Birds and nature in Rye Harbour Nature Reserve during a visit on the last day of my stay in Sussex - 23rd April 2026

Spotted Redshank at the far side of the Salt Pool

Avocet much nearer in a shallow scrape

Accommodating Shelduck

Male Linnet perching on a thin stem

Male Stonechat standing on top of a wooden post

Ivy-leaved Toadflax covering part of the shingle near the coast

Avocet on the move

Old railway carriage positioned just outside the reserve in Rye Harbour

Common Whitethroats on brambles

A last view of the Spotted Redshank in breeding plumage

Two Common Terns on one of the little islands in a lagoon

Female Linnet perching on a telegraph cable

 I spent a great dry sunny week visiting Winchelsea Beach, Pett Level, Hastings Country Park and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve - I was so lucky!

Birds and nature - another walk round Rye Harbour nature reserve from Winchelsea Beach and back via Castle Water - 20th April 2026

I saw this white horse standing patiently in a field when I set off from Winchelsea Beach

Male Pheasant lurking by a garden hedge

Sedge Warbler well disguised in the branches of a tree

Shelduck standing in shallow water at the Salt Pool

Female Stonechat standing on top of a post at the edge of the Salt Pool

Linnet perching on the wire fence

Two Avocets stretching their wings

Group of Avocets having a meeting in a shallow scrape

Two Bar-tailed Godwits - one in winter plumage and the other in summer plumage - arrived in the scrape

The Avocets checked out the Bar-tailed Godwits

then left them to it!

The Spotted Redshank in summer plumage was at the far side of the Salt Pool

Common Whitethroat on a bare-branched shrub

Oystercatchers on one of the little islands at Flat Beach

Groups of Sandwich Terns on islands in the shallow water of Flat Beach

Four Whimbrels were in the grass at the other side of the water - viewed from Gooders hide

Suddenly the Sandwich Terns took to the air

then landed again

I left the reserve to walk along the road to the Castle Water entrance - on the way along the road I saw a Goldfinch near the top of a tree

Speckled Wood butterfly on the footpath

Pied Wagtail in the grass near Castle Water

Rabbit sitting underneath a tree

I was happy to see a small group of Yellow Wagtails in a field by Castle Water

Cormorant drying its wings in front of Halpin hide at Castle Water

Oystercatcher on rocks in front of the Halpin hide

I left the reserve at one of the exits near to Harbour Farm and came across a large duck pond - with a few Mallards - on one of the side roads leading to the main road between Rye and Winchelsea Beach

Great Wisteria plant in flower on a house overlooking the duck pond