Trip report: Hastings Country Park, 10 September 2021
Yellow and Grey Wagtails, singing Willow Warbler, calling Bullfinch & Green Woodpecker and low-hanging Swallows on a damp early autumn morning.
Looking south-west over Warren Glen
We gathered on a drizzly morning at the new 'Bale House' visitor centre at Hastings Country Park, for a morning with whatever migrating birds we could find in the murk.
Almost immediately on our way towards the Coastguard Cottages, the 'seep' of Yellow Wagtails became frequent, until around 10 revealed themselves among the cattle. This flock was flighty and made circuits of the Firehills area over the next hour or so, giving us plenty of opportunities to hear the call (even when seeing them was tricky).
Among the scrub the noises were mainly 'off', but the conditions did allow fainter calls to come through.
Just east of the coastguards, the first of many Chiffchaffs, Wrens and Robins called, plus the first Blackcap, Blackbird and Woodpigeon and a Great Spotted Woodpecker (explosive ‘chick!’).
Down in the wooded valley, the trees were typically September-quiet, but Great Tits were alarm calling (‘pink! pink!’ and shake of the maracas), and Blue Tits chattering.
As we climbed back above the treeline, Swallows were evident, feeding low over the grass where the insects they were looking for were perhaps escaping the breeze. The tinkling calls of Goldfinches, often rather like the chattering of swallows, were heard as they roved around the same area.
Amid the recurring presence of the Yellow Wagtails, a couple of Grey Wagtails were noted, giving themselves away with their stronger calls, bouncier flight and heavier appearance.
We stopped at the Bale House for coffee and cake, and to shelter from the heaviest rain of the morning. Clearly a lot of work has gone into creating new interpretation materials and wayfinding around the country park. There's a relatively low rate of bird reports from here, compared to Rye Harbour and Beachy Head - perhaps the new facilities will have an impact on that.
Fuelled up, and with the weather clearing, we headed west to the old quarry, which offers shelter and an interesting array of scrub. This proved to be the most productive area of the day, with many more Chiffchaffs and common resident birds, but also some welcome subdued singing from a Willow Warbler, the sad whistle of Bullfinches (which kept themselves well hidden), the si-si-si-ing of a party of Long-tailed Tits, and the laughing of a Green Woodpecker. The short grassy turf here looks well-suited to the last of those species, and we wondered whether Wrynecks might find it to their liking too. Sadly we couldn't summon one up this time.
A little further to the west overlooking Warren Glen we came across a bunch of Blackcaps in some scrubby elders, and heard Meadow Pipits from an adjacent arable field.
Turning back across a hillside dominated by gorse we finally found our first couple of Common Whitethroats, one of which stopped its flits long enough to offer views through the telescope.