Sussex Scrapbook
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Nature walks throughout the year
Wednesday 10th December 2008
Rodmell
An early finish at work
gave me the chance to bike
down to this very special area on the Ouse just north of Newhaven. In winter,
the fields and reeds here on the floodplain attract all kinds of winter
visitors. Today, amongst other things, I was hoping to spot a
Hen Harrier or a
Merlin, both of which had been seen here during the past week.
The fields were alive with birds today, with large flocks of starlings dancing
around the sky, interspersed with lapwings, fieldfares and redwings. I had four
sightings of kingfishers today, on one occasion a pair of them circled myself
and two other birders twice, coming within 10 feet of us. There was a buzzard
sitting on a telegraph pole, two peregrines perched on a pylon and a sneaky
Sparrowhawk glided (That doesn't sound right, glid, glod, glode?) across the
fields at knee height sending up hundreds of starlings. I also just missed the chance of
seeing a
mink,
which was spotted by some other birdwatchers crossing the path behind me and slipping into a pond.
On my way back to the bike I spotted something in the distance sitting on a
post. I made an effort to get closer but was cut off by water, although I was
able to see that it was a female Merlin. She sat there for ages without flying
and I was hoping she would do so before I got too cold (I still had to ride back
home). In the end the cold won, but not a bad result for a short 2 hour visit.
The Downs above 'Kingston near Lewes' seen from the Ouse at Rodmell
Lewes Castle to the north, seen from Rodmell
A distant picture of the female Merlin sitting on a post. I'm sorry, it was a
long way away.