, cattle, sheep, foxes, rabbits, you name it!

Anyway, back to corvids and the Magpie, which you can recognize from its chattering long before you see it (YouTube), and which is a bird with many superstitions surrounding its history, so if you see a bloke saluting magpies up in Hastings Country Park, it is very likely to be me, not that I'm superstitious, touch wood...  And Rooks, well, they're black crows basically, omnivores etc etc...

The next chapter of the book* is called Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers, so Birds Part III will be called similar, please do watch out for it, many thanks.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide

Photograph of the Jay with thanks to Alan Price and the Sussex Wildlife Trust, and of the Jackdaw with thanks to Nigel Blake and the RSPB.