In 2020 the BTO and RSPB will jointly be running a national survey of breeding waders in wet meadows. This will be a repeat of the 2002 survey, requiring visits to the sites surveyed in 2002 and with the addition of any new wet grassland sites that are identified. It is possible that the survey will be extended to include lapwing breeding sites in farmland. This survey will be organised in Sussex by Helen Crabtree (BTO Regional Representative for Sussex).
In Sussex the planned list of wet grassland sites to be surveyed during April, May and June 2020 for breeding waders is as follows:
Rye Harbour SSSI
Wet Level
Brede Levels
River Rother (upstream of Newenden)
Pevensey (Hooe Level East)
Pevensey (Waller’s Haven North)
Pevensey (Hooe Level West)
Pevensey (Star Inn)
Pevensey (Waller’s Haven South)
Pevensey (Manxey Level South)
Pevensey (Hankham Level)
Pevensey (Manxey Level South)
Pevensey (Whelpley Level East)
Pevensey (Horse Eye Level)
Pevensey (Whelpley Level West)
Pevensey (Down Level)
Arlington Reservoir
Cuckmere Valley
Glynde Levels
Lower Ouse Valley
Ouse Valley (Hamsey to Lewes)
Adur Levels
Pulborough N.& S. Brooks
Amberley Wild Brooks
Offham to South Stoke
Arundel to Offham
North Stoke to Houghton
Lower Fittleworth
Church Norton
Sidlesham Ferry
Snow Hill
Shopham Bridge to Coates
Coultershaw Bridge to Shopham Bridge
Please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com if you can help with any of the following:
- You would like to volunteer to survey one of the sites listed above;
- You know of another lowland wet grassland site in Sussex suitable for breeding waders;
- You know of any other site in any habitat in Sussex where lapwings are likely to breed or have bred in recent years.
