2nd
February Anne of Cleves, Six Wives
of Henry VIII Rick
Wakeman
After going through the town of Lewis laughing at clouds so dark above, in heavy rain unfortunately, which I am sure must have detracted from the town's beauty and having seen the unopened house of Henry VIII's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, who enjoyed a six month, unconsumated marriage to Henry the VIII and outlived all of Henry's other wives, I found Lewes Brooks RSPB reserve.
Actually I was incredibly lucky to find it as the area of marshy fields, the flood plain of the River Ouse, not belonging to the RSPB was massive and a walk out from a fishing pools area brought a small green bridge by a dyke. Here I found a small RSPB notice stating that here was the reserve.
I climbed onto and sat on the same bridge to look at what birds were there. Around twenty Shovelor, one hundred Wigeon, two hundred and fifty Lapwing, two Snipe, twenty five Dunlin, many Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed, Herring and Common Gulls with just a few Black-headed Gulls. There were also four Cormorants and a Grey Heron. Nearby at a few small, red-surrounded fishing pools, I saw two Water Rails in a long ditch.
These two reminded me of the quest for one of
their relations, a Little Crake that I dipped on many years ago in 1985 at nearby
Cuckmere Haven. A mega dip day with those Coppice Twitchers, Phase Two students,
mentioned before: Jason Oliver, Alex Barter and Richard Southall. There are so
many memories of twitching and birding and many of them involve trips with
these lads. Phase One Coppice student birders included the handsome and popular
lad nicknamed Smoothie, Steven Turner. With Steve and two well-known Midland
birders, Bill Low and John Holian, I had gone on my first ever twitching
weekend in 1980. The four of us went to Norfolk and slept in the car at
Coastguards car park, near to Cley. We saw four Pallas’ Warblers, a Richard’s
Pipit and a Long-tailed duck.
Back to the mega dip day with the Phase Two
lads. How excited they all were as we came down the hill from Seaford. The lads
were bouncing up and down on the car seats. The Little Crake had been feeding
from the hand all week. We could not fail or so we thought. We got there. There
had been no sign of it all morning. It had either flown off or gone to meet its
maker.
OK a dip, meaning a rare bird missed. Not
down-hearted, it was off next to try to see the Red-breasted Goose on the North Kent
coast. Alex, Richard and I saw it amongst a large group of Brent Geese. Jason could
not see it and as I stood up, I must have put my head above the horizon for the
whole flock of Brents flew off! Sorry Jason.
Jason's second dip of the day was made worse
by Alex having a tattoo done on his wrist of the neck and head of the Red-breasted
Goose! Jason lapsed as a birder for years because of these experiences! He is
back now and is top man with The Birding Clams.
Nowadays my ex-students have their own Facebook group page for one to follow their worldwide birding adventures . . .
The Birding Clams Facebook Group
Now in their fifties, here are two ex-Coppice students with three friends on a Shetland beach last year, 2024 : from the left: Adam Archer, Rb Gilbert, Jason John Oliver, Tony Barter (both ex-Coppice) and Phil 'The Oracle' Andrews.
How many birding incidents
would my trip remind me of over the coming year? Lots of course and most of
them had more successful outcomes than the one described above.
Back to the afternoon of the
Lewes Brooks visit and by now, mid-afternoon, the weather deteriorated as an
extraordinarily strong gale came from the west along the English Channel.
Cycling into it along the main road towards Brighton was exceedingly difficult.
The gale was right into my face. In fact I frequently had to get off the bike
and push. Then the rain started and as it got heavier so it got more difficult
to ride.
The road towards Brighton from
Lewes was uphill for quite a long way. It was not steep but relentless. It was
such a relief when the road reached a peak and from then the way was a long
gentle downhill ride. The rain had almost stopped by the time I reached
Brighton centre, turned instead to a steady drizzle and the wind got lost
amongst the larger buildings of Brighton Centre.
Finding the world famous Brighton Pavilion, I dismounted and asked a lovely Japanese couple to take my photo with my camera. They having done so asked me to return the favour and having done so they bowed, I bowed and they left.
Down to the seashore next to watch thousands of Starlings in late evening murmurations in late evening murk, before finding the Sluggies Hostel with a serious need for food and drink.
30.14 miles 1688 feet elevation up 1993 feet down
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