Jim's Diary

I walked the main ouse on Friday, 14th. December from Lewes to Isfield and noticed a fair tide that day. A group of four Cormorants were fishing near to Hamsey old lock where I also saw two Kingfishers flash past me piping their alarm. Then I was intrigued by an interesting slide in the river mud which indicated to me that a Seal had been in the area. I had seen this mud slide before at Double Sluice and on the river bank near to the Sound. The odd one or two have come up on the tides for many years but they are getting a bit too close to fresh water so far up-river which could be a problem for them. The slide in question on that day though looked recently made and on closer inspection I could see fresh fish scales in the mud. I walked on and sure enough on reaching Hamsey weir there was the Seal sitting on the concrete part of the weir. It made a Seal-type ’bark’ and disappeared into the river in the direction of Lewes, down an old loop of the Ouse in mid-river, diving from time to time as it went. In the cold winter of 1962 I remember two Seals coming as far up-river as Cowlease. I walked on again up-river and it was very quiet. There were two Egrets on the Splash near Wellingham and also a small flock of Widgeon flew past right overhead. Cold weather often brings them south. At the Northend confluence I disturbed two grey poachers fishing in the form of a Heron and his mate. On reaching the Mills I spoke to a lone Pike angler and also observed Sea Trout on the move. A small charm of Goldfinch were feeding on some Teasel heads. At the Anchor I watched for Sea Trout and saw a few at the Anchor fish pass. The weather was becoming colder and I observed birds setting about the berries in a long thorn hedge. A cock Pheasant gave off his alarm and then I saw the culprit which had caused all the fuss in the shape of a large dog Fox working the hedge and coming towards me. I stood stock still and he came closer and closer but then suddenly took off towards the Iron River. I found the remains of a small Carp, which was no doubt last night’s supper, part buried in a Mole hill. A flock of about thirty Fieldfares got up from the bushes along the old railway line. By now it was 3.30pm and much colder. A Green Woodpecker made an alarm call as it rose disturbed from an Ash tree and other smaller birds were feeding on the Alder seeds. Then I caught sight of a large skein of geese going westwards, perhaps to the reservoirs of Pagham and Chichester or Farlingham Marshes on the outskirts of Portsmouth.

On the 17th. I had a clear up around the village in the hope the roadsides would remain tidy for Christmas. I filled the usual 3 black sacks full of the usual rubbish thrown from the usual cars by the usual litter morons who just cannot be bothered to wait until they get to a bin. A lot of this type of litter will never decompose. The fast food outlets really have a lot to answer for.

Doreen Prior and I attended the launch of a small film made by a special needs group who we have done a fair bit of work with on the Lewes Railway Land Local Nature Reserve and an up-river project with John Parry. It was nice to be offered a warm welcome and a glass of something with a mince pie. Despite difficulties they are such a cheerful crowd at the St. Nicholas Day Centre.

The next day two fishing friends came over to lunch. First we ventured out to the river on this cold day and found there were ice flows in the water. The Pike did not want to play ball but I was cheered by the thought of our forthcoming tasty lunch which soon made up for the lack of Pike. Not wishing the birds in my garden to go hungry while I was out eating I felt satisfied knowing I had put out enough extra fat balls for them before leaving home.

I had a relaxed Christmas with friends. Soon afterwards I noted that Sea Trout were spawning in the Maresfield area which was the start of the main spawning on the Ouse tributaries. By the 30th. there were good numbers of fish on various Redd sites on the Bevern. A fellow SOCS member and I watched up to seven fish on one site. Sea Trout were observed also near to Ditchling which is quite a journey from the sea. Nature is a wonderful thing and knowing successful spawnings were taking place made the work the Task Force had done to improve the gravel beds for spawning all the more worthwhile. The water jetter had been a great success and the raked and jetted site had been used by the Sea Trout. I would like to thank John Lindley for all his help working with me so now I have a fair book of the 2007/08 Redd Watch. Thanks must also go to Karl for his input. All in all it has been a very successful spawning but there could be snag if there are floods in the New Year.

Tuesday, 1st January, 2008
Sea Trout spawning continued and there was activity on the bottom of the Uck on the shales and on the Bevern catchment. As it was New Year’s Day I went back to the Laughing Fish for lunch and took a look at the vintage tractors, cars and heavy haulage vehicles. I sat in the seat of a Field Marshall tractor which was made in the 1940s. I can remember them well as a boy and watching them working on the local farms. The familiar thump thump of the engine sounded good as was the era of the Massey Ferguson. How tractors have changed. It was a pleasure to watch the faces of the younger generation members in our party who also took a steam train ride on the Lavender Line that New Year’s Day. There was a cold wind with sleet and snow on the 3rd. but despite this Celandines were flowering in sheltered ditch-side banks. Spring was on the way in Nature’s Garden.

On Saturday, 5th, John Lindley and I were on Redd Watch. We went to the Bevern at Holman’s Bridge where a few days earlier John had seen a microwave oven which must have been thrown over the bridge into the stream. Just what is the mentality of people who do this sort of thing ? On arrival there was too much water that day to see the oven but no doubt we will find it. How nice it would be to catch this fly tipper.

There was a small flood at the Mills on the 6th. and all the flood gates were open. Nobody was angling as the water was rising but Wagtails were darting about the Mill Pool sluices and there were Buzzards up above. I went to the Uckfield Flood Forum on the 8th. on behalf of the Parish Council. A list was given to the Environment Agency of all the rubbish from Uckfield which SOCS has removed from the Uck. On the 10th. there was heavy rain which caused the Ouse to be in full flood on the 11th. John Lindley and I cleared litter from the Northend but the water was too high to see any fish. We checked all the culverts for blockages and then cleared litter at High Bridge culvert. We moved on to Novington Lane where we picked up more rubbish, left by the Rail Track
contractors, near the railway bridge. By this time we had a full black sack ! We then checked all the other culverts on the Bevern. We found Spatham Lane to Batts Bridge to be running clear so it would be alright for any fish returning as Kelts, spent Sea Trout, towards the sea.

I awoke to heavy rain and wind on Tuesday, 15th. The water level was rising rapidly on the Ouse and Uck. The upper Ouse had burst its banks and was in full flood and there was concern around Uckfield for the Uck also. My phone was ringing constantly about water levels and on 16th. there was a flood over the Mills road. There had not been a flood like this for some years and it was a close call at the Mills, Uckfield and Lewes. I wondered how the Sea Trout redd sites would be and hoped they had not been washed out on this big flood. By the 18th. there had been record rainfall for the week. John and I checked the culverts again on the Bevern on the 19th. when the water levels were falling.

On the 20th. I walked the river to Barcombe Mills and disturbed a Heron on a pool of water left after the flood. I had taken a landing net with me and rescued a Carp of about 10lbs. which was floundering in a few inches of water and put it back into the river. When I reached the Mills I could see that it had indeed been a close call for some of the residents when the flood water had lapped at their doorsteps. I met a lone angler who had caught a fair sized Carp in slack water.

There was a slight frost early in the morning of the 22nd. and there was still very bright moonlight. A flight of 18 Cormorants flew past me on their way upriver. As I went along the Uckfield by-pass to Black Down the large amount of litter on the verges of both both sides of the road was an utter disgrace. Later I went to clear rubbish along the Lewes road from Isfield Parish boundary with Ringmer Parish at Skim Corner Wood and back towards Boathouse Farm. I filled a large black sack with broken bottles and assorted rubbish. I must thank Holly for the use of her bin and the lift back home.

I was woken early on the 24th. by a vixen and a dog Fox calling in the field behind my house. I walked out and noticed how the Spring-like weather was bringing on the wild flowers. I found wild Primroses flowering in a usual early spot and Lords and Ladies and other small plants were emerging in the bottom of hedgerows. Has anybody seen the display of Hazel catkins or heard how loudly the Blackbirds and Thrushes have been singing as the days start to lengthen ? There is often a lot of activity just before it gets dark. I was told that a fair number of Bramblings had been seen in the Parish. I walked along to the church on this morning to check on the litter situation there and stopped on a bridge over the Uck for some minutes just to watch and listen. Above me there were 3 Buzzards mewing very high up and below me a Kingfisher flashed past under the bridge. I really felt that the countryside was waking up on that morning. On reaching the church I watched a Sparrow Hawk hunting around the churchyard and two Partridge scuttled away to find cover as I approached. I strolled back home to check my bird table and saw a lone Siskin and Greenfinch with several Blue Tits and a Woodpecker.

To sum up, it looks as if it has been a fair spawning season for the Sea Trout and I have still to complete the Redd Watch. I think we will start the Task Force year with rubbish clearance at Uckfield as this has paid dividends in many ways. Finally, I would like to wish all our farmers and landowners a successful season with good crops and improved prices.

S.O.C.S. Field Officer January 2008