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Redstarts and terns — a May tour in Sussex

Yesterday we guided James for a full day of birding as a birthday treat, and we couldn't have hoped for a better spring day to visit some of the special habitats of Sussex!


We started in the Ashdown Forest, where we managed smashing views of Redstarts, Tree Pipits, Dartford Warblers, Stonechats and Siskins — though a Spotted Flycatcher was more fleeting. Other highlights came when a Cuckoo, which we'd been listening to all morning, eventually landed in plain view in a pine tree downslope from us, and a Woodlark performed its song-flight right overhead! The song of Willow Warblers was a constant feature of our loop.

male Dartford Warbler
male Cuckoo
male Redstart