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Birding around Brighton (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter markgrubb
- Start date
joannec
Well-known member
Hi Mark,
My favourite place is Cuckmere Haven, about half an hour from Brighton towards Eastbourne. Will you have a car? If not there is a bus, can't remember the number but it's a regular service between Brighton and Eastbourne, just west of Beachy Head. Get off or park at the Seven Sisters Centre and it's about a mile walk along the meandering River Cuckmere to the beach. There are several routes but the best for birds is the path nearest the river.
My favourite place is Cuckmere Haven, about half an hour from Brighton towards Eastbourne. Will you have a car? If not there is a bus, can't remember the number but it's a regular service between Brighton and Eastbourne, just west of Beachy Head. Get off or park at the Seven Sisters Centre and it's about a mile walk along the meandering River Cuckmere to the beach. There are several routes but the best for birds is the path nearest the river.
Mark43
Well-known member
Hi Mark
Went there this morning but only did a small walk as we didn't trust the weather but managed Little egrets ,Mute swan,Heron,Swallow,Sky lark and Whitethroat..There is certainly more than that there but this was a walk rather than birding so i wasn't paying as much attention as i should have been.
There is a list of birds seen in the Visitors centre.
I think i saw Stonechat or Winchat on the list....i can't remember........sorry.
Went there this morning but only did a small walk as we didn't trust the weather but managed Little egrets ,Mute swan,Heron,Swallow,Sky lark and Whitethroat..There is certainly more than that there but this was a walk rather than birding so i wasn't paying as much attention as i should have been.
There is a list of birds seen in the Visitors centre.
I think i saw Stonechat or Winchat on the list....i can't remember........sorry.
joannec
Well-known member
There was a report earlier this week of avocets at Cuckmere Haven. I was last there about 10 days ago and saw little egrets, shellducks, (whole families), oyster catchers, curlew, kingfisher, linnets, skylark, grey herons, stonechat and various gulls but I'm not very good at them. It's also a good place for migrants but they have probably all arrived by now. There have been cattle egrets there too but I don't think recently.
deborah4
Well-known member
Hi Mark
Guess I live the closest!!
First stop: Brighton Marina and all along beach right up to Shoreham (walkable) - parking available on seafront for limited periods - lots of recent sightings of skua, storm petrel, shag, common, little & sandwich Tern, ringed plover, and of course plenty of gull sorts. (good binos needed probably)
Secondly: Shoreham Harbour and the Estuary - waders, duck, oyster catcher, gull, avocet (if your lucky), tern - check tide times in Evening Argus (local rag) or on-line. Also field & woodland birds: skylark, fieldfare etc Easy to get to by car, straight along A27 or train from Hove or Brighton Station. (15 mins max)
Thirdly: Chichester Lakes (gravel pits) OS Reserve - parking available - plenty of woodland birds inc. green woodpecker, as well as reed and sedge warblers, bunting etc, cormorant and variety of duck - southside of A27 - possible to walk round for miles. Unusual sightings could include Red Kite, Marsh Harrier - kestrel and Buzzard fairly prolific. Peregrine at Cathedral in centre of City. (about 45 minutes in car - parking in residential area on other side of A27)
Finally: Pagham Harbour & Selsey Bill: - about 1 hr's drive - parking in visitors car park at Selsey reserve (guide map/leaflet available from visitor's shop in carpark) Wonderful for waders, tern and gull as well as farmland/reed habitat. Plenty of little egret last time I was there, spoonbill (one off I fear which made its way to Pulborough!), avocet, ruddy shelduck, grey plover, blackwit and 06 sightings of osprey, red kite - Ideal for a day out.
That's my local patch in a nutshell!
(oh forgot to say, check 'SOS, Sussex' (use as searchstring) for Recent Sightings
Guess I live the closest!!
First stop: Brighton Marina and all along beach right up to Shoreham (walkable) - parking available on seafront for limited periods - lots of recent sightings of skua, storm petrel, shag, common, little & sandwich Tern, ringed plover, and of course plenty of gull sorts. (good binos needed probably)
Secondly: Shoreham Harbour and the Estuary - waders, duck, oyster catcher, gull, avocet (if your lucky), tern - check tide times in Evening Argus (local rag) or on-line. Also field & woodland birds: skylark, fieldfare etc Easy to get to by car, straight along A27 or train from Hove or Brighton Station. (15 mins max)
Thirdly: Chichester Lakes (gravel pits) OS Reserve - parking available - plenty of woodland birds inc. green woodpecker, as well as reed and sedge warblers, bunting etc, cormorant and variety of duck - southside of A27 - possible to walk round for miles. Unusual sightings could include Red Kite, Marsh Harrier - kestrel and Buzzard fairly prolific. Peregrine at Cathedral in centre of City. (about 45 minutes in car - parking in residential area on other side of A27)
Finally: Pagham Harbour & Selsey Bill: - about 1 hr's drive - parking in visitors car park at Selsey reserve (guide map/leaflet available from visitor's shop in carpark) Wonderful for waders, tern and gull as well as farmland/reed habitat. Plenty of little egret last time I was there, spoonbill (one off I fear which made its way to Pulborough!), avocet, ruddy shelduck, grey plover, blackwit and 06 sightings of osprey, red kite - Ideal for a day out.
That's my local patch in a nutshell!
(oh forgot to say, check 'SOS, Sussex' (use as searchstring) for Recent Sightings
markgrubb
Leading a life of quiet desperation
deborah4 said:Hi Mark
Guess I live the closest!!
First stop: Brighton Marina and all along beach right up to Shoreham (walkable) - parking available on seafront for limited periods - lots of recent sightings of skua, storm petrel, shag, common, little & sandwich Tern, ringed plover, and of course plenty of gull sorts. (good binos needed probably)
Secondly: Shoreham Harbour and the Estuary - waders, duck, oyster catcher, gull, avocet (if your lucky), tern - check tide times in Evening Argus (local rag) or on-line. Also field & woodland birds: skylark, fieldfare etc Easy to get to by car, straight along A27 or train from Hove or Brighton Station. (15 mins max)
Thirdly: Chichester Lakes (gravel pits) OS Reserve - parking available - plenty of woodland birds inc. green woodpecker, as well as reed and sedge warblers, bunting etc, cormorant and variety of duck - southside of A27 - possible to walk round for miles. Unusual sightings could include Red Kite, Marsh Harrier - kestrel and Buzzard fairly prolific. Peregrine at Cathedral in centre of City. (about 45 minutes in car - parking in residential area on other side of A27)
Finally: Pagham Harbour & Selsey Bill: - about 1 hr's drive - parking in visitors car park at Selsey reserve (guide map/leaflet available from visitor's shop in carpark) Wonderful for waders, tern and gull as well as farmland/reed habitat. Plenty of little egret last time I was there, spoonbill (one off I fear which made its way to Pulborough!), avocet, ruddy shelduck, grey plover, blackwit and 06 sightings of osprey, red kite - Ideal for a day out.
That's my local patch in a nutshell!
(oh forgot to say, check 'SOS, Sussex' (use as searchstring) for Recent Sightings
Brilliant Deborah, many thanks
These are all good suggestions above. I will also be in Brighton, but in May, for a conference. I am coming from the States (my second time to the UK), so many birds will be new to me. I will not have a car. Can anyone familiar with the area recemmend good areas within city limits as well as good places that are easily access via public transport.
Cheers,
Dany
Cheers,
Dany
deborah4
Well-known member
Hi Dany
If you PM me nearer the time to let me know when you will be in Brighton, we can exchange means of contact and I'll happily take you to a couple of spots via public transport and give you a hand with IDs etc. Depending on the free time you have available, there's several options I have in mind.
Xenospiza
Distracted
There is a bus every 10 minutes or so (incredible!) from Brighton to Eastbourne (12/12A if I'm not mistaken).
Anyone from abroad should go and see the incredible coastline between Eastbourne and Seaford (unless you suffer from vertigo), even if the birds are not overly exiting (the plants are). Probably the most impressive coastal landscape I've seen. I could imagine there could be someting rare lurking along this coast in May.
Anyone from abroad should go and see the incredible coastline between Eastbourne and Seaford (unless you suffer from vertigo), even if the birds are not overly exiting (the plants are). Probably the most impressive coastal landscape I've seen. I could imagine there could be someting rare lurking along this coast in May.
