Where to watch birds in Sussex: Feathers Nature Area

Our Hide / Nature Area is perfect for watching and photographing garden birds in East Sussex. In the last couple of weeks we have spent a bit of time tidying and reshuffling the plants, feeders and perches, making for better photographic opportunities. The Siskins are very regular now and are one bird in particular which use the perches a lot. Here are a selection of recent photographs:

Other highlights since the last post have been a female Brambling, back very briefly in the Nature Area on the 27th Feb and a Firecrest (or possibly 2) spotted and photographed yesterday (9th March) by a customer in the yew tree just over the road.

Feathers Optics: www.shop.featherswildbirdcare.co.uk
Feathers Bird Food: www.featherswildbirdcare.co.uk

Early winter roundup

So it looks, although we've had a few cold days and a once very brief dusting of snow, to go down on record as another wet, warm winter. The wet weather doesn't seemed to have dampened (see what I did there?) the feeding activity, as the Siskins turned up in January and have been regular ever since. Goldfinches are visiting in good numbers, more Coal Tits this winter than any previous, a regular Chiffchaff (or two), more Goldcrests than you can shake a stick at and a Firecrest back again today. Just one Brambling sighting this winter again. With all this activity, it's no wonder the Sparrowhawks have been visiting regularly too, once or twice stopping for photos and I'm sure a Blue Tit or two falling prey to these magnificent birds. Since David, our previous ringer, moved on, it had been a while since any had taken place here, but Chris has filled in his spot now and she is looking to undertake sessions more frequently, so it will nice to get some info back on birds ringed in previous years. Here are a few photos from the last month or so:

Sussex snow - 17/01/16

Male Brambling - 28/01/16

Blue Tit with beak deformity

Still managing to feed by bending sideways

Firecrest (17/02/16)

Feathers Firecrest

Between Christmas and the New Year, Allan photographed a Firecrest outside the shop, taking our list to 94 species. It was the only new species added in 2015, and one we always thought we should have on there, but a very welcome addition none-the-less!

December and early January were very wet, though we have been lucky in the south east considering the floods elsewhere in the country. The weather looks to be settling down next week as the colder weather draws in, with temperatures set to plummet to around 5° and freezing at night. The birds seem to be anticipating it as the feeders in our Nature Area have become very busy, with countless amounts of Blue Tits feeding. 4 Siskins arrived on Tuesday and have been visiting on and off since, hopefully they will stay. Allan got a photo of a female today and though I haven't managed to photograph them yet, the other birds certainly kept me busy until the male Sparrowhawk came in.

With all the fields flooded, I chanced a quick trip down Redlands lane to see if anything unusual was about. A Little Egret picked up as I drove past, landing again to allow me a few distant pics from the car.

Another warm, wet winter?

Apart from a few cold days in November including a 2 minute flurry of snow (if you can call it that), so far this winter the weather has been mild with plenty of rain, much like the weather for the past 2 winters. Temperatures are still around 11/12° most days and not much cooler at night. Activity on the feeders has increased, yet without the cold weather, it's still mostly the regulars visiting, with no sign yet of any Siskins again. Hopefully the new year will see some proper winter weather and a few more exciting birds will visit.

None-the-less, over the last couple of months we have had a couple of visits from a Black Redstart, in fact even a pair came in October.

Female Black Redstart 20th October 2015

Female Black Redstart 20th October 2015

Spot the Grey Wagtail!

Black Redstart back again on the 26th November

The influx of Goldcrests which arrived in September/October has lead to daily visits from often more than 1 bird, not always easy to photograph as they constantly flit searching for food, even though they aren't all that fussed about getting too close.

We have had a few visiting Redpolls, mostly passers by, only once or twice stopping in the Nature Area. A good few Redwings, Fieldfares and Mistle Thrushes have been eating the yew berries and the Blackbirds have now started on the holly too. Again without the frost there are none visiting the Nature Area.

Redwing

Our winter sale continues on our range of Hawke, Opticron, Swarovski, Vanguard and Viking binoculars: www.shop.featherswildbirdcare.co.uk

Our prices are very competitive, our service is superlative and there's still time until the end of next week to have them arrive before Christmas!

The best place to buy binoculars in Sussex!

October 2015 was the beginning of a new era at Feathers, as we became a stockist of Swarovski Optik Binoculars. Our selection of CL Pockets, CL Companions and the new EL Swarovision FieldPro binoculars are now available to try and buy in our shop in Salehurst, East Sussex. We are within comfortable driving distance of West Sussex, Surrey, South London, Kent and even Essex.

Alongside Swarovski Optik is our large selection of binoculars from Vanguard, Hawke, Opticron and Viking Optical, all available to look through and purchase in store, or have delivered straight to your door via our online shop. So if you're looking to buy a pair of binoculars for yourself or a loved one this Christmas, then do pop in (we'll even make you a nice cup of tea or coffee), give us a call or feel free to browse online!