A wander round Winchelsea church, followed by another birding visit to Rye Harbour Nature Reserve - 21st April 2026

I walked up Strand hill to Winchelsea on Tuesday morning. The road narrows as it goes through the ancient archway leading into the village.

There is a pedestrian pathway at the edge of the arch where I stood and looked down into the fields.  Cattle were grazing at the edge of the Royal Military canal.

I made my way to the huge church in the centre of the village

Spike Milligan's grave in the churchyard

Jackdaw with lots of nesting material in the churchyard

I believe that this old building is now a museum

One of the stained glass windows in the church

Carved memorial in the church

Winchelsea sign on the road just outside the church

After lunch I walked back down the hill and then went back to the nature reserve.

A male Wheatear near Castle Water was very uncooperative!

Nearby lambs were very inquisitive

Male Blackbird with lunch for its nestlings

Mute Swan in a strange pose in the middle of a pond

It was lovely to see pretty Spring blossom

Back in the main part of the reserve, the dusky Spotted Redshank was on my side of the Salt Pool

Avocet standing in the salt marsh

Avocet on the move!

Common Redshank at the edge of a lagoon in the late afternoon

Robin singing on the top of a shrub as I trudged back to Winchelsea Beach

Fluffy Chiffchaff on top of a telegraph cable

Rabbit basking in the late afternoon sunshine in one of the fields at Harbour Farm

Third and final visit to the Otter Estuary nature reserve on my last day in Devon - 19th March 2026

There was a group of Redshank feeding at the edge of the water in the Otter Estuary nature reserve

First time I had been to the nature reserve when part of it was still covered with water

Little Egret searching for food amongst the reeds

Four Oystercatchers on the mud as the tide went out

Shelduck hiding in the reeds behind a Grey Heron

Pied Wagtail standing on a pebbly island in the river Otter

Shelduck feeding in the mud at low tide

Rookery at the edge of the river

Peacock butterfly sunning itself on the path at the edge of the river Otter

There was a large hole in the path along the edge of the river Otter

Two male Eurasian Teal feeding on the river Otter

One final photograph of a lovely Little Egret in the Otter Estuary nature reserve

Such a great place - I only hope that I will be able to visit it again some time in the future

 

Spoonbills, Wigeon, Godwits and Black Swans at Bowling Green Marsh nature reserve, Topsham - 15th March 2026

I was staying in East Devon for a week and, on Sunday, I took the train from Exmouth to Topsham.  Then I walked to RSPB Bowling Green Marsh and sat in the bird hide for some time.

Row of Black-tailed Godwits in both summer and winter plumage

Wigeon feeding on the grass

Spoonbill and Shelduck on a narrow island in the lagoon

In fact, there were two Spoonbills on the little island

Spoonbills and a long row of Black-tailed Godwits

Little Egrets flying above some Black-tailed Godwits

A pair of Black Swans were on grass at the other side of the lagoon

Pintail on the lagoon

The two Spoonbills were feeding when the Black-tailed Godwits decided to move

Spoonbills preening behind two Godwits

The pair of Black Swans moved into the water and sailed past the bird hide

talking to one another as they sailed along the water

I came across a male Blackbird on the lane leading from Bowling Green Marsh

Curlew and Redshank feeding on the mud in front of the Goat Walk in Topsham

 I had a great time and planned to visit again later in the week.