Unquestionably the bird find of the year was posted on the Sussex Ornithological Society website on 2nd June. A male Red-backed Shrike was seen feeding on insects near Burnt Place. Formerly a summer visitor this species is now a very scarce passage migrant. The bird, which was seen by few observers, seems to have stayed for only a day. Most visitors will start at the High Street Car Park. Here it is always worth looking out in the nearby mixed woodland for the smaller song birds. Marsh Tits are regularly to be found close-by (particularly worth looking for if the feeders are in use), and the Coal Tit is common, though it is more difficult to pin down being constantly on the move and having a wide vocabulary. Other common noisy birds which are easy to find here throughout the year are Nuthatch and Greater Spotted Woodpecker. These, and the adjacent Worth Forest, woodlands are a particularly important for their population of breeding Firecrests (amongst the best sites in Sussex). As the name suggests they sport an orangey crown though they are most easily distinguished from Goldcrests (which are also present) by a very noticeable white eye-stripe. Both species are approachable and with patience it is possible to get some excellent views, summer is best but these birds can be seen throughout the year. For the summer of 2023, as with the previous year, the most notable species present included Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Willow Warbler. The latter two species have declined markedly across southern England, the Spotted Flycatcher by nearly 50% in Sussex over the last 30 years. Sitting upright on open perches it sallies out to catch insects mid air. Burnt Place is a good location to look for it. In Oldhouse Warren the Willow Warbler seems to favour a few areas of birch woodland. In past years I have also regularly sighted Grey Wagtails (if you see yellow on a wagtail it is likely to be this species) near the streams. This year I have seen none, and I am concerned that the recent increase in visitors and dogs walking along the relatively new paths that have developed alongside the Stanford Brook East and North are disturbing this and other species. The autumn and winter is a good time to look for finches. In addition to the common breeding species (Chaffinch, Bullfinch) large flocks of Siskin can be found, usually at the top of tall trees. Over 40 were present on 27th September. If you are lucky you may also see flocks of Lesser Redpoll and Crossbill. On a fine day in winter and early spring is always worth scanning the sky for raptors, both Buzzard and Red Kite pass over, but it is particularly worth looking out for Goshawks which are now regularly seen in the wider area. Visitors in the late autumn into the New Year should listen out for the very distinctive ‘cronk’ of a Raven. These large Corvids are also a common, if still a surprising sight, and seem to be particularly active and noisy at this time of year when they pair up before breeding, which can be as early as January. What you are unlikely to see are large flocks of the winter thrushes, Redwings and Fieldfare. Unfortunately, Oldhouse Warren is deficient in the plants (Hawthorn/Blackthorn) that produce the berries that these birds travel so far to feed on. The lack of such flowering shrubs also has an impact on the number of pollinators, a situation we would like to see identified and rectified as part of any conservation management plan. For those interested in knowing what is about, the ‘Recent Sightings’ section of the Sussex Ornithological Society website is a good place to look, with several of the local birders regularly posting. Its also worth signing up for ‘BirdTrack’ run by the BTO/RSPB which, in to addition being able to view sightings, allows you to easily record them.
Both Hard and Soft Shield Fern were also added to the species list for the Oldhouse Warren area, both are ancient woodland indicators and occur near Parish Lane in the vicinity of Pond Bay. The total number of ancient woodland indicator species known to be present now stands at 53. Martyn Waller
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |