Rye Harbour National Nature Reserve

Spring is on the way and there are a few signs now of fresh plant life.  The sea kale has started sprouting and the grass is looking a little greener. But we still have a way to go. The ground for the new discovery centre is being prepared with boarding going up around old Lime Kiln Cottage. A small digger has been deposited there. I’m sat in Denny Hide overlooking Quarry with Flat Beach and Wader Pool in the distance. I stopped at the hide overlooking the wader pool on my way round here but there was nothing in it. So I am settled in the Denny listening to the noisy black headed gulls resplendent in their breeding plumage and watching them posture and court. It’s much noisier than of recent months. Some of the avocets are in spending time in the mud pools to the left of Denny and there has been reports of terns here but I haven’t seen any. I have seen gadwall, teal, little grebe, cormorant (or shag!), teal, lesser and greater black backed gull, oyster catcher and redshank.  There has been light rain a few times but only once heavy enough to make a sound on the roof of the hide. I think I can hear meadowpipits or skylarks in the grassy areas beyond the hide.