Rye Harbour Birds
Highlights today included Whinchat, Swift and Cuckoo at Castle Water and 6 Turtle Doves on Rye Harbour Farm.
Archive for August 11th, 2006
11th August 2006, Friday
11th August 2006, Friday
Sickle-bearing Bush-cricket
While carrying out an invertebrate survey of Hastings Country Park today we found a breeding colony of sickle-bearing bush-cricket Phaneroptera falcata. This is the first breeding record of the species in Britain. The species has been recorded only twice in Britain in Cornwall over 100 years ago.
We found them feeding on rosebay willowherb so it is worth giving any big patches of rosebay willowherb in the RX area a second look for the species. It resembles a conehead but is more closely related to speckled bush-cricket.
Sickle-bearing Bush-cricket
11th August 2006, Friday
News from RSPB Dungeness
Things are starting to liven up a bit. Common buzzard over the reserve today and an osprey reported flying over Lade pits plus plenty of yellow wagtails, wheatears and sand martins on the move. Common and green sandpipers are being seen regularly whilst wood and curlew sandpipers were spotted earlier in the week. Other waders present this week include little stint, black-tailed godwit, greenshank and spotted redshank.
One or two marsh harriers are being seen daily and hobby and peregrine are also regular.
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Don’t forget this weekend sees the return of our Wildlife and Countryside Fair running from 9am to 5pm each day. Stall holders include: Steven Message; Dave Featherbe; Birds, Birds Birds; Ian Kent; Friends of Rye Harbour; Dungeness Bird Observatory and Romney Marsh Countryside Project. Plus: crafts, cards and gifts; the launch of the new Dungeness Wildlife Explorer group; loads of fun and games for kids; free guided walks and a binocular and telescope demo. Admission is free to all.
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Hope to see you over the weekend.
11th August 2006, Friday
Humming-bird Hawk-moth
Quite few Humming-bird Hawk-moths around at the moment, two were at Ternery Pool feeding on Red Valerian and several were feeding on the Buddleia at Lime Kiln Cottage. This Hawk-moth is mainly an Immigrant and can occur from spring to autumn in most years in varying numbers.
11th August 2006, Friday
Big Breakfast
There is a flock of around 80 House Sparrow hanging around Lime Kiln Cottage or Harbour Farm at the moment. I was amazed to see a male trying to eat a Eyed Hawk-moth caterpilar which was huge. After struggling for sometime, and reducing the caterpillar in size it went down a treat.
11th August 2006, Friday
Dawn at the viewpoint Castle Water
August is generally the time for peak counts of Little Egret roosting at Castle Water, this morning an amazing 79 birds left the roost,the first group leaving at 5.05am and the last at 5.25am. Other highlights included 3 Hobby which must have roosted nearby and 10 Green Sandpiper, some dispersing in the direction of Northpoint Pit. The Golden Plover roost on Flat Beach is also increasing 213 birds were present at 6.30am.
