News

The Worthing and Adur Swift Group has had a bumper season attracting Swifts with nest boxes and callers, partially funded by Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS). Their results show how local projects can help these Red-listed birds, and how groups in Sussex can access our funding to make a difference in their communities.  

Swifts: an iconic species in jeopardy

Swifts spend nearly their entire lives on the wing. They feed, drink and mate in flight, and are even believed to sleep while flying — closing off one part of their brains to rest while another part, still awake, keeps them aloft.

“They’re a really iconic bird because they nest in houses, so they have a proximity to humans that makes them very visible,” explains Dave Boddington, the Swift Champion at SOS. Their dependence on humans has made them vulnerable as our habits have changed — but it also means that we can take steps to protect them. 

Swifts are now a Red-listed Bird of Conservation Concern, with their population crashing over the last few decades. As of the 2025 Breeding Bird Survey, they’ve experienced a 70% population decline in the UK between 1995 and 2024. Two major factors are believed to have had an impact on this: 

• A lack of suitable nesting sites. Older buildings were more likely to have space under the eaves or small crevices in walls where Swifts could nest, while new buildings are designed for greater thermal efficiency and lack the nooks and crannies they seek. Additionally, many old nest sites have been lost due to the installation of new plastic fascia and soffit boards blocking their access. 

• Changes to their food supply. Swifts are dependent on airborne insects. Pollution, pesticides, and climate change have impacted these insects, resulting in a shrinking food supply. 

Nesting habits 

Swifts start their first non-stop flight to sub-Saharan Africa at just six weeks old and often do not land again for two to three years. When they return to the UK, they do so in waves — first, experienced adults return to their favourite nesting sites; then younger birds return to build their first nests; then yearlings return to investigate colonies and prospect sites for future nests. 

Once they’ve selected a preferred nesting site, adults will usually return to the same one every year. If their nesting site is moved or blocked, finding a new one can cost them an entire breeding season. This makes it tremendously important for them to have locations they can depend on. 

Swift boxes and callers 

This is where swift boxes come in: purpose-built boxes, ideally with a large internal cavity and an elongated entrance. Some can be placed under the eaves of existing buildings, and some — created with the same dimensions as a standard brick — can be built into the walls of new builds.  

Once a box has been installed, a small speaker that emits swift calls, known as a caller, can also be installed to help the birds notice the box.  

When local groups undertake projects to attract Swifts to their neighbourhoods, SOS can provide grants to help them install both swift boxes and callers, depending on their needs. 

Successes of the Worthing and Adur Swift Group 

In 2026, the Worthing and Adur Swift Group (W&ASG) has had great success with their swift boxes and callers. Homeowners paid for their own boxes and some callers, and 37 of their 57 callers were funded by SOS. Several boxes have already been earmarked by birds for occupation next year — and, since boxes without callers can remain unoccupied for many years and the boxes were installed only this year, this is an exciting result. 

In their end-of-season report, the group shared heartening signs about their local Swift colonies: 

• At a local church where a caller was retrofitted mid-season, Swifts soon began circling the tower for the first time in years. 

• A group member filmed about a dozen prospecting Swifts “besieging” two boxes with a solar-powered caller a few weeks after their installation. 

• A householder reported Swifts in her back garden within a day of her box and caller being installed.  

• One caller led Swifts to start regularly entering not only the box with the caller, but also two neighbouring boxes. One bird carried feathers into a box, a promising sign of a young pair firmly claiming the box to return and breed next year. 

Swift enthusiasts at W&ASG and SOS believe that the high proportion of caller-assisted boxes in the area will greatly accelerate occupation. The waves of young birds and yearlings that have visited the area this year will hopefully result in many young chicks in the years to come. 

“We are highly appreciative of the support that SOS has given us this season,” says Steve Lawless of W&ASG. “It has definitely increased the effectiveness of our swift conservation work.” 

Applying for SOS funding 

If you are undertaking a project to benefit local birds, SOS can help. On our Grant Applications page, you can submit details about your project and its location, costs, and benefits through an online form. We’ll evaluate your project and follow up with you. 

Funding local projects is a key part of our mission, and we’re delighted to assist with work that directly helps birds in Sussex.  

October is one of the most exciting months of the year for birding in Sussex. Autumn migration continues, with the departure of the last summer visitors and the arrival of the first true winter visitors, including Brent Geese, Redwings and Fieldfares.

Weather can have a major influence on what is found. South-easterly winds combined with overcast, damp or drizzly conditions can be particularly productive for Ring Ouzels, while also bringing birds from continental Europe and creating the potential for some of the year’s most exciting rarities. For the Sussex birder, almost any day in the field can produce a surprise.
This is the final article in the series, and October provides a fitting conclusion, with a combination of winter arrivals, visible migration, seawatching and the ever-present possibility of finding something unexpected.

Winter visitors arrive
One of the most noticeable changes during October is the arrival of our winter visitors. The first Dark-bellied Brent Geese will have already reached Sussex by the end of September, but numbers typically build through October as more birds arrive from their Arctic breeding grounds. Flocks of Brent Geese and other wildfowl can be seen moving along the coast before settling at sites such as Pagham and Chichester Harbours.

October is also the month when the first Redwings and Fieldfares begin arriving from Scandinavia. Listen for the thin, high-pitched calls of Redwings passing overhead, particularly at night.
Other winter visitors to look for include Brambling, Siskin and Redpoll, although numbers of these species can vary considerably from year to year. Early signs suggest that this could be the first autumn and winter period with plentiful beech mast since 2023/24. If that proves to be the case, there is hope for good numbers of Bramblings and other finches in the county’s beech woods.

Migrant passerines
Although many of the summer visitors have now departed, October can still produce a good variety of migrant passerines. Coastal bushes, hedgerows and areas of scrub should be checked carefully, particularly during periods of suitable weather.
Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs remain among the commonest migrants, with birds continuing to move through Sussex well into the month. Firecrests, Goldcrests and continental Robins can also be encountered in suitable cover, while Black Redstarts, Stonechats and Wheatears are worth looking for in open areas along the coast and on the Downs.
October is also a particularly good month for Yellow-browed Warbler. These tiny Siberian migrants are regular autumn visitors to Sussex, albeit in lower numbers than on the east coast. Coastal sites such as Beachy Head, Seaford Head and Pagham Harbour are all capable of producing birds. Their distinctive, high-pitched call is much easier to detect than the birds themselves, so learning the call is highly recommended.

Ring Ouzels
October is potentially one of the best months of the year to look for Ring Ouzel in Sussex as birds pass through the county on their autumn migration.
South-easterly winds combined with overcast, damp or drizzly weather can be particularly favourable, with birds settling temporarily to forage in areas of rough grassland, short turf, scrub and scattered bushes.
Beachy Head and Cissbury Ring are the obvious places to try, but other suitable areas of downland should not be overlooked. Ring Ouzels can be surprisingly elusive, so scanning carefully from a vantage point is often more productive than simply walking from bush to bush.

Migration spectacles
October can provide some impressive visible migration as birds continue to move along the Sussex coast and Downs. Large flocks of Brent Geese may pass westwards close inshore, while on suitable mornings visible migration watches at places such as Beachy Head and Fairlight Country Park can produce a steady stream of birds moving along the coast. Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Linnets, Redpolls, Siskins, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks can all feature, with the composition of the movement varying according to the weather and wind direction. Scarcer species such as Brambling and Woodlark are also possible.

Seawatching
October can be an exciting month for seawatching, particularly when strong winds develop. As seabirds move through the Channel, autumn gales can bring birds close to shore and provide opportunities for species that are otherwise difficult to see from land.
Balearic, Manx and Sooty Shearwaters, along with Arctic and Great Skuas, are key targets. Exposed viewpoints such as Selsey Bill, Splash Point, Cow Gap and Langney Point are worth checking when conditions are favourable.
Scarcer species including Grey Phalarope, Leach’s Storm Petrel and Sabine’s Gull are among the other possibilities, particularly after severe gales.
It is worth remembering, however, that October seawatching can be hard work. Long periods of apparently empty sea are inevitable, but perseverance can occasionally be rewarded spectacularly.

Raptors
October sees the return of Hen Harriers and Merlins to Sussex, where they spend the winter hunting over areas of open downland and the various river valleys that cut through the Downs.
The Burgh, near Burpham, is an often reliable site for both species, while other possibilities include Amberley Wildbrooks and Pulborough Brooks in the Arun Valley.
There have already been a number of sightings of Short-eared Owls at coastal sites such as Beachy Head, Seaford Head and the Selsey Peninsula this autumn. Further sightings are likely at these locations throughout October as more birds arrive from the continent to spend the winter in the UK.

Rarities
October is potentially one of the most exciting months of the year for finding a rarity in Sussex. The county’s position on the south coast means that birds displaced from continental Europe and further afield can turn up, particularly following periods of easterly or south-easterly winds when they may make landfall along the Sussex coast.
Coastal bushes, gardens, sheltered valleys and areas of scrub should all be checked carefully after suitable weather. Dusky Warbler, Pallas’s Warbler, Radde’s Warbler and Little Bunting are among the possibilities that can generate considerable excitement.
Better still would be a twitchable Olive-backed Pipit or Red-flanked Bluetail, both of which have occurred previously in Sussex in October, but unfortunately none of the previous records has lingered long enough to give local birders a realistic chance of seeing them.

Tips for October Birding
• Check the weather: Easterly and south-easterly winds can bring migrants, including Ring Ouzels, as well as rarities from continental Europe. October is a prime month for something genuinely unexpected to turn up.
• Watch the skies: Visible migration can produce large movements of finches, pipits and Skylarks, particularly along the coast and Downs.
• Keep seawatching: Autumn gales can bring shearwaters, skuas and other scarce seabirds within range of the Sussex coast.
• Check suitable cover: Coastal bushes, scrub, gardens and sheltered valleys can all hold migrant passerines and, occasionally, something much rarer.

October offers an excellent finale to the birding year and to this series. With winter visitors arriving, migration still in full swing and the possibility of a Sussex rarity around almost every corner, there is every reason to get out birding and see what the month can produce.

We are seeking surveyors for the Stedham & Iping Commons (SU852219) for the 2027 Wealden Heaths Breeding Bird Survey.

This long running survey monitors several breeding species with the emphasis on heathland specialists (Nightjar, Woodlark, Dartford Warbler, Tree Pipit and Stonechat) by the simple method of detecting males holding territory. The core 10 heaths have been surveyed for 27 years.

There are five priority species, and other species can be noted.

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 late May or preferably June to detect Nightjar.

The survey is not demanding and the continuous nature of it over more than 27 years has enabled us to providing excellent trends data. They survey is important for the input we are able to give on management issues to the owners and managers of the sites.

If you are interested or would like any further information please contact Alison Giacomelli Alison.Giacomelli@naturalengland.org.uk or Alan Perry on aledgehill@outlook.com tel. 07796 147234.

SWT Eastbourne’s SEPTEMBER illustrated talk is by Ken & Linda Smith on ‘LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKERS: ARE THEY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT?’ Ken & Linda are the UK’s leading woodpecker experts, and will share what we know of them and how Passive Acoustic Monitoring is helping to discover more about these elusive birds.

Details:
Thursday 24th September 2026, 7.30pm to 9.30pm

Venue:
The talk will be in the Victoria Baptist Church, Eldon Road, Eastbourne, BN21 1UE, starting at 7.30pm, where there is a large, free, car park (the talk will not be recorded or broadcast online).
(TQ 594002) (what3words ///types.flames.pace)

Everyone is welcome – there is no need to book a ticket, please just come along!

Please also note that entry is by cash only, as we do not have access to any electronic payment system: £5 for entrance. Tea/coffee & biscuits in the break.

Any queries to: Janet Nott, Secretary, SWT Eastbourne Regional Group, secretary.swteastbourne@gmail.com

The fourth national Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey (NEWS) will be running this coming December and January. This is a repeat of NEWS III in 2015-2016  and before that NEWS II in 2005-2006.

The survey will involve a single visit during the period 1 December 2026 to 31 January 2027 to each selected stretch of the non-estuarine coast to count mainly birds using the intertidal area. The main target species are turnstone, purple sandpiper, sanderling and other species that use the intertidal area and that are not monitored well by the estuarine WeBS counts.

Each stretch of the Sussex non-estuarine coast is 3-4 km in length and very nearly the entire non-estuarine coastline of Sussex is included in the survey. The available sites can be viewed on this map and volunteers can request to be allocated sites. Helen Crabtree will be organising sites in West Sussex and Dave Boddington sites in East Sussex. Site requests through the vacant sites map will go to the relevant person. Alternatively please contact us directly at hcrabtree@gmail.com and davebodds@yahoo.co.uk for further information or to volunteer to cover a site.

The available sites are (updated 27/9/2026):

East Head
East Wittering and Bracklesham
Bracklesham Bay
Selsey Bill ALLOCATED
Selsey to Church Norton
Pagham ALLOCATED
Aldwick to Bognor Regis ALLOCATED
Bognor Regis to Felpham
Felpham to Atherington
Atherington to Littlehampton
Littlehampton to Rustington
Rustington to Goring ALLOCATED
Goring to Worthing ALLOCATED
Worthing to East Worthing
East Worthing to Lancing ALLOCATED
Shoreham Beach ALLOCATED
Southwick
Portslade
Central Brighton
Brighton marina
Rottingdean
Telscombe
Peacehaven
Newhaven
Seaford
Seaford Head
Cuckmere Haven
Birling Gap
Beachy Head
Eastbourne west
Central Eastbourne
Sovereign Harbour
Pevensey Bay
Norman’s Bay
Bexhill
Glyne Gap
West Hastings
Central Hastings
East Hastings
Fairlight
Fairlight Cove
Pett Level
Winchelsea Beach
Rye Harbour
Camber Sands

About 25 members gathered for a Sunday morning stroll around Arlington Reservoir, a 5km walk that included a detour over the River Cuckmere. The weather forecast indicated wet periods, but the precipitation was minimal for a short period. The event was led by Mark Wright who recorded 34 species, the full list of which can be found in our Recent Sightings.

There were significant numbers of hirundines (mainly Sand Martins but some House Martins) feeding up before their journey south.

The star birds of the day were a party of Spotted Flycatchers, three or four, obligingly sitting still between catches, in the field borders near the village of Arlington.

Check out the walks schedule on our Events page for more autumn birding around the county, including walks in these locations:

• West Rise Marsh, Eastbourne
• Birling Gap, East Dean
• Cissbury Ring near Worthing
• Cuckmere Haven
• Selsey/Church Norton
• Dell Quay Fishbourne

All photos by Jonathan Cook.

The colony of Kittiwakes nesting at Seaford abandoned their nests during the June heatwave this summer, with the population present in mid-June vacating before the first of July. We hope to see the Kittiwakes return in future years, though rising summer temperatures might not bode well for the colony. 

Colony history 

Kittiwakes are a Red-listed cliff-nesting species typically found in the north of the UK, and Sussex is toward the southern edge of their range. “This is the biggest colony on the south coast, and the only remaining one in the southeast,” explains Alison Giacomelli, a member of our Scientific Committee and the leader of our annual Kittiwakes survey. 

We have been monitoring the Kittiwakes in Sussex since they first nested in the county in 1976. Initially nesting in Newhaven, they gradually moved to Seaford, with the majority nesting there beginning in 1996. 

In 2016, when the Kittiwake population was declining at an alarming rate in southern England, this colony was one of only seven to buck that trend. Unfortunately, the last ten years have not been kind. In 2016, we recorded 1,120 nests in the colony. By 2024, we recorded only 202 nests. An increase to 364 nests in 2025 had given cause for optimism about the colony rebounding. 

What happened this year? 

The summer of 2026 brought record-breaking heatwaves to the UK. The Kittiwakes weathered the first heatwave in May, but based on the timing of the abandonment, we hypothesise that they were unable to withstand the second one in June. 

“The south-facing chalk cliff must have been unbearable for them,” says Giacomelli. When she visited Seaford in mid-June, she had counted 200 nests – a promising start, given that the full colony would not have been visible from land. When she returned on the first of July for the official survey, accompanied by a representative of the South Downs National Park Authority and their drone pilot, the site was quiet, with no Kittiwakes on the cliff or nearby on the water. 

While Kittiwakes have also struggled globally with warming seas impacting the food web they rely on, given the timing, Giacomelli believes the most likely explanation for their departure is that the eggs did not survive the heatwave. This would have left the adults with no reason to stay. 

What does this mean for the kittiwakes? 

Kittiwakes raise only one brood a year. If nests fail, the adults cannot lay eggs again, and they would have gone out to sea to start their winter period early. 

This species lives around twelve years, first breeding around age four, so a colony can withstand poor breeding years. “But this is now a colony that has lost an entire breeding year,” notes Giacomelli. 

This year’s abandonment of this Kittiwake colony is a stark reminder of how populations struggle in the face of climate change. The Met Office recently conducted a rapid climate attribution study, concluding that the UK’s record-breaking mean temperature was made around 130 times more likely by human-induced climate change. Climate projections indicate that summer temperatures will continue to rise.  

With warmer summers likely in the future, it remains to be seen whether the Kittiwakes will have better luck on the Seaford cliffs in the coming years. They are likely to visit again in future breeding seasons because of their site fidelity, says Giacomelli, while adding that it is also possible that they could avoid Seaford because of the catastrophe this season. “We’ll have to wait and see,” she says. “Here’s hoping for a better year next year.” 

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) (starting 1 November 2026) by surveying the same square over the coming winter. 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 2027. 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 this coming winter and the 2027 breeding season are (updated 5/10/2026):

SU7907 near Funtington*
SU8102 near Bosham Hoe*
SU8307 near West Stoke*
SU8404 Fishbourne*
SU8909 Goodwood Park*
SU9729 near Northchapel*
SZ7996 East Wittering*
SZ8199 near Birdham
TQ0124 near Kirdford*
TQ0322 near Codmore Hill*
TQ0324 near Wisborough Green
TQ0601 East Preston*
TQ0826 Billingshurst
TQ0918 West Chiltington*
TQ1031 near Slinfold*
TQ1038 near Ewhurst (Surrey)*
TQ1323 Dragon’s Green*
TQ1531 Broadbridge Heath*
TQ1636 Kingsfold*
TQ2536 Gossops Green
TQ2638 Langley Green*
TQ2733 Tilgate Forest*
TQ4716 near Isfield*
TQ4922 near Buxted
TQ5023 Buxted*
TQ5026 High Hurstwood
TQ5128 near Crowborough*
TQ5130 central Crowborough*
TQ5212 Golden Cross
TQ5228 near Crowborough*
TQ5312 Golden Cross
TQ5435 near Eridge Station*
TQ5639 Tunbridge Wells*
TQ6000 Eastbourne Upperton*
TQ6414 Bodle Street*
TQ6419 Earl’s Down*
TQ6817 near Penhurst
TQ7811 Hollington*
TQ8013 Baldslow*
TQ8413 near Three Oaks*
TQ8613 Guestling Green*
TQ9217 near Winchelsea Beach*

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:

SZ7996 East Wittering
TQ0601 East Preston
TQ2638 Langley Green
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):

SU8404 Fishbourne
TQ0205 near Lyminster
TQ5023 Buxted
TQ5228 near Crowborough
TQ5435 near Eridge Station
TQ5738 Tunbridge Wells
TQ6000 Eastbourne Upperton

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

Back in the spring, one lucky birder at our conference’s silent auction won the chance to spend a morning bird ringing with SOS Chair Clare Buckle. On the 22nd of August, our winner joined a team of four ringers – Clare Buckle, SOS Database Manager Dr John Newnham, Knepp Lead Ecologist Matt Phelps, and Becky Parangi-Sayers – for a sunny session at the Knepp Wildland.  

What is bird ringing, and why does it matter? 

For anyone new to it, ringing involves carefully catching wild birds in fine-mesh mist nets, fitting each with a uniquely numbered and lightweight metal ring around its leg, recording a set of measurements, and releasing each unharmed. Every ring carries a unique number so that, if the bird is ever caught again, its movement can be traced. This gives us valuable insight into lifespans, migration, and how well the population is faring. 

Knepp is a particularly rewarding place to do this work. The estate’s rewilding project has transformed former farmland into a medley of scrub, wetland, and wood pasture that supports a diverse population of birds. 

An early start and a busy morning 

The team met at 6am to put up five mist nets. They targeted passerines, or perching birds, to see which species were using Knepp during their migration journey. It was a productive morning with 65 birds caught in total. 

Willow Warblers were the most numerous species, with a total of 29 birds ringed. One was a paler adult, and the rest were all lemon-yellow juveniles. 

Common Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats passed through the site, along with plenty of Blackcaps. But the star of the day was a beautiful juvenile male Redstart, with its rust-red tail on full display. 

These species travel incredible distances as they migrate. Redstarts head for the Sahel region of Central and West Africa for the winter, while the Willow Warblers and the Common Whitethroats face an even longer journey. Some travel as far as South Africa before returning to Sussex to breed in the spring. That’s a round trip of about 8,000 miles! 

Along with these migrating birds, the team also caught a stunning male Bullfinch, Blue and Great Tits, and a Goldcrest – Britain’s smallest bird. 

Hands-on science 

Throughout the morning, the ringers talked our winner through the techniques used to age and sex each bird – from plumage details like the juvenile Willow Warblers’ yellow wash, to more subtle clues in feather shape, wear, and signs of moult. They took biometric measurements, including wing length, weight, and stored fat. Our winner also got the chance to handle and release several birds themselves. 

A huge thank you to Clare, John, Matt, and Becky for sharing their expertise, and to Knepp for hosting. Sessions like this are more than a memorable day; the data collected builds up our understanding of how Sussex’s migrant birds are faring, at a time when many species are under real pressure.  

Keep an eye out for our 2027 conference – we hope to offer a ringing session at another silent auction next year! 

All birds ringed and released under licence by BTO ringers.