MONTHLY WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS
Most months I'll share a monthly wildlife highlights post for the things I've seen locally in Sussex or the nearby counties.
WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS Bob and I have visited West Rise Marsh a few times this month to look for Jack Snipe, but sadly without much success. We did see one, we think, on one visit, but it flew off before we set eyes on it. It's much the same with the Common Snipe, which as their name suggests, we see more of, but they're super skittish and fly off well before we're even close to where they're hiding, around the boggy wet marshes. With so many wet, windy and dull days, plus the fact I still have to go to work, I was starting to wonder if my February Highlights would be virtually non existent, so I was content with photographing and observing a Heron, standing in the water. They can stand motionless for ages, and move very slowly, stealth-like through the water to new areas. Unfortunately, I was just moving into a new position, when it actually caught a fish. I missed capturing that moment when its head quickly and unexpectedly darted downwards and snatched its prey from the water. But, you can see the Heron in mid-gulp (first photo).
WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS January can be a difficult month for many people. I don't usually suffer from the January Blues, but I did notice this year I felt a certain flatness. I think it was largely because there were days when Bob and I would go out for a walk and hardly see anything at all. Well, that is, anything out of the ordinary. There's no doubting it - I get a real lift when nature reveals its beauty to me in its many wonderful and surprising ways. But, it's been a good reminder that even the simple things can give great pleasure if we take the time to appreciate them. Sometimes, it's worth looking with more careful eyes and appreciating even the ordinary. The year actually was off to a great start, when the snow fell early on in the month. I love the snow! I'll leap at any opportunity I have to walk in it! Living close to the coast meant we didn't have any on our doorstep, but Ashdown Forest had a good covering and it wasn't too far away to visit. Even the car park looked lovely, with the sun shining through the wintry trees on this gorgeous sunny day. It might have been crisp and cold, but we were dressed for it and of course had some welcome hot drinks after our walk. The highlight of the day, aside from the snow, was having some brief glimpses of a couple of Crossbills at the top of the fir trees, though not as good as we'd had in December .
WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS This is the first post in a new series I'm starting in which I'll be sharing my wildlife highlights from each month, and some of my memorable experiences out in nature. Mostly, the focus is on my outings locally in Sussex, but sometimes Bob and I venture to nearby counties too. I hope you enjoy reading about my outings and seeing the photos. It's amazing what can be found on your doorstep when you look for it, or take the time to notice what might be right in front of you. I was going to start this series with January - you know: new year, new start, and all that - but, December turned out to be a great month for us. I had a bit more time off towards the end of the month, so I thought why not start with the highlights at the end of 2025. Bob and I spend a lot of time walking around the South Downs in East Sussex, as it's so close to home. We can literally walk from our front door and be surrounded by fields within minutes. We know we're very lucky to be in this position. Bob knows 'his patch' very well and I'm starting to appreciate the many gems to be found thoughout the year. On more than one occasion during the month we chose to walk along part of the Cuckmere River and photograph the Scandinavian Rock Pipits that were very ameanable! The best encounters were usually when I waited for them to come towards me. So, crouching down low, I'd patiently wait. I was very pleased with these first shots when the light was lovely and low.
