Pulborough Brooks: West Sussex.

                                         Looking over the reserve, towards the South Downs.

 Delana & I visited the RSPB reserve at Pulborough Brooks on 7th August. Set in a beautiful part of the county, it is a mixture of heath, woodland, pastures & marshes. It looks a great reserve for general natural history & we enjoyed our morning out there.

Female Roe Deer

                                                                         Common Kestrel

Looking towards the river.

                                The RSPB have made some scrapes, which makes the area close 

                                                        to the river attractive for water birds.

Canada & Grey Lag Geese.

We spent some time here looking for the scarce Water Vole.

We could hear them munching, but didn't see them.

Common Moorhen

Brimstone butterfly.

One of 31 species of butterfly recorded from the reserve.

It was a great day out but we didn't see that much. We recorded 34 species of birds, best being both Great spotted & Green Woodpeckers & & Green Sandpipers.

Ashdown Forest

There is some nice information about the site here.

Lots of large tracts of heather here.

Beautiful mixed woodland.

It is quite a hilly area, which gives some wonderful scenic views.

A section of an old Roman road.

Ashdown Forest is not really a forest at all. It is a huge area of heather-dominated heath interspersed with conifer plantations & large areas of beech & oak forest. Luckily there are numerous public footpaths cutting through this very scenic & large tract of land.

Common Buzzard

Speckled Wood

Meadow Brown

Delana & I visited the area in the morning of 3rd August. We had lovely weather & really enjoyed our time there. We only recorded 31 species, Firecrest being the undoubted highlight. We also saw three Dartford Warblers but I failed to get any photos as the birds were very shy.

Carrion Crow

We loved some of the woodland patches.

There are some lovely walking trails through this area.

Firecrest

Marsh Tit

Coal Tit

Weir Wood Reservoir

On our way back to Balcombe, we briefly called in to Weir Wood Reservoir, which has a bird hide in a protected area. (Most of the reservoir is giving over to water sports). We only stayed a few minutes but saw an impressive total of 54 Great crested Grebes & a couple of Common Terns. 

Birding from a small English village

Home from home!

Delana & I arrived back in England on 6th July. It had been a bit of an epic trip, but considering the circumstances a relatively good one. Social distancing was respected on the long leg from Buenos Airies to Paris, but it was a full plane from Paris to London. Jonathan was there to whisk us away to our new home away from home in the village of Balcombe in West Sussex.

Rowan, Lola & myself.

Delana, making herself at home

 in the kitchen.

Jonathan & Rowan are renting a house in Balcombe & it really is a beautiful little place. Wonderful English countryside all around, a country pub across the road & a general store. Not that we could visit any of these, as we had fourteen days of quarantine to endure! We are getting used to this now! The time passed quickly as both of us were busy & in our off-time we could sit lapping up the summer sun in the garden.

The lovely rural, rustic country pub.

Our first pub visit since February!

The 20th July was our freedom day & we celebrated by visiting the pub across the road & very pleasant it was too. 

Looking back towards the village from the fields.

Looking towards the woods & Balcombe Lake.

Balcombe Lake

This lake is surprisingly good for birds.

Mandarin Duck

Canada Geese with a hybrid bird.

This hybrid looks like a three way cross:

Chinese Water/Grey Lag/Canada Goose.

Grey Lag Goose.

Common Tern

A regular visitor to the lake.

European Honey Buzzard

Seen at an undisclosed site.

Common Buzzard

At least two pairs are resident in the valley.

Common Pheasant

Marsh Tit

I haven't seen this species for many years.

Brown Rat.

Common Toad.

We did several bird walks around Balcombe Lake & associated woodland. it is beautiful countryside around here & a real pleasure to be out & about. 

Best birds:

Mandarin Duck; Great crested Grebe; Red Kite; Common Buzzard; 2 Honey Buzzard; Sparrowhawk; Kestrel; Hobby; Common Tern; Kingfisher & Grey Wagtail.

In the woodlands Great Spotted Woodpecker was common; Green Woodpecker was recorded on two occasions; Treecreeper; Marsh Tit; Blackcap; Willow Warbler.

Myself & Jonathan.

On the 24th July we had a brief visit to Ashdown Forest Visitor Centre (which was closed), but we enjoyed a walk through a bit of heath land & patches of woodland. The entire area is very scenic & we enjoyed our time there. Best birds were 4 Stonechat; Dartford Warbler & 2 Marsh Tits.

Delana & myself in the winery.

25th July we visited the Kingscote Vineyard which was an excellent morning out. The farm is in a beautiful setting & the walk around & accompanying talk was excellent, as was the wine tasting & lunch.

Jonathan, Rowan & myself.

27th July was Jonathan's birthday, so we had a little celebration at home.