both red-eyes in good numbers at this site. a method i found useful for photographing out of range damsels was to drop a leaf on the water in front of me - a patrolling male would soon land on it. the last image is an effective use of the watercolour filter i think

recent pics from west rise

Last night an idyllic evening down the cuckmere with the constant calls of green and common sand and lrp filling the air as the sun set. totals 1 greenshank, 2 ringed plovers, 4 lrp, 7 common sands and 11 dunlin on the east side and at least 2 each of green and common sand calling from west side. a flock of swifts flew out to sea.
This morning down the cuckmere again, totals 1 turnstone, 1 greenshank, 1 redshank, 2 lrp, 3 common sands, 5 whimbrel, 9 ringed plovers and 19 dunlin.
End of July i saw the long staying 5 garganey at rodmell

JURASSIC PARK!

i never have my camera in my hand. i'd only dropped down off the embankment to photograph some dunlin on the edge of the meander, and when i climbed back up the bank this thing flew up from in front of me. initial snap reaction - green sand, but call wrong and the shape was kerrrazy - fuck it's a black-winged pratincole!!!! there was no hesitation with this bird, it was clearly on a mission and towered off strongly to the northwest over dymock farm and watched until lost from view. just one of those crazy moments... when can you ever prepare yourself for finding a pratincole, not least roosting above the high water mark on a narrow river bank... who gets to find and identify to species a pratincole with the naked eye?!... i hadn't originally planned to go down the cuckmere that morning, and if i'd been 2 mins late it would've been flushed by the first dog walker and seen by no one. wrong camera settings of course but i fired off a few and was happy i got one that was reasonable

Recent records for west rise. Torrential rain on 27th covered all the mud and put an end to July's wader fest. It took months for the lake to dry out and it was all undone in one downpour. Photos to follow, when I've got my internet back

30th 1 black-tailed godwit, 1 common sandpiper, 2 lrp and 3 dunlin
27th 1 garganey, 1 greenshank, 3 snipe and 7 dunlin
26th 1 greenshank, 1 snipe, 1 common sandpiper, 2 redshank, 2 black-tailed godwit, and 3 dunlin
25th 1 garganey, 1 greenshank, 1 snipe, and 3 dunlin
24th 1 wood sandpiper, 1 garganey, 1 greenshank, 2 common sandpipers, 4 snipe, 4 dunlin, 4 green sandpipers, 8 shoveler, and 11 herons

quick session with the rvdarters - the buffalo weren't too pleased to be sharing their wallowing pool. maybe get some better flight pics if i get another opportunity

on 21st a redshank, 2 lrp, 6 common sands, 8 whimbrel and 19 dunlin down the cuckmere. 3 garganey at rodmell.

recent records for west rise:

23rd 1 garganey, 1 green sand, 1 greenshank, 1 snipe, 4 dunlin, 7 teal, and 18 tufted duck
21st 1 wood sand (patch tick), 1 garganey, 1 greenshank, 2 common sands, 2 snipe, 2 lrp, 6 dunlin and 6 green sands. amongst the creche of herring gulls were juveniles of yellow-legged, lesser black-back, great black-back and common gulls. at least 4 territorial male red-veined darters on the recently flooded eastern pool
19th 1 greenshank, 2 dunlin, 2 redshank, 2 green sand, and 5 lrp
17th 1 green sand, 1 greenshank, 2 lrp, 3 dunlin, 10 herons, first common gull and juvenile med gull
16th 1 snipe, 1 lrp, 2 dunlin, 2 green sands, 2 greenshanks and 9 egrets
15th 1 whimbrel, 1 lrp, 2 green sands and 4 greenshanks
14th 1 lrp, 2 greenshanks and 4 green sands
12th 1 green sand, 2 lrp and 4 greenshanks
11th 1 ruff, 1 lrp, 1 common sand and 2 greenshanks
10th rain did the business with a nice mixed flock comprising 2 ruff, 8 greenshanks and 2 redshanks (another 2 patch ticks there) plus the first juvenile yellow-legged gull was seen.