Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Wildlife Sightings: December 2024

David Bentley

Volunteer and Trustee of the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

The weather in December was generally mild with lots of cloud and mist and some windy spells, including Storm Darragh which passed through early in the month. There was no really hard winter weather to 'shake things up' and provoke any significant influx of birds. If we do get a prolonged freezing spell in the new year, cold weather movement can bring exciting species or numbers of birds to the reserve, where they take refuge from the colder continent. 

Regardless of the weather, there was always something interesting to see in December. Perhaps the highlight of the month was an enormous flock of around 3,000 Golden Plover on Flat Beach on the 17^th. The sight of such a large number of this charismatic wader is one of the winter wonders of the nature reserve. Predators will often scare the birds into flight, almost as a single exploding firework, which then drifts back down as many shining specs of gold and white ticker-tape. It's likely that these were the same birds that have been spending much of this winter on the edge of the marsh behind Scotney Gravel Pits.

Peak counts of other waders included around 30 Grey Plover, 200+ Dunlin, 50 Knot and 30+ Snipe. Other waders seen included Greenshank, both species of Godwit and at least two Spotted Redshank. Up to four Spoonbill were still proving very popular with visitors, often easily viewed from the Discovery Centre. A Cattle Egret was seen at Castle Farm on the 16^th and a Bittern was spotted on various occasions in the Castle Water area.

Smew was once a regular winter visitor, but warmer weather close to their taiga breeding grounds in North Scandinavia and Russia means they don't need to travel as far to escape winters and there have been no sightings here in the last few years. We wonder if a similar fate awaits our regular wintering Goldeneye, none of which were reported on the nature reserve in December. Climate change continues - 2024 was the fourth warmest year on record for the UK - and it may be that we will see significant shifts in more species' behaviour.

There were up to 110 Pintail on Flat Beach throughout the month and sightings of Common and Velvet Scoters on the sea, as well as sitting and passing Red-throated Divers. Over 1,000 Cormorant leaving the Castle Water roost, heading East, provided quite a spectacle on the 15^th. There were reports of a ringtail Hen Harrier on the 10^th and a Hooded Crow on the 15^th.

At least one Dartford Warbler was seen on several dates in the month. These handsome birds sometimes move away from their heathland breeding grounds to over-winter in scrub, generally not too far from the coast. Look out for them in bramble and Gorse. Recent sightings have been near Parkes Hide, Cuckoo Corner and Salt Pool, but they can pop up almost anywhere on the nature reserve. Be especially vigilant if there are Stonechats in view, as Dartford Warblers often associate with this species.

Spending time studying relatively common species can provide interesting insight into behaviour. A male Sparrowhawk was seen walking in the rough grass close to the Discovery Centre, perhaps searching for small mammals pushed up the saltmarsh by high tides.

Thanks go to all the observers who contribute to the monthly sighting reports. If you have spotted something interesting on the reserve, please do make a record via https://irecord.org.uk/, and if you think it is particularly significant please let us know at [email protected].