The Marsh Tit – nesting, dispersal and conservation
Marsh Tits are widely distributed across Eurasia. In the UK they are fast declining species. Their favoured habitat is mature broadleafed woodland.
The Common Swift and Nest Boxes – 2025 update
Young Swifts looking to nest will be attracted to existing Swift colonies. Swift callers are necessary to persuade them to adopt a new site.
Spotted Redshank – A Rare View of a Very Unusual Bird
Spotted Redshank are passage migrants in the UK, but every year 200 or 300 over winter. Their unusual breeding behaviour sets them apart from most other birds.
The Common and Arctic Terns – hybridisation and migration
Arctic Terns migrate huge distances each year. Common Terns migrate short distances. When the species hybridise how do their off spring migrate?
Avocets, Rye Harbour Reserve, Accessibility
The Avocet – a conservation success The Avocet has been the RSPB’s logo for over 50 years, and is a perfect symbol of conservation success. The Minsmere Estuary Avocets had been extinct as a breeding bird in the UK for over a century due to habitat loss, hunting and egg collecting. But in 1947 several…
The Common Starling – friend or foe?
Don’t Dismiss the Starling – it has many virtues It’s so easy to dismiss Starlings as strutting, greedy and noisy birds that we are better off without in our parks and gardens. But you might do well to take a closer look. Seen in the right light, the plumage of the adults is stunning. And…
Wrens – The Fascinating Life of Troglodytes troglodytes
Wrens are confident birds, but difficult to photograph because of their cryptic colouring and speed, and their penchant for the dapple of undergrowth and nooks and crannies, hence their wonderful Latin name,Troglodytes, the cave dweller. They are a relatively common bird found throughout Europe, North America, and much of Asia. They occupy a wide range…
Redwings and Irruptive Migration
January 15th (2024) saw the beginning of a short, severe cold spell which brought flocks of Redwings from the countryside to towns, where conditions are less exposed and there is a plentiful supply of berries to feast on. Views of Redwings in Hastings We had a flock of more than twenty birds regularly feeding on…
Part 1: The Politics of Swifts
The compulsory use of swift nesting bricks in new buildings debated in parliament and locally, in Hastings. Considerable cross party support.
Part 2: Nest Boxes and the Attraction of Swifts
The story of the Common Swift and our attempt to attract them to nest. Our 2023 diary.