Hume's & Shore Lark

Sunday 23rd January

Being unwell on and off since mid December has left me feeling down in the dumps at times. A phone call from Gareth asking if I wanted to go birding and more specifically if I wanted to go and see the Hume's Leaf Warbler cheered me up no end, especially as the last Hume's I saw in the UK was the Belle Tout bird way back in December 2007. Gareth had seen the bird a few days before so knew exactly where to park on Eastbourne seafront. Within seconds of reaching its favoured area of Holm Oaks on King Edwards Parade, opposite Staveley Road we heard its distinctive Pied Wagtail-like call and had several brief views of it moving through the canopy but never pausing for more than a second or two at a time. Over the next hour or so it repeated the performance several times calling frequently though the views we had were never prolonged.

Back in early December, Gareth had the good fortune to find a Shore Lark on the beach at Pevensey Bay. It has been present ever since but can be elusive and go missing for days at a time. My sole attempt at seeing it in late December was unsuccessful so being nearby I was keen to have another go. Ian Barnard was already there and had spent the last couple of hours looking for it, drawing a blank. We walked west first and then back east towards the Martello tower and were about to give up when the bird flew up from under my feet and flew off towards Normans' Bay. Fortunately it hadn't gone far and we soon relocated it on top of the shingle beach with a Pied Wagtail for company. With few dog walkers around, it showed brilliantly allowing even me to rattle off a few half decent shots though no doubt Ian will have far better. I had seen Shore Lark in Norfolk over Xmas but a Sussex one is always a treat, my first since the Cuckmere Haven bird in October 2010. Also seen were 3 Common Scoter and 2 Red-throated Divers on the sea and another 10 Red-throated Divers flying east, including a loose flock of 8.



We then visited West Rise Marsh on the outskirts of Eastbourne where a longer than intended walk (due to some menacing looking Water Buffalo barring the way) turned up 3 Pintail on the main lake, 20 Snipe, a Kingfisher and 4 skittish Water Pipits which we only had flight views of. Both Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler were heard but refused to show themselves.

With Gareth needing to be back in Shoreham by 4pm, we only had time for a very quick look for the Hooded Crow at Polegate Services which was not in its usual tree by the ambulance station.





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