Birds at Arlington

Arlington Reservoir lies in the path of two of the proposed 'corridors' for a new dual carriageway between Lewes and Polegate in East Sussex, and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It was completed in 1971, and sits in the Cuckmere Valley, just north of where the river cuts through the South Downs.

The reservoir supplies a large area of East Sussex including Hailsham, Polegate and Eastbourne, and is also home to a trout fishery. It covers 49 hectares, attracting birds of open water, particularly to migrants using the Cuckmere Valley. In winter, it can be home to an estimated 10,000 birds, but most of the time is much quieter.

From spring until autumn there is a chance of osprey, but they generally only visit the reservoir to hunt, disappearing into nearby woodland to eat their prey; so luck is required to see one.