📍 Local Expert Tip “The Snipe is a winter visitor from October to April with a peak in January and February. Often difficult to see but on high tides flocks of more than 100 get flushed out of the salt marsh in the RSPB Adur section and become more visible when viewing from the Norfolk Bridge.”...
🔍 Overview Shiny and social, the Starling is a brilliant presence in Sussex fields and gardens. Known for its iridescent plumage and murmuring flocks. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (20–22 cm) Plumage: Iridescent black with metallic purple/green sheen, speckled in winter Distinctive Marks: Pinkish legs Bill: Yellow in summer, dark in winter Tail: Short...
🔍 Overview The quintessential summer sky-dweller in Sussex, Swifts arrive in May and leave by August. Spend nearly all daylight hours on the wing. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (16–17 cm) Plumage: Uniform dark brown Distinctive Marks: Scythe-shaped wings, forked silhouette Bill: Very small Tail: Deeply forked but short Flight: Fast, acrobatic 🗺️ Habitat...
🔍 Overview Nicknamed the “sea swallow,” the Common Tern is a graceful summer breeder in Sussex, nesting on shingle islands and lagoons. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (31–35 cm)Plumage: Pale grey with black capDistinctive Marks: Long wings, forked tail, red bill with black tipBill: Slim and pointedTail: Deeply forkedFlight: Agile, buoyant 🗺️ Habitat &...
🔍 Overview A lively warbler of Sussex hedgerows and scrub, the Whitethroat is known for its chattering song and concealed habitat preference. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small (13–14 cm) Plumage: Grey head, reddish-brown back, white throat Distinctive Marks: White throat contrasting with grey head Bill: Thin and pointed Tail: Medium Flight: Short bursts with...
📍 Local Expert Tip “The Estuary around the Ferry Bridge, Norfolk Bridge and RSPB Adur sections are favoured areas as is the area between the Railway and Old Toll Bridges. Widewater Lagoon is another reliable spot for relatively close sightings.” 🔍 Overview A medium-sized wader with striking red legs and a black-tipped red bill, the...
🔍 Overview A striking summer migrant, the Common Redstart is a woodland gem in Sussex. Males are vibrant, and the species nests in old tree holes and clearings. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small (13–14 cm)Plumage: Males: orange chest, grey back, black face; Females dullerDistinctive Marks: Flashing red tail, white forehead in malesBill: Thin and...
📍 Local Expert Tip “The Common Sandpiper is a passage migrant with birds visible anywhere along the river. However, the section around the old Cement Works is a reliable section and if any birds overwinter then this is the place to find them.” 🔍 Overview A familiar passage wader in Sussex, seen by rivers, lakes, and...
🔍 Overview The Common Scoter is a sea duck seen off the Sussex coast in winter or on spring migration. Usually in flocks, often distant offshore. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (44–48 cm)Plumage: Males: black; Females: brown with paler cheeksDistinctive Marks: Males have a yellow bump at bill baseBill: Broad and darkTail: ShortFlight: Fast...
🔍 Overview Large, bold, and elegant, the Common Shelduck is often seen on Sussex estuaries and coastal lagoons, particularly at low tide. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Large duck (58–67 cm)Plumage: White with dark green head and chestnut breast bandDistinctive Marks: Red bill with knob on malesBill: Red, slightly upturnedTail: White with dark terminal bandFlight:...
