A good day of birding on a rather overcast day at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve included fantastic views of bittern and water rail in front of the Castle Water Hide. Other birds on Castle Water included several snipe, large numbers of common duck species plus several pintail.
Raptor sightings included several marsh harrier over the reedbeds and a common buzzard passing over at height. A peregrine perched for several minutes on a fence post across from the castle water hide for several minutes before departing unnoticed. A male sparrowhawk was observed actively hunting along the gorse fringe to the water whilst a female of the same species attempted to flush birds from the reed beds in the distance.
Finally on the walk back to the car I was treated to wonderful views of a barn owl quartering the rough grassland. The owl hunted for several minutes, before catching and immediately swallowing a field vole. Small mammal specialists such as owls must have struggled during the recent cold spell so it's reassuring to see one hunting so successfully. The owl continued to hunt before plunging rapidly into the edge of the reed bed. It remained there for several minutes before emerging with a water vole grasped in its talons. The vole looked far too large to eat as the owl carried its quarry off over the reed bed. A pair of kestrels looking for an easy meal harassed the owl several times in an attempt to steal its prize. The barn owl eventually found solitude in a lone tree on the horizon before the light faded to dark and it was time to head home.
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