RXwildlife Sightings

My grandchildren found a circular mass of swarming springtails today on some concrete just outside a stable in Sedlescombe. It must have contained thousands of insects. This particular species, Ceratophysella bengtssoni, is well-known for this kind of behaviour and swarms numbering millions of individuals have sometimes been seen. No one knows quite why they do it, though it is thought to be associated with mating. Usually the swarms last only a short while and are gone by the following day.

Highlights today have been, 15 Mediterranean Gull early morning at Ternery Pool. A Short Eared Owl hunting on Harbour Farm. Bittern inflight at Castle Water. 47 Corn Bunting over Lime Kiln Cottage. And Merlin on the Beach Reserve.   

First clumps of frog spawn in my Icklesham garden pond this morning. As much as four weeks later than previous years, but perhaps it won’t get frozen for days on end like last year. Most of what survived the big freeze last year was devoured by a pair of Mallard, up-ending in my 4′ x 6′ pond.
Anita Gibbs from Rye Bay Wildlife e-group.

A walk around the reserve this morning produced a Water Pipit feeding in the area where the reeds have been cut. The resident pair of Barn Owl were sitting together allowing a close comparison between the very white female and the usual coloured male. Reed Bunting are now in full song and today several Lapwing were making their scrapes on the shingle islands.