Charles Waters, Lesley and I went  down to Rye Farm on Friday to see what was around, unbeknown to us that Val had been down there in the morning! We saw most of the birds that Val reported, missed the Water Rail but the Grey Wagtail was on the ponds. We were looking through the wildfowl on the floods when over the far side a different duck was swimming aloing the far bank. Initial thoughts was that it was a female Tufted Duck but looking at it more closely we then came down on the side that it was actually a female Greater Scaup. The defining features being that it had a light patch on the side of the head, it had some light streaking on the side and generally looked longer and flatter in the water than a Tufted Duck. This made it the third record for this species within the Parish boundary.

We went back this morning to see if it was still there and try and get some pictures. It was but still distant but at least Charles got some ‘record’ shots. Also, while checking through the Black-headed Gulls, we noticed a slightly larger gull wit a yellow beak, dark smudge behind the eye and at the back of the neck while in flight it showed a 2-tone grey in the wings with black wing tips. We really puzzled over this one but when we got back, checking through the books and pictures it was clear that it was a winter-plummaged Kittiwake! We hadn’t thought of this species as it is so rarely seen away from the coast and inland.

So, what a 24 hours for unusual birds in Henfield!

One other sighting of note was in the garden Saturday morning when a Sparrowhawk, thinking he fancied something more exotic for breakfast, had a dash at the Rose-ringed Parakeet that was on the feeder but was again unsuccessful! (MR LM, CW)