Mark – Page 2 – Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

14 November – Finding and Identifying Lichens in East…

Saturday 14th November 2026 1.30pm – 3pm at the Discovery Centre.

Keith Palmer will enlighten us as to the lichens that can to be found in local neighbourhoods including within Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and will demonstrate the diversity of the lichen flora of the county.

The talk will be illustrated by copious photographs of many species while the basic biology of lichens and the diverse characteristics they show will be covered though the focus will be on fairly common and conspicuous lichens.

Having been a naturalist since the mid-1960s, Keith arrived at lichens in the mid-80s. A one-time member of the British Lichen Society he surveyedover the next decade almost all churchyards in Kent where he then lived and a good many in Sussex, creating lists from over a thousand sites. While his main natural history interests have moved on in the present century, he retains an affection for lichens which after all do keep still while you are trying to study them at close quarters and, what’s more, can continue to be studied during the winter !

These talks are for members of The Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve only. There is no charge, though donations are gratefully accepted. If you are not a member of The Friends but would like to attend, please JOIN US and let us know.

Limited places are available and booking for members of The Friends will open at 8.00am on 1st October.
Please note that dogs (except for guide dogs that have been pre-booked) are not allowed at talks.

Talks

10 October – The Martello Towers

Saturday 10th October 2026 1.30pm – 3pm at the Discovery Centre.

Peter Hibbs will be enlightening us as to their history and purpose.

Limited places are available and booking for members of The Friends will open at 8.00am on 1st September.
Please note that dogs (except for guide dogs that have been pre-booked) are not allowed at talks.

Talks

12 September – The Waterlife Recovery Trust

The Waterlife Recovery Trust and our work around Rye Harbour

Saturday 12th September 2026 1.30pm – 3pm at the Discovery Centre.

This talk introduces the Waterlife Recovery Trust (a charity formed in 2022) and our work with partners to help native wetland wildlife recover by tackling one key pressure: the invasive non-native American mink.

Mink are highly effective predators and can quickly wipe out local colonies of water voles, as well as taking wetland birds, amphibians and fish. Around Rye Harbour we work in collaboration with local organisations and land managers to detect mink presence and remove mink humanely using remotely monitored “smart” cage traps.

Alex Rumph, High Weald Project Officer from Waterlife Recovery Trust will explain how this catchment-based approach works in practice, what it means for species such as water voles and ground-nesting birds, and how local volunteers can play a vital role in keeping waterways mink-free.

Limited places are available and booking for members of The Friends will open at 8.00am on 1st August.
Please note that dogs (except for guide dogs that have been pre-booked) are not allowed at talks.

Past Events

Guide in a Hide 25 October 2025

What great Guide in a Hide day we had yesterday, largely in sunshine, and ending with a rainbow!

The fantastic high tide gave us over 50 different species of birds to show our 131 visitors. The 1500 or so Golden Plover were spectacular when whirling around, the Wigeon whistled all day, the Spoonbill showed up, and a Kingfisher gave a few lucky visitors their first ever sighting.

This is our 4th year of running this wonderful and popular event. In that time the team has given 1700 hours of time and had the pleasure of welcoming over 8100 visitors!

We are continually thrilled to see the interest, excitement and amazement in people’s faces at seeing birds close up and learning something about them. In particular, the children, looking, listening and learning give us enormous pleasure and make giving up our time so very rewarding.

Thank you so much for coming along and we hope to see you again next time, Sunday 9th November 10am until 3pm.

giah

24 October – Guide in a Hide

Saturday 24th October 10.00 AM – 3.00 PM

Drop in to the Gooders hide between the car park and the sea where there will be guides stationed throughout the day to show you the birds. Binoculars, telescopes and spotter sheets available for you to use. There will also be guides outside the Discovery Centre.

Suitable for all.

400m walk towards the sea from  Rye Harbour car park, TN31 7TY

No booking necessary.

This event is weather dependent so please check close to the date, before travelling, in case of cancellation.

giah

26 September – Guide in a Hide

Saturday 26th September 10.00 AM – 3.00 PM

Suitable for all.

400m walk towards the sea from  Rye Harbour car park, TN31 7TY

No booking necessary.

This event is weather dependent so please check close to the date, before travelling, in case of cancellation.

Past Events

Guide in a Hide 26 April 2025

A warm Guide in a Hide day!
Coats were off at last and it was such a pleasure to welcome visitors to a proper Spring day on the Reserve.
155 people came along, including two youngsters who loved spotting the birds through our telescopes.

With a decent tide bringing in the sea and refreshing the marsh, we could show visitors migrating birds such as Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot and Grey Plover in their fabulous breeding plumage. We heard the beautiful 7-note call of Whimbrel all day, and were delighted to see a Cuckoo and newly arrived Swifts.

Add the fabulous sound of all three Terns and Skylark, flat beach really was a wonderful place to spend a Saturday. Thanks to everyone who came along.

Next one is Sunday 25th May – see you there!

Past Events

Guide in a Hide 29 March 2025

Weather, birds and visitors!

Glorious sunshine, a partial solar eclipse, a biting wind and an amazing 222 visitors for our Guide in a Hide day today!

It was great to meet you all and show you a total of 34 species of birds including a Rye Harbour Nature Reserve special, the Sandwich Terns – over 80 of them!

A couple of our guides cleverly kept out of the wind and it was great to meet the Marylebone birders too – hope you enjoyed your day.

Past Events

Talk 08 March 2025

Members of the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve had a fantastic talk on Saturday 8^th March by Terry Hallahan, who is one of the leaders of the Sussex Barn Owl Group. The talk ‘Barn Owls and Barn Owls in Sussex’ was in two parts: the first covering interesting facts about the Barn Owl, plus it’s demise and more recent upsurge; the second part covering the activities of the Barn Owl Group who are committed to preservation and protection of Sussex’s Barn Owl population.

Amazingly, Barn Owls are the world’s most widely distributed land bird, and with 35 subspecies, they are found on every continent except Antarctica. Unfortunately, we are at one of their northern extremes and in some years, they struggle in our climate. Unable to hunt in wet weather, they need excellent habitat in which to find plentiful food when it is dry. In addition to the lack of habitat, and nesting sites proving challenging for them, road traffic collisions are a major problem accounting for the deaths of between 3000 and 5000 Barn Owls each year. This equates to about 65% of all reported fatalities.

To counteract the loss of traditional nesting sites, the Barn Owl Group puts up boxes and it is now estimated over 90% of Barn Owls are using boxes. This has helped to increase their numbers over the last few years.

In addition to installing boxes at suitable locations, the Barn Owl Group works with landowners and undertakes considerable monitoring, ringing and conservation activities.

They are always looking for help, donations and sponsorship. For more information see https://www.sos.org.uk/archives/5869 or email info@sussexbarnowlgroup.org

Past Events

Walk 23 February 2025

Around mid-February, the wheel turns as northward migration and breeding behaviour become visible. As ten of us assembled in the car park, small birds were dashing about and songs were coming from the adjacent scrub and gardens. The sky was clear, the temperature mild and so, in spite of the muddy paths, we decided to venture over to Castle Water.

On the factory roofs, gulls were already stationed ready for nesting: mostly Herring but also a few Great & Lesser Black-backed, and we could hear Great Tits singing from all directions, more than usual attracted to feeders placed by an employee. From the recently re-opened Viewpoint, we admired the stream of silver-headed Cormorants moving from the bay to their nesting trees, the site of a chorus of hoarse crooning and growling, as a spectacular pair of Marsh Harriers cruised past. Reed Buntings had begun to sing from the lake edges as single Grey Heron, Little & Great Egret moved across the reeds and a good variety of ducks bobbed on the water.

During the last week, the crowds of northbound Common & Black-headed Gulls which speckle pastures across our area have been joined by the signature bird of spring: Mediterranean Gull. Though most stick closer to the coast but we did see a few flying over and once heard the distinctive call.

From the Halpin Hide, we had good views of Gadwall, Little Grebe, Mallard, Pochard, Shelduck, Shoveler, Teal & Tufted Duck on the water as Cormorants, weighed down with sticks, headed to their island nests. Flocks of Lapwings & Fieldfares moved across in front of the industrial area, a pair of Buzzards circled overhead and a Cetti’s Warbler sang half-heartedly.

Out on the fields sat a large flock of roosting Great Black-backed Gulls and the Canada & Greylag Geese were accompanied by a few hybrids – brown-faced Canadas and a Big White Goose, one of at least four in the area. From the castle battlements, a Raven watched us, reinforcing its territorial credentials with a few minor aerobatics.

On this 4th Sunday longer walk of about 4 miles, we found 59 bird species. Please be aware that the paths from the village towards Camber Castle are quite muddy and slippery at the moment.

The next Friends’ walk – a shorter one around Flat Beach – will take place on Saturday March 8th. Meet in the car park at 9am.