🔍 Overview A powerful, fast-flying pelagic seabird, seen off the Sussex coast during strong autumn gales. 🪶 Key Identification Features Dark sooty brown plumage Long, narrow wings held stiff in arcing glides Silvery underwings often visible 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Best viewed from Selsey Bill, Splash Point (Seaford), or Brighton Marina during August to October,...
🔍 Overview A tiny Arctic auk that becomes visible off Sussex during strong northerly gales in autumn and winter. 🪶 Key Identification Features Small, plump black-and-white seabird Short neck, stubby bill, fast wingbeats Flies low over the sea, often in ones or twos 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Seen during sea-watching from Selsey Bill, Worthing, or...
🔍 Overview A rare but regular passage migrant, mostly seen offshore during autumn. Often confused with Arctic Skua, but more graceful in flight. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium skua (38–46 cm) Breeding adult: Pale belly, long pointed tail streamers Non-breeding/juvenile: Slim, tern-like, with finer markings than other skuas Flight: Buoyant, agile 🗺️ Habitat &...
🔍 Overview One of the UK’s rarest breeding seabirds, occasionally seen in Sussex on spring or summer passage. 🪶 Key Identification Features Very pale plumage, long tail streamers Black cap, mostly black bill with reddish base Slight pink flush to underparts in breeding season 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Best chance at shoreline roosts or sea-watching...
🔍 Overview Rare vagrant. A scarce but nearly annual migrant to Sussex, the Caspian Tern is a huge, carrot-billed tern often seen at coastal lagoons or inland gravel pits. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Very large tern (48–56 cm) Plumage: White body, pale grey wings, black cap in breeding plumage Bill: Large, red-orange, and dagger-shaped...
🔍 Overview A beautiful and rare pelagic gull, most often seen off Sussex during strong westerly gales in autumn. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Slightly smaller than Black-headed Gull (27–33 cm) Adult: Black cap, grey nape, white head, and striking tri-coloured wings Juvenile: Similar but browner with dark W-pattern on wings 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution...
🔍 Overview A very rare vagrant in Sussex. Once bred on UK coasts, now only occasional passage or storm-blown visitor. 🪶 Key Identification Features Small, pale plover with thin black bill Males: black mask and breast-side patches Long legs, sandy upperparts, white below 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Rarely seen but most likely at Rye Harbour,...
🔍 Overview A striking small grebe, known for its golden ear tufts and jet-black breeding plumage. It is a scarce winter visitor and passage migrant in Sussex, with occasional summering birds. 🪶 Key Identification Features Breeding: black neck and head, golden ear fans Winter: dusky back and flanks, white cheeks Bright red eye and upturned...
🔍 Overview A scarce winter visitor and passage migrant to Sussex waters, mostly offshore. 🪶 Key Identification Features Breeding plumage: rufous neck, black crown Winter: duller with pale cheeks and dusky neck Larger and thicker-necked than other grebes 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Best seen from sea-watching points like Worthing Beaches, Goring Gap, or Brighton Marina...
🔍 Overview A striking and scarce winter visitor to Sussex, mostly seen on inland waters and gravel pits. 🪶 Key Identification Features Males: white plumage with black mask and lines (“panda duck”) Females/immatures: grey with reddish-brown heads (“redhead”) Small and agile diving duck 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Best seen at Arlington Reservoir, Weir Wood Reservoir,...
