A Good Day at Cuckmere Haven and More (1 Viewer)

Today I went to Cuckmere Haven, one of my favourite places on the Sussex coast, where the meandering River Cuckmere windes through the South Downs, across the flood plain towards the channel. Usually I choose to go down the east side but today I was struck by the large numbers of geese and ducks on the west side and we decided on that route. First to greet us on the path were a small flock of meadow pipit and a few stonechat. Looking down towards the river there were a group of about 10 wigeon and canada geese Then a pair of pochard, the only two of the day. Over the course of the next few hours we saw numerous skylark, probably about fifty altogether, more than I've ever seen before. Lots more Canada geese and many more wigeon, a flock of 8 Brent geese, who kept to themselves, 7 shelduck and a pair of greylag mixed up with the Canadas. There were about 10 little egret and 8 grey herons all along the river bank and channels.

The tide was out so not too many waders to be seen among the many pied wagtails and single grey wagtail but as we made our way towards the sea we saw 3 ringed plover , lots of redshank, common sandpiper. Best of all though, was when my husband, who came with me today, (he usually can't get away because of work) decided to have a closer look at the waders, foraged into the marshy bog between the path and the river. In so doing he accidently flushed a Short Eared Owl, sending it up, right in front of me, across the path and down into the bullocks field in the grass! It was a first for both of us and I managed a couple of distant bad pictures, one of whigh appears below. We had brief but close views as it flew but it settled too far away in the grass for another good view....Ooh for a scope...

Continuing on down the path towards the beach we saw more of the same, (but no more SEOs). There was a strong sea breeze and big waves so not much to see on the sea but there were GBB gulls flying aroud the chalk cliffs on the east side. On the way back, the same way we had come, we saw a few more species, 9 little grebe, a kestral who posed nicely for me and the SEO was still in the same place in the grass when we returned. Also 2 green woodpeckers, oystercatchers, two reed buntings and to finish off a family of 5 mute swans. Altogether 33 species today, the highlight of which was of course the Short Eared Owl.

sounds like you had a great day.Im hoping for a short eared owl this winter. brilliant kestrel picture too!

Dear joannechattaway,
Thanks for that! Really enjoyed it ....... and lovely 'photos!
All the very best,
Reg

Hi Joanne

Thanks for that report, great read. I've only been there once and it certaily is a lovely place.

D

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Love the Kestrel shot. What camera are you using?

Cheers

Andy

Thanks for the report Joanne. Special place, good birds, smashing pics.
John

Thanks all of you for the kind comments. It is a good place and I love the downland landscape. Andy, my camera is a Canon S2 with teleconverter lens.
Joanne

Lovely location. Well done on the SEO :t:

Nice report Joanne.

I'm sure i do Cuckmere Haven at the wrong times as i never seem to get that many species..........or maybe i'm just rubbish still.........hahahahaha.

Nice SEO though........saw my first one at East Head a couple of weeks ago........lovely sight.

Mark43 said:

Nice report Joanne.

I'm sure i do Cuckmere Haven at the wrong times as i never seem to get that many species..........or maybe i'm just rubbish still.........hahahahaha.

Nice SEO though........saw my first one at East Head a couple of weeks ago........lovely sight.

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Hi Mark

What is seen at Cuckmere does vary and it also depends which route you take, best to stay clear of the concrete path and take the river paths. As I say usually I go down the east side but after last week I may do the west more often. But it is such a beautiful place that I'm never disappointed.

joannechattaway said:

Hi Mark

What is seen at Cuckmere does vary and it also depends which route you take, best to stay clear of the concrete path and take the river paths. As I say usually I go down the east side but after last week I may do the west more often. But it is such a beautiful place that I'm never disappointed.

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Hi Joanne

I normally come out of the 7 sisters car park then go through the gate and straight down to where the river meets the sea.
To be honest i wasn't aware there were other ways to go.
Obviously i have been missing something all this time............silly me.
If you can offer any advice.......ie where to go when leaving the car park.......presumably i need to be on the other side of the river if you say west.

Mark43 said:

Hi Joanne

I normally come out of the 7 sisters car park then go through the gate and straight down to where the river meets the sea.
To be honest i wasn't aware there were other ways to go.
Obviously i have been missing something all this time............silly me.
If you can offer any advice.......ie where to go when leaving the car park.......presumably i need to be on the other side of the river if you say west.

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Hi Mark

On the east side, if you stick close to the oxbow, (the grass path) you'll see a path to the right about 1/3 of the way to the beach. Take that route and you'll see many more birds. If you want to go on the west side, park in the car park of the Golden Galleon pub and go through the gate. Soon it branches and if you go straight on it will take you up onto the Downs and to Hope Gap which is interesting, probably see raptors and probably good for a seawatch if you have a scope. If you go to the left it takes you along side the river, which is best, and on to the beach. That is the route I took last week.

I think it might be nice if we had a Sussex BF meet at CH sometime. Would you come?

Joanne

sounds like a good day - great birds and some lovely photos.

postcardcv said:

sounds like a good day - great birds and some lovely photos.

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Thanks Peter, we do have some good stuff outisde of Norfork.

joannechattaway said:

Hi Mark

On the east side, if you stick close to the oxbow, (the grass path) you'll see a path to the right about 1/3 of the way to the beach. Take that route and you'll see many more birds. If you want to go on the west side, park in the car park of the Golden Galleon pub and go through the gate. Soon it branches and if you go straight on it will take you up onto the Downs and to Hope Gap which is interesting, probably see raptors and probably good for a seawatch if you have a scope. If you go to the left it takes you along side the river, which is best, and on to the beach. That is the route I took last week.

I think it might be nice if we had a Sussex BF meet at CH sometime. Would you come?

Joanne

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Thanks Joanne and yes i would come down for that.

Another Good Day at Cuckmere Haven

Today I planned on going to Cuckmere Haven. It was the only day my husband was free this week and knowing the forecast was for thick fog it seemed a bit unlikely that we would see much. It was indeed very foggy and frosty in inland rural Sussex when we set off but as often happens it can change within a few miles away. It was clearing nicely when we got to Cuckmere Haven.

We decided this time, on my old haunt, the east side of the river attracted by the large number of wigeon , about 300. Also about 150 Canada geese, both species still not really awake yet but some of them lazily grazing. On the oxbow there were the usual happy little grebe, gayly disappearing under the water and bobbing up some distance away, as often as not with a small fish in their bills. Further on a group of five shelduck; we would see more of them later. As we moved slowly along, getting closer and closer to the wigeon, they suddenly flushed. I don't know if it was our presence, but they do seem easily spooked, all rising together in a huge group and finally settling further away on the west side of the river. The canadas were unperturbed, neither by the wigeons sudden flush or by our presence.

As we made our way to the beach we saw more little grebe and shelduck, 10 redshank,2 oystercatcher, 2 common sandpiper, 8 grey heron,7 little egrets and a solitary knot . On the other side of the river in the distance was a large group of many hundreds of gulls in the sheeps field. I counted 40 GBB gulls. I was a bit surprised at this number, didn't know they were that common but we were later to see even more in the more inland part of the Cuckmere valley.

Getting closer to the beach, the river, which is subject to tidal flooding, is very marshy and there is a plant which grows there alongside the river in which many birds hide. I must find out the name of it. Today hidden in it were numerous reed buntings , saw about 15 altogether. I was pretty pleased with this as I had never seen this many at once before. Also a pair of skylarks and a pair of goldfinch

As we neared the beach a pair of cheerful stonechat made their welcome appearance. Soon there were more, the juveniles looking almost like their parents now. It was warm enough on the beach to enjoy our lunch in the winter sunshine, watching the gulls soaring around the cliffs to the east. I have seen peregrine here but not today.

We returned the way we had come seeing more of the same but near the beach in one of the tidal pools we were delighted by a kingfisher perched on a bramble bush. We even saw him/her catch a fish. Further on a flock of about 40 lapwing were sent up, don't know by what and further on there were some more in the long grass beside the oxbow. And finally as we returned to the visitor centre there was another kingfisher making two for the day which was a good ending to the day.

Altogether we saw 30 species, unfortunately no short eared owls this time and a complete absence of raptors, wonder where they were.

joannechattaway said:

Thanks all of you for the kind comments. It is a good place and I love the downland landscape. Andy, my camera is a Canon S2 with teleconverter lens.
Joanne

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Hi Joanne, I spent serveral Sundays down there in the summer, I love it. Especially the walk from the Kittiwake Colony at Seaford Head. I must get down there again this Winter!!

paulwfromtheden said:

Hi Joanne, I spent serveral Sundays down there in the summer, I love it. Especially the walk from the Kittiwake Colony at Seaford Head. I must get down there again this Winter!!

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Hi Paul,
I was thinking of organizing a BF meeting at CH in the spring, starting on the west side of the River Cuckmere, down to the beach, along to Hope Gap, then up onto the Downs for a seawatch, then back. If people are up for it I'd happily lead it. I'll flag it after Pulborough. Have a nice Christmas and I'll see you next year.
Joanne

joannechattaway said:

Hi Paul,
I was thinking of organizing a BF meeting at CH in the spring, starting on the west side of the River Cuckmere, down to the beach, along to Hope Gap, then up onto the Downs for a seawatch, then back. If people are up for it I'd happily lead it. I'll flag it after Pulborough. Have a nice Christmas and I'll see you next year.
Joanne

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Sounds like a splendid idea. It's a good run down there on the train as well for those of us who are carless.
You have a good Christmas too.
Paul

joannechattaway said:

Hi Paul,
I was thinking of organizing a BF meeting at CH in the spring, starting on the west side of the River Cuckmere, down to the beach, along to Hope Gap, then up onto the Downs for a seawatch, then back. If people are up for it I'd happily lead it. I'll flag it after Pulborough. Have a nice Christmas and I'll see you next year.
Joanne

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I would certainly like to come along as well!
Have a smashing Christmas!