The newly published Sussex Bird Report was reviewed by Birdguides, who were pretty impressed!

https://www.birdguides.com/reviews/sussex-bird-report-2023/

Current members will hopefully be leafing excitedly through their newly arrived Sussex Bird Report – those who joined after 29 September will receive theirs shortly, as I have to post them off individually!

Anyone joining now will receive the double benefits of membership until 31st December 2025 and not only the newly published Report, but that for 2022 (while stocks last) and the 2024 Report when it comes out towards the end of 2025.  Click on the “Join us” tab at the top of the page to sign up.

Wealden Heaths Breeding Bird Survey (West Sussex)

Surveyor needed urgently from 2025

This long running survey monitors a number of breeding species with the emphasis on heathland specialists by the simple method of detecting males holding territory. The core 10 heaths have been surveyed for 27 years and we are now in need of a surveyor for the important site of Lynchmere & Stanley Commons SU8631.

Nightjar, Woodlark, Dartford Warbler, Tree Pipit and Stonechat are the prime targets, this heath has also proved a good site for Redstart.

The Survey starts in mid-February, (to find the Woodlarks taking up their territories) and carries on until late June. We try to cover the individual sites entirely on at least four occasions, including the one early year visit, and two visits (more if you have the inclination and the time) about two weeks apart during May when song activity is at its peak. There will be at least one evening visit in May or June to detect Nightjar.

The survey is not particularly demanding but the continuous nature of it over more than 27 years has enabled us to providing excellent trends data, assisting with management and other conservation issues.

If you are interested or would like any further information please contact Alan Perry for on 07796 147234 or email aledgehill@outlook.com

Note. It is very important to have a surveyor in place as our WHBBS survey can assist in the BTO Heathlands Birds Survey being organised in Sussex by BTO Rep Helen Crabtree for 2025.

This is a good time of the year to consider taking part in the BTO Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), because if you take on a square you will also have the option to take part in the Sussex Winter Bird Survey (SWBS) by surveying the same square over the coming winter, beginning on 1 November 2024. Some squares have recently become available and there are plenty of squares available right across the county; some of these squares are accessible if you have limited mobility or if you are reliant on or choose to use public transport.

This national monitoring scheme is administered by the BTO and jointly funded by the BTO, JNCC and RSPB. It has been running since 1994 and its primary aim is to provide population trends for common and widespread bird species in the UK. Population trends for Sussex are also produced and published in the Sussex Bird Report. Survey plots are randomly-selected 1-km squares and the same squares are surveyed each year. Volunteers visit their squares three times each year during the breeding season, once to record simple habitat data, and twice to walk a fixed route, recording birds seen and heard. There are more than 200 BBS squares across Sussex, covering every type of habitat, and new volunteers are always needed.

Volunteers must be able to recognise common and widespread birds by sight and sound, and must be able to physically get around a survey route reasonably early in the morning, but beyond those requirements absolutely anybody is welcomed into this survey scheme. Previous experience of survey work is not necessary and help and support from experienced volunteers can be arranged if required; there will also be some informal practice sessions arranged in Sussex in March and April 2025. Finally there is no requirement to conduct surveys alone – take a friend with you!

The BBS squares (asterisks indicate priority squares that have been surveyed before) in Sussex which currently need volunteers for the 2025 breeding season are (updated 18/11/2024):

SU7907 near Funtington*
SU8527 near Milland*
SU8605 central Chichester*
SU8615 Westdean Woods*
SU8624 Tote Hill
SU8718 near Cocking*
SU9017 Heyshott*
SU9113 near East Dean*
SU9520 near Tillington
SU9729 near Northchapel*
SU9814 Bignor*
SU9923 near Petworth*
SZ7996 East Wittering*
SZ8199 near Birdham
SZ8696 Pagham Harbour*
SZ8698 Sidlesham*
TQ0124 near Kirdford*
TQ0214 Amberley Wild Brooks
TQ0322 near Codmore Hill*
TQ0324 near Wisborough Green
TQ0601 East Preston*
TQ0826 Billingshurst
TQ1004 Durrington*
TQ1323 Dragon’s Green*
TQ1904 Widewater Lagoon*
TQ2425 Warninglid*
TQ2515 near Albourne
TQ2536 Gossops Green
TQ2638 Langley Green*
TQ3618 near Wivelsfield Green*
TQ3916 South Chailey*
TQ4821 Uckfield*
TQ4938 near Blackham*
TQ5023 Buxted*
TQ5026 High Hurstwood
TQ5128 near Crowborough*
TQ5211 near Golden Cross*
TQ5220 Blackboys*
TQ5228 near Crowborough*
TQ5312 Golden Cross*
TQ5435 near Eridge Station*
TQ5514 near Chiddingly*
TQ5639 Tunbridge Wells*
TQ6817 near Penhurst
TQ7624 near Bodiam
TQ7811 Hollington*
TQ8013 Baldslow*
TQ8413 near Three Oaks*
TQ8414 near Three Oaks*
TQ8518 near Udimore*

The following BBS squares may be accessible to you if you have limited mobility (including using a wheelchair) as the survey routes are entirely on pavements and minor roads:

SU8605 central Chichester
SZ7996 East Wittering
TQ2638 Langley Green
TQ4612 near Ringmer
TQ5639 Tunbridge Wells

The following BBS squares may be accessible by train as they are close to rail stations (other squares may be easily accessible by bus):

SU8605 central Chichester
TQ3618 near Wivelsfield Green
TQ4821 Uckfield
TQ5023 Buxted
TQ5738 Tunbridge Wells

For further information, please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com.

The BTO are running a Winter Gull Survey (WinGS), with counts having taken place over last winter (2023-2024) and due to continue over this next winter (2024-2025), with the primary aim of obtaining new population estimates for the principal species that winter in the UK and assessing how populations have changed since the last survey in 2003/04–2005/06. The results of this survey will also help to assess the impact of the ongoing outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) on gull populations. The survey involves coordinated visits to key roost sites and additional visits to sample stretches of coastline and sample squares inland, with visits to key sites having been prioritised for January 2024. Visits to sample sites and outstanding key sites will then be prioritised for January 2025.

Supplementary counts will also be taking place this autumn with the key survey date being 29th September 2024 and with surveys acceptable a few days either side of this date. Further information about taking part can be found at https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/winter-gull-survey/taking-part.

Key sites in Sussex for which volunteers are needed for the September count are listed below (updated 10/9/2024); please contact the organisers listed below for more information. Sites can also be selected online after registering at https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/winter-gull-survey.

Chichester Harbour: please contact Peter Hughes at peter.hughes@conservancy.co.uk.

Coastal Sussex: please contact Dave Boddington at davebodds@yahoo.co.uk.
Pagham Harbour
Aldwick
Climping
Littlehampton
Rustington
East Preston
Ferring
Goring-by-Sea
West Worthing
East Worthing
Lancing
Shoreham Beach
Southwick Beach
Hove
Brighton Marina
Newhaven Harbour
Newhaven Tidemills
Seven Sisters/Birling Gap
Pevensey Bay
Bexhill-on-Sea
St. Leonards

Inland Sussex: please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com.
Darwell Reservoir

At some nests in southern England there is very little wasp comb this year, though one had lots, suggesting that some, but not all adult Honey-buzzards may be relying more on frogs than is usual for this stage in the breeding season. Nevertheless, it seems to be a good year with 15-16 pairs found so far in the county and c.12 breeding, a high proportion. Over 50 different adults have been seen – thanks for all the photos that you are sending me and please keep them coming.

There’s been an excellent response to the SOS request not to publish photos of adults carrying food. Thank you. Please follow the same guidance with regard to juveniles at breeding sites, though photos in confidence to me will help determine breeding success. If you wish to see juveniles, they could be flying soon and certainly by mid-month. It’s well worth reminding yourself what juveniles look like: they soar on level wings like adults but the overall structure is like a strange mix between an adult Honey-buzzard and a Common Buzzard, so they can be very confusing when you first see one. The juveniles may remain in the Sussex breeding areas until early September.

Mark Mallalieu  mallalieum@gmail.com

5 August 2024

I hope that many of you have enjoyed watching Honey-buzzards in Sussex this year, perhaps for the first time, following the publication of a few watchpoints. I’ve been coordinating population monitoring work for several years and the effort in the field is considerable. Following the publication of sites, I wondered whether I could rely on the birdwatching community to cover at least some areas this year and this has indeed happened, with excellent coverage of two sites. As a result we have a good understanding of activity and numbers, without additional dedicated effort being needed.

We know of 13 territories so far, most with pairs, so it’s shaping up to be a good season. The adults are finding plenty of wasp comb and are taking frogs as well.

The published viewpoints were chosen to avoid overlooking nest sites and the Bird News Services have been exemplary in following  the guidance from the Sussex Ornithological Society about not revealing evidence of breeding, beyond birds being present in an area. Posting photos on social media of birds carrying food should be avoided as a precautionary measure. Hitherto, such photos would have been fine if the location was not given (I have done this on several occasions), but there is still some risk in cases where the location can be deduced, and it is best that we all now err on the side of caution. However, do send such photos to me or the County Recorder recorder@sos.org.uk to help us monitor breeding activity. If you take a photo that shows a readable ring number (two black letters on a white background) that would be brilliant.

For the more adventurous, there are still several sites that were published in the recent “Where to Watch Birds in Surrey and Sussex” that have not been searched as far as I know, so why not try to find out something new about these splendid birds at one of those.

No illegal activity, e.g. nest disturbance, has been reported in Sussex but it could happen. Please let me know if you see any suspicious behaviour or illegal disturbance. Thank you.

Mark Mallalieu

mallalieum@gmail.com

23 July 2024

Volunteers with Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) squares have the option to survey their squares for butterflies during June, July and August, as part of the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey (WCBS) which is a collaboration between the BTO and Butterfly Conservation. Volunteers taking on new squares now can take part in the WCBS and then have the option to survey their squares over the winter for the Sussex Winter Bird Survey before breeding bird surveys begin next April.

The BBS is a national monitoring scheme administered by the BTO and jointly funded by the BTO, JNCC and RSPB. It has been running since 1994 and its primary aim is to provide population trends for common and widespread bird species in the UK.

Survey plots are randomly-selected 1-km squares of the National Grid, and the same squares are surveyed each year. Volunteers visit their squares three times each year during the breeding season, once to record simple habitat data, and twice to walk a fixed route, recording birds seen and heard. There are more than 200 BBS squares across Sussex, covering every type of habitat, and new volunteers are always needed.

Volunteers must be able to recognise common and widespread birds by sight and sound, but previous experience of survey work is not necessary. Help and support from experienced volunteers can be arranged if required.

For the WCBS, volunteers walk their usual BBS routes and record butterflies. Volunteers must be able to recognise common butterfly species but no special expertise is required.

The BBS squares (asterisks indicate priority squares that have been surveyed before) in Sussex which currently need volunteers are (updated 21/8/2024):

SU7907 near Funtington*
SU8527 near Milland*
SU8615 Westdean Woods*
SU8718 near Cocking*
SU9113 near East Dean*
SU9729 near Northchapel*
SU9814 Bignor*
SU9923 near Petworth*
SZ7996 East Wittering*
SZ8199 near Birdham
TQ0124 near Kirdford*
TQ0322 near Codmore Hill*
TQ0601 East Preston*
TQ0826 Billingshurst
TQ1004 Durrington*
TQ1323 Dragon’s Green*
TQ2536 Gossops Green
TQ2638 Langley Green*
TQ3618 near Wivlesfield Green*
TQ4821 Uckfield*
TQ4938 near Blackham*
TQ5023 Buxted*
TQ5026 High Hurstwood
TQ5128 near Crowborough*
TQ5211 near Golden Cross*
TQ5220 Blackboys*
TQ5228 near Crowborough*
TQ5435 near Eridge Station*
TQ5639 Tunbridge Wells*
TQ6817 near Penhurst
TQ7624 near Bodiam
TQ7811 Hollington*
TQ8518 near Udimore*

For further information, please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com.