Past Projects
This dream-like film presents an unfamiliar vision of the complex, structure and sumptuous colours of one of the most typical plants of our shingle shore. Hastings film-maker Simona Zineviciute has gone down low and up close, enhanced by Julius Zubavicius’ mysterious soundtrack, produced from natural sounds recorded on site. The film is the fourth produced by Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.
Past Events
On our Open Day 0830 walks round Flat Beach we’d normally expect see around 50 bird species but today, with most breeders dispersed and winter birds still to arrive, we found just 35.
Nonetheless, it was a beautiful sunny, breezy morning with clear light and excellent visibility. Two of the group were first-timers and so enjoyed picking out migrant Common Sandpipers and lingering Common Terns as well as practising counting a scuttling band of House Sparrows and lined-up Cormorants.
From Parkes Hide, where the waters of Ternery Pool were an extraordinary green, we shared great close views of Little Egret & Little Grebe with a visiting family. We could hear calls of Curlew & Whimbrel, an overhead Dunlin and a rushing flock of Ringed Plovers.
As usual on summer walks, we spent some of the time learning and revising plants, such as Wild Carrot, Wild Parsnip and Red Hemp-nettle.
Returning along the riverside path, we saw Wheatears perching on fence posts and a human perched on the roof of the Soon-To-Be-Even-Redder-Roofed Hut*.
*Please note that the Red-roofed Hut is privately owned and is NOT part of the Reserve.
Past Events
Guide in a Hide is part of the Discover Rye Harbour project, supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund through Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT).
The Guide in a Hide activity involves a team of volunteers, made up mainly of Friends members, sharing telescopes and binoculars with visitors, to give really close up views of the birds on the reserve, and explain a little about their behaviour and migration routes.
Saturday 22nd July saw a group of 10 Rye Harbour Nature Reserve volunteers run another successful Guide in a Hide between 10am and 3.30pm.
This time we engaged with at least 171 adults and 50 children. With the assistance of our binoculars and telescopes, we were able to show visitors a wide range of birds found outside the Discovery Centre and the Gooder’s Hide.
In total 27 species of bird were seen during the day.
At one point people were queuing up to see a nearby curlew outside the Discovery Centre and a harassed oystercatcher, with a hungry youngster in tow all day, provided non-stop viewing in the hide.
A fly-by peregrine and avocets feeding by swinging their bill side to side provided interest to many.
Past Events
We made the July 2023, 833 Lottery Draw on Sunday 9th July. Thank you to our hardworking Lime Kiln Cafe assistant, Alli Elliott, for pressing the buttons on the Lottery machine.
Congratulations to all our winners.
Past Events
We had another excellent talk on the afternoon of Saturday 8th July. This time from Michael Howard who is a Ranger for the National Trust and came to speak to the Friends of Rye Harbour about Winchelsea Wildlife.
Michael has worked for the National Trust in Winchelsea for 6 years and along with another member of staff and six volunteers is responsible for caring for, monitoring and enhancing the nature value of 1,100 acres of varied habitat in and around Winchelsea.
His very interesting and informative talk focused on the amazing variety of birds, mammals, butterflies, dragonflies, and bees to be found on this National Trust land and the huge task involved in working to make the area even better for wildlife and people. Michael’s stunning photography gave us an insight into the identification, and also the challenges of accurate identification, for monitoring the rare bees and dragonflies that are to be found in the area. His fantastic trailcam footage showed us aspects of wildlife and behaviour that largely go unnoticed. He has set-up several community projects, such as moth trapping in Winchelsea, a Winchelsea wildlife group, and with his group of volunteers, is involved in making and erecting various bird boxes to help with Barn Owl and Swift conservation in the local area.
Thank you to Michael for a wonderful talk and we wish him well with his future plans for the area.
Past Projects
The Friends arranged a Sound Recording Course, comprising three workshops, experimenting with a variety of commercial and improvised recording devices to capture the natural sounds of the reserve.
See the event report for more details of what went on. It is intended to repeat the course in the future.
Past Projects
The Friends asked Sam Moore of Visual Air to produce three inspirational drone films which show the reserve in a dramatic new way.
See the Reserve page to view the films.
Past Projects
The Friends commissioned two books about the Reserve:
See the Merchandise page for more details and where to buy.
Past Events
Today I had the pleasure of leading 21 Friends of Rye Harbour NR around Flat Beach to watch the newly arrived nesting birds and a couple of stopping migrants.
The number of Sandwich Terns now is slowly increasing to about 85 with 5 newly arrived Common Tern. Passing through on migration were three Bar-Tailed Godwits (2 in breeding plumage) and 2 Wheatear up near the river mouth. It was nice to see plenty of Terns bringing in fish from the Bay. Fingers crossed for a successful breeding year. Other birds of note were two Ruff and two Stonechat.
A great walk which is gaining popularity and remember all Friends are welcome!
James Tomlinson
Past Events
A fabulous start to the morning walk, so still that water perfectly mirrored the blue sky and birdsong rang out so clearly that a Mistle Thrush up at Coastguard Square could be heard right down by Nook Drain and the air over the saltmarsh was full of Skylarks. The calls of returning Avocets can be heard everywhere now everywhere now, while flocks of Dunlin and Ringed Plover are feeding hungrily before continuing their journey northwards. The closeness of the path to the edge of the Salt Pool gave us excellent views of these while three newly-arrived Little Ringed Plovers, scuttling along the edges to in flight allowed us to appreciate the features which distinguish them from Ringed Plovers.
While watching these waders we noticed small insectivorous migrants searching the turf: White Wagtail with a pure, pale grey back, an apricot-fronted Wheatear and a dazzling Yellow Wagtail.
Although some common birds were mysteriously missing, the variety is increasing, so that along this short route we found 56 species.