Christmas Message from Wildlife Trust

I've received a seasonal message from the Wildlife Trusts CEO, Craig Bennett: "Hello, I would like to say a big personal thank you to all of you who have supported us over the past year. Whether you have signed a petition, sent a postcard, donated, or acted for nature on your own doorstep, you make a huge difference.  Thanks to your efforts, we have ensured bees are protected from harmful neonicotinoid pesticides, drawn attention to the catastrophic harms of bottom trawling on the seabed, and held the UK Government accountable to their election promises to restore nature. Yet we know that there are threats on the horizon and nature will still need YOU next year. The Wildlife Trusts do not do this alone. It takes a movement of people for nature to meet the challenges we keep facing head on. We look forward to standing up for wildlife together in 2026. Season’s greetings to you all and best wishes for the new year! Craig Bennett Chief Executive The Wildlife Trusts" - A link to Sussex Wildlife Trust.

Filsham Reedbed Update

I have been writing about nearby Filsham Reedbed for years now, and many times, for example when I walked out there for my daily exercise during the first Covid Lockdown (blog). Well, I walked out there very recently with my brother and was amazed to find it so open, certainly been plenty of work carried out there; see photographs below!

So I carried out a wee bit of research, Filsham Reedbed being a Sussex Wildlife Trust nature reserve, and me a member, and discovered that a habitat restoration project has begun there to improve the site. Overgrown vegetation has been removed (obviously!), helping to create new areas of open water to benefit numerous species including plants, birds and insects. Apparently, fencing is going to be introduced to help grazing in certain areas.

Filsham Reedbed is one of the largest reedbeds in Sussex, just to the west of Hastings in the Coombe Haven valley. If you want to find out more about the Sussex Wildlife Trust and its work, or to join, please go to their website.

Kelp Recovery: 4 Years Update from SWT.

I have written about this subject before, eg blog, but have just received an email from the Sussex Wildlife Trust reminding me of the "UK’s largest marine rewilding initiative, Sussex Kelp Recovery Project (SKRP), marking the four-year anniversary of the project and the introduction of the Sussex Nearshore Trawling Byelaw. The milestone comes as SKRP researchers report encouraging signs of recovery, including increased marine life [Black Sea Bream in image above, from the website] and changes to life on the seabed along the Sussex coastline." For further information about this welcome update go to the Sussex Wildlife Trust's website. Good news!

Humpback Whales!

If you haven't seen a Humpback Whale swimming off the Sussex Coast recently, I guess, like me, most of you have heard about it. I've seen video taken from Hastings Pier of a whale on facebook, and this video on YouTube had Brighton spectators pretty excited! I've had a communcication from the Sussex Wildlife Trust, providing information about the importance of humpback whales and reasons why we are seeing them in local waters more regularly. Indeed, if you do spot a humpback whale, or any other marine mammal off our coast, they ask that you please report this to the Sussex Dolphin Project. Keep your eyes open folks, many thanks!

Nature recovery in action!

I have been contacted again by Sussex Wildlife Trust to inform me that it’s now been "over three years since a 300km2 area of Sussex seabed was protected from bottom trawling and signs of recovery are starting to be seen. Black Sea Bream and (large) Mussel beds... have been sighted in this protected area, demonstrating nature recovery in action. At the start of the century, 96% of the Sussex Kelp Forest, and the marine life it supported, had disappeared, so it is truly wonderful to see the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project bringing wildlife back to Sussex" (blog).

To find out more about Kelp and Kelp Ecosystem Benefits, including providing spawning and nursery grounds, acting as a carbon conveyor, and providing a natural coastal defence, go to the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project website. Nice one!

Sussex Kelp Recovery Project

Earlier this year I wrote a blog about the Hastings Kelp Project, and I keep on receiving more information about kelp and the Sussex Coastline, most recently in the Autumn/Winter 2024 edition of the Sussex Wildlife Trust's magazine Wildlife. This pointed out that the longer running Sussex Kelp Recovery Project suggests there have been 'glimmers of hope' during the last 3 years in Sussex Coastline's kelp, including the recovery of mussel beds, a greater diversity of fish species being caught by the fishing industry, and increases in Black Sea Bream and Lobster populations (website). For more information, go to the Hastings Kelp Project website and the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project website. Good News!

Sussex Wldlife Trust and our Future!

The Sussex Wildlife Trust, and all other wildlife trusts in the country, are calling for support for nature in our lifetimes, indeed, they want nature to be 'restored by 2030' (website)! They are calling on all political leaders to make 5 electoral pledges to 'save nature.' That is, they are asking that all political parties support these 5 pledges (below), cut & pasted from their website, and a petition is included too (website):

💰 A pay rise for nature

Farmers need greater support to help nature and manage over 70% of UK land - we want to see double the current budget for nature-friendly farming in future. 

🏭 Make polluters pay

Business - from companies working finance to retail to energy  - all contribute to nature’s decline and should contribute to nature’s recovery. 

🏞️ More space for nature

Just 3% of the land and 8% of English waters are properly protected for nature. We want rapid action to expand and improve protected areas, and ensure public land and National Parks contribute more to recovery.

🤝 A National Nature Service

We want lots of helping hands if nature is to recover quickly and at scale: a 'National Nature Service' would create thousands of green jobs as well as a healthier society.

🌳 A right to a healthy environment 

Limited access to nature and pollution in the air and water affects everyone’s health: An 'Environmental Rights' Bill would drive better decisions for nature and improve public health.

I support the wildlife trusts 👍

Sussex Wildlife Trust Photo Competition Winner!

I shared details of the Sussex Wildlife Trust's Photo Competition for their 2023 calendar in a blog back in August. I have now received details of the winner, which is of a damselfly (above) and was submitted by Brian Watkins, congratulations to him!

The runner up is a photograph of a fox submitted by Anthony Thomsett, nice one!

For more details go to the Trust's website, and congratulations to all who took part!

SWT Photo Competition & Hastings Week Continues

The 12 finalists for the Sussex Wildlife Trust's Photography Competition have been chosen, see above (and my blog), and they are now asking for people to vote for which photograph/photographer should win. If you'd like to take part in the vote go to the Trust's website, you have until 5.00pm on 31st October to vote, many thanks.

Also, Hastings Week 2022 (blog) continues, go to their website for details of events.

Cheers! 👌

Photo Competition - Sussex Wildlife Trust

2017 winner by Karen Diton

What a good opportunity to get out and take photographs of nature, August Bank Holiday Weekend, and you still have 2 weeks in which to submit photographs to the Sussex Wildlife Trust's 2022 Photo Competition. Every year they seek 12 Sussex landscape and wildlife photographs for the following year's calendar, and for the 2023 calendar the theme is Sussex Seasons. Photographs must be submitted by Sunday the 11th of September 2022; further details at the website.

Rules (copied & pasted from the website):

• You can enter up to three images
• Images must be in landscape format only
• Images must be a minimum of 4 MB in size
• For full rules please visit this webpage for the competition’s terms and conditions

Good luck! 👌

 

Sussex Wildlife Trust: New Chief Executive

From today, Chris Corrigan is the new Chief Executive of Sussex Wildlife Trust, to whom I wish a welcome, and also best wishes for the future, and many thanks for your work this last 4 years, to Tor Lawrence (blog), the outgoing Chief Executive.

I shall cut & paste below about this appointment from the Trust's website:

Chris is an experienced executive and has a long history in conservation, having held senior roles with RSPB and more recently at Birdwatch Ireland. Chris is a resident of Sussex and knows and respects the work the Trust does to protect and restore the natural environment.

Chris said,

"I am delighted to be joining such a strong and successful organisation as the Sussex Wildlife Trust. The current scale of the biodiversity and climate crises is unprecedented but all is not lost. Our job is to make the biggest possible difference for wildlife and provide hope. I have been hugely impressed by the wealth of talented and knowledgeable staff and volunteers and as a team I am confident we have the capability to make Sussex a better place for nature”

The Trustees and our staff team are looking forward to welcoming Chris to the Trust when he starts on 22 August.

Sussex Wildlife Trust: Wildlife & Countryside Survey 2022

Regular readers will be aware that I am a member of Sussex Wildlife Trust (website), and now they are asking for people who wish to share their views about the Sussex countryside and its wildlife to complete this short survey, please do, many thanks!

Carry on enjoying the beauty of the Sussex countryside and its seafront. 👌

 

Saving Bees!

I'm straight copy and pasting from Sussex Wildlife Trust:

We need to end the use of bee-killing pesticides! But the UK Government has authorised their use on crops across England, just weeks after passing the new Environment Act. This catastrophic decision:

> Ignores the 100,000 people who appealed to the Prime Minister to reverse the same decision last year

> Disregards the advice of health and safety experts

> Undermines legal-binding commitments to nature in the Environment Act

We’ve made a simple form to allow you to tweet your MP asking them to say #NoToNeonics in Parliament – and call on the Government to reverse this decision: https://wtru.st/neonics-tweet-MP

As a member, I support this effort to save our bees...

If you'd like to know more about the Sussex Wildlife Trust see their website, or nationally, The Wildlife Trusts website.

Butterflies and Moths in Sussex

I've recently noticed that the Sussex Wildlife Trust (and I own up to having an 'interest' as I am a member of the Trust 😉) have a free eight part email course called Beginners Guide to the Butterflies of Sussex, which I have just signed up to. If you are interested in this course then please do go to their website and sign up too; I am now awaiting the first video.

If you'd like to learn more about butterflies and moths, but can't be bothered with the course, they have plenty of information about butterflies and moths, and details of how you can help them, at a different part of their website, please feel free to learn more.

And please do enjoy seeing these beautiful creatures!  

And while I write about the Sussex Wildlife Trust, there is a very interesting account written by the Chief Executive, Tor Lawrence, and a 'grand day out' visiting Sussex farms and seeing how farmers are caring for habitat management and wildlife preservation, well worth a read too at their website.

What to do if you find a young bird out of the nest...

Advice above from the Sussex Wildlife Trust about what to do if you find a 'baby bird' out of the nest, if you would like more details about the Trust please go to their website.

And remember to stay safe still folks, we're almost there! 👌

Sussex Wildlife Trust Annual Survey

Filsham Reedbed

Sussex Wildlife Trust are presently carrying out their annual survey and are looking for as large a response from people who live in Sussex to discover what matters most to them about wildlife in Sussex. Their survey can be found at this link, and both they and I should be very grateful if you would complete the survey, if appropriate, many thanks!

I belong to Sussex Wildlife Trust which manages a number of wetlands close by, including Pevensey Marshes, Castle Water, Rye Harbour and, closest to Hastings, Filsham Reedbed (above), located between Hastings and Bexhill, to the east of Combe Haven river (Grid Ref: TQ775097), and one of the largest reedbeds in Sussex. It is a stopping off point for many birds, including swallows, warblers, bitterns and marsh harriers, plus reed warblers, bearded tits and water rail breed there. There are many rare plants growing there too, and amphibians and insects live within the reeds and open water. It is well worth a visit, I regularly walk there (eg blog).

If you want to join Sussex Wildlife Trust, or to know more about its work and nature reserves, go to their website. Enjoy the day!

Save our Bees - Pesticides Damaging Wildlife!

 

I have received an email from the Sussex Wildlife Trust, which I am a member of, that is encouraging people to take part in influencing the Government's consultation for a National Action Plan to "reduce the risks of pesticide use" (website). Go to the website to have your say about how bees and other pollinating insects are in danger from the use of pesticides, notably neonicotinoid thiamethoxam, which is banned across Europe. But the use of this pesticide has been authorised recently by the current Environment Secretary, George Eustice, for the treatment of sugar beet seed, despite the then Environment Secretary in 2017, Michael Gove, agreeing with the EU, and promising to maintain the restriction of neonicotinoids use.

In addition, The Wildlife Trusts have organised a petition calling on the Prime Minister to overturn Eustice's "decision to allow bee-killing pesticides." More about this at the Sussex Wildlife Trust website, and you can sign the petition at The Wildlife Trusts website. Let's protect our wildlife please folks!

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.

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.

Birds Blog IV - Warblers and Flycatchers

So, here I am writing my Birds Part IV blog, Warblers and Flycatchers, with the image of a Wood Warbler and its brood (above) from the appropriate chapter of John Gooders' The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide. These birds mostly eat insects, although some do vary their diet slightly, particularly in the autumn before they migrate southwards, when many take advantage of fruit and berry crops. Sadly, I am not aware that I have seen any Wood Warblers since March the 23rd, so I shall write no more about this specific member of the group today, however...

What I have seen are Whitethroats (above) and Blackcaps. I saw my first Whitethroat quite early in the lockdown period, right at the eastern edge of Hastings Country Park Wildlife Reserve, sitting on a shrub singing his little heart out for me! More likely he was telling me to 'take a walk.' Anyway, go to YouTube to hear the Whitethroat song. A summer visitor to Britain from the fringes of the Sahara in Africa, probably spotted early due to our 'summer' coming so early this year. Indeed, the Whitethroat is an example in this group that does eat berries as well as insects. More recently I have seen other birds collecting nesting material for a second 'brood' this summer, there is so much food around for them, and they nested early the first time when humans were quite rare for them to see due to the lockdown.

Blackcaps are another of these birds who also eat berries in addition to insects and are mostly summer visitors, although they sometimes remain in southern England over warm winters. Warblers can be difficult to differentiate, and so I may well have seen others but not been aware. But I have seen the insect eating Chiffchaff with its distinctive call that it was named after, a summer visitor, and the insect and berry eating Garden Warbler, another summer visitor with a call similar to the Blackcap (YouTube).

What I have not noticed, although I may well have seen one fly by me, is the rarer Dartford Warbler (above). Why may I have seen this rare warbler? Well, a local dog walker I have met regularly at Firehills told me that, about a month ago, a large number of birders had descended upon Firehills to see the Dartford Warblers that had been spotted there, so I am mentioning the bird in this blog, and it is quite a fine looking bird, as well as being rare, I just wish I had seen it...

Anyway, that's enough today for this chapter of my bird observations, and the next chapter of the book* is called Chats and Thrushes, so the Birds Part 5 blog will be called similar, please do watch out for it, and many thanks for reading the blog today.

By the way, although not originally from the county, ornithologist John Gooders* used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago sadly, and had previously chaired the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and been the Mayor of Winchelsea, consequently, the Speaker of the Cinque Ports for a year (website).

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

The photograph of the Dartford Warbler is reproduced with many thanks to Derek Middleton, and of the Whitethroat with many thanks to Nigel O, and thanks too to the Sussex Wildlife Trust and RSPB respectively.