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Newhaven Tide Mills

East Sussex  >  United Kingdom

Coastal shingle and scrub, a tidal marsh and a well known roosting site for Tengeri partfutó.

Added* by Liam Curson
Most recent update 19 február 2021
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Description

Newhaven Tide Mills hosts some good specialities in the winter, and can be good for migrants in spring and autumn. Summer is quieter. In the winter the best birds are the Tengeri partfutó on the Breakwater at the mouth of the River Ouse. They show very well here at high tide, and on particularly high tides with stormy conditions will show up top on the highest truts. kőforgató and parti pityer are also seen along this pier. At low tide from the end of the Pier, it is worth checking the beach on the opposite side of the river, for a gull roost that has in the past included Sztyeppi sirály, Sárgalábú sirály, Jeges sirály and Sarki sirály.

At high tide there is also often a small roost of Havasi partfutó and Parti lile on the shingle beach, with low double figures of each. The Mill Creek (a tidal creek and the remnant of the old course of the river) normally only holds Havasi partfutó, Piroslábú cankó and Nagy póling but other waders occasionally appear, especially in cold weather movements. There are extensive patches of rough grassland which sometimes attract wintering Réti fülesbagoly or Gyöngybagoly. Another species always worth looking out for is Házi rozsdafarkú; one or two normally spend the winter here but roam widely. The best spots to search are the perimeter fence of the industrial land, or the caravan park as you walk towards Seaford. If accessing the site by train then always check around Newhaven Harbour station too. There is a large roost of Dankasirály and Viharsirály on the sea offshore every evening, with persistence and a telescope a Szerecsensirály or two can often be seen.

Spring can bring good numbers of migrant Hantmadár from mid March to early May, and smaller numbers of Warblers and other passerine migrants. The Mill Creek will often have a few migrant waders, amongst the most regular are Gulipán (especially in March), and Kis póling and Kis goda (in April and early May). Summer is quiet, but breeding species include cserregő nádiposzáta and Foltos nádiposzáta, kis poszáta, cigánycsuk and often a pair of Parti lile, although these typically fail due to disturbance. From mid-July onwards it is worth checking any gulls for juvenile Sárgalábú sirály.

Autumn migration can be a good time to search the scrub for Warblers, while rozsdás csuk and Hantmadár in particular favour the open areas of this site. Stormy weather will on occasion result in sightings of laposcsőrű víztaposó on the Mill Creek, and in such weather it is also worth checking Newhaven Harbour for storm-driven Seabirds, there have been records of Fecskesirály here.

Newhaven Tide Mills has a fairly good track record for rarities and scarcities; in the winter these include Hósármány, Jeges sirály, Sarki sirály, a prérisirály (in 1991), Füstös cankó and Kanalasgém. Rarities or scarcities that have shown up during migration have included szikipacsirta, Karvalyposzáta, Parlagi pityer and Tövisszúró gébics, and the site has good potential, particularly for autumn rarities.

Details

Access

Park either at the Buckle Car Park in Seaford or the Tide Mills Car Park, on the A259 between Newhaven and Seaford. You can also access from the bus, take a 12/12a/12X and depart at the Tide Mills bus stop. If accessing via train, you can take the train that runs between Seaford and Brighton, and disembark at either Newhaven Harbour or Bishopstone stations.

Terrain and Habitat

Beach , Sea , Scattered trees and bushes , Mud flats

Conditions

Flat , Open landscape

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

Can be useful

Good birding season

Spring , Autumn , Winter

Best time to visit

Winter , Autumn migration

Route

Wide path

Difficulty walking trail

Average walk

Accessible by

Foot , Bicycle

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

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