Southease to Rodmell and Back!

 Margie and I headed to Southease today for a walk up the river to Rodmell, we went up the West side, nothing to do with the large herd of Cows on the East side😂. Was colder than expected and overcast to start although the Sun appeared on and off along the way! We made it before 8 o'clock which is good going lately. 

As is expected at the time of year it was quite quiet, started ok with some Greenfinch around the rail station, a noisy Oystercatcher by the Swing Bridge and a lot of scenery. As ever I'm Birds, Margie's are Scenery and Interesting stuff!! Though there is some Fish action later!

Greenfinch

Oystercatcher

The River was low

Lewes Castle

Best bird of the day was one we didn't see!! A Grasshopper Warbler Reeling away in the long grass, despite being only about 30 feet away, it was in deep cover and we never got  a look at it😢 On our return a couple of hours later it was still going but had moved about 40 yards further north. Heard several Reed Warblers still singing and a couple of Cetti's Warblers also gave voice, brief glimpses of both species with no chance of a picture!!!

A disturbance in the water alerted us to some large fish that seemed to be surface feeding it was a  large shoal at least 20 sizable fish which I think were Mullet. A couple of Waders flew up stream, think they were Common Sandpipers, but were past before I really noticed them so can't be 100% sure! Other birds seen a family of Mallards, several Little Egrets and a few Gulls.

Mallard with well grown Ducklings

Little Egret

Linnet saw a few!

Mullet Shoal

Juvenile Black-headed Gull

Grey Heron

We reached Rodmell and headed back, several Stonechats, distant flock of Buntings which I think were Reed Buntings, not the Cornies I'd hoped for! Back at the river we had another Fish encounter, with  a large shoal of Roach and up to 6 huge fish which once again I think are Mullet. Some videos I took on my phone came out better than the photos, They are really short!

Very distant Buntings

Different distant Buntings, these ones maybe Corn Buntings?

Stonechat

Kestrel

Black-headed Gull

Stonechat

Linnet

Large Fish, the videos are better

Margie's picture of a Windmill with a Raptor photobombing, possibly a Marsh Harrier?

River filling up as the tide comes in

Action shot!!

Back at the Swing Bridge we found out why the Oystercatcher was being so noisy!!  There were also a couple of Common Sandpipers, so could of been the ones I saw earlier returning!

Common Sandpiper

Baby Oystercatchers!! AAAHHHHHH!

Proud parent

Common Sandpiper

Pied Wagtail by Margie

A nice surprise seeing the very young Oystercatchers, hopefully they make will it too adulthood, although would make a tasty snack for the Kestrel we saw earlier!!! A nice walk, nothing to exciting but plenty of interest, I enjoyed watching the fish!!!