🔍 Overview Britain’s smallest seabird, rarely seen from land except during strong onshore winds. 🪶 Key Identification Features Tiny blackish seabird with white rump Bat-like fluttering flight with short glides Often hovers above waves, “pattering” on surface 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Watch from Selsey Bill or Seaford Head during August–October gales. Extremely challenging to spot...
🔍 Overview Very scarce visitor; most frequently recorded in spring. Famous auk species that breeds in the UK but only seen in Sussex during offshore passage or after storms. 🪶 Key Identification Features Black upperparts, white underparts Bright orange legs and colourful bill Rounded head and short neck 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Rarely seen from...
Image Attribution: User:Jerzystrzelecki:Jerzy Strzelecki, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 🔍 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...
Image Attribution: Stephan Sprinz, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 🔍 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...
🔍 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...
Image Attribution: "Mike" Michael L. Baird, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 🔍 Overview An Arctic breeder that reaches Sussex mainly during or after autumn storms, often blown inland from sea. 🪶 Key Identification Features Small, pale, delicate wader Winter plumage: grey above, white below Constant spinning motion when feeding 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Seen...
🔍 Overview A scarce but regular North American vagrant. Typically appears in Sussex during autumn, often found among other waders on wetlands. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Slightly smaller than a Dunlin (21 cm) Plumage: Brown-streaked breast with sharp boundary to white belly Other: Yellowish legs, fine bill, upright posture 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Best...
Image Attribution: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 🔍 Overview Rare passage migrant; formerly bred. A shy and elusive rail, the Corncrake is mostly extinct as a breeder in England, but rare passage birds occasionally turn up in Sussex during spring or autumn. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size:...
🔍 Overview Most Barnacle Geese seen in Sussex are feral, but small numbers of wild birds may arrive in winter, particularly in hard weather. 🪶 Key Identification Features Striking black-and-white plumage White face with black breast and neck Compact, goose-shaped body 🗺️ Habitat & Distribution Feral birds occur year-round at sites like Arundel WWT or...
🔍 OverviewA mysterious and well-camouflaged woodland wader, mostly encountered at dusk or flushed from dense cover. Winters widely in Sussex. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium-large (33–38 cm) Plumage: Mottled brown and rufous for camouflage Distinctive Marks: Barred crown, large dark eye Bill: Long and straight Tail: Short Flight: Fast with twisting take-off 🗺️ Habitat...
