🔍 Overview A gorgeous winter wader, the Knot in plumage can appear almost white or deep cinnamon in spring plumage along coastlines. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Stocky wader (23–26 cm)Plumage: Mottled grey/white, red-brown breeding plumageDistinctive Marks: Short, straight billBill: Short and straightTail: Short and roundFlight: Barking calls in low flocks 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Wintering...
🔍 Overview A delicate, cliff-loving gull, the Kittiwake may be seen from Sussex headlands during passage or following ships. Common but very localised breeding species; fairly common or common winter visitor and passage migrant. Rare away from coast. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (37–40 cm)Plumage: White with grey wings and dark wingtipsDistinctive Marks: Thin, forked...
🔍 Overview A large and familiar gull, breeding on Sussex coast and present year-round on coastal and inland water bodies. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Large (55–66 cm) Plumage: Light grey back, white body Distinctive Marks: Pink legs, yellow bill with red spot Bill: Long and robust Tail: Square Flight: Powerful, gliding 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution...
📍 Local Expert Tip “A handful of birds can be seen most winters around the Adur Estuary and Goring Gap and Worthing beaches. A distinctive white-headed individual returned for at least five years from 2020 to the Adur Estuary favouring the section north of the Railway Bridge.” 🔍 Overview A robust, medium-large wader known for...
🔍 Overview Bold, powerful and unmistakable, the Great Skua (often known as the Bonxie) is the largest skua regularly seen in Sussex. An uncommon but regular passage migrant, it is seen mainly during autumn seawatches, with smaller numbers in spring. Unlike the more agile Arctic Skua, the Great Skua relies on its strength to dominate...
Image Attribution: John Picken from Chicago, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 🔍 Overview A large, impressive diver, mostly seen off the Sussex coast in winter. Known for its haunting breeding calls in summer range. 🪶 Key Identification Features Winter plumage: Blackish above, white below, large dagger-like bill Summer: Black-and-white checkered plumage (rare in...
🔍 Overview Elegant and ornate, the Great Crested Grebe is a classic waterbird, known for its beautiful breeding display and slender profile. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium-large (46–51 cm)Plumage: White neck, black cap, chestnut and black face frillsDistinctive Marks: Elaborate head plumes (breeding)Bill: Long and pointedTail: Short and hiddenFlight: Rarely seen flying 🗺️ Habitat...
Image Attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sbern/, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 🔍 Overview A striking diving duck, found in Sussex on freshwater lakes and reservoirs in winter. 🪶 Key Identification Features Male: Black-and-white with greenish head and golden eye Female: Grey body, brown head, yellow eye Both show a short, triangular head shape 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution...
Image Attribution: JJ Harrison (https://tiny.jjharrison.com.au/t/3CuTyj5LtxrKUxYI), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 🔍 Overview Scarce passage migrant in Sussex found in farmland or coastal fields. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (28–31 cm) Plumage (breeding): Mottled gold and black Non‑breeding: Grey with pale underparts Distinctive Marks: Black belly patch in spring Bill: Short and straight Flight: Fast and...
🔍 Overview A scarce and elegant spring migrant, typically seen in Sussex from March to May. 🪶 Key Identification Features Male: Distinctive white eye-stripe, brown head, patterned flanks Female: Similar to female Teal but lacks clear facial markings Small, fast-flying dabbling duck 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Best seen at Pulborough Brooks, Rye Harbour, and Arundel...
