RXwildlife Sightings

This Great Diving Beetle looked rather lost as it tried to cross the footpath near Parkes Hide and was nearly squashed. This species is one of our largest beetles. They are common and can be found in garden ponds, they are often seen coming to to the surface to replenish an air supply kept under the wings. In the picture below, you can just make out the ridged wing cases, indicating this beetle is a female.

From the viewpoint at Castle Water mid morning, 3 Sand Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, Bearded Tit, Green Sandpiper and Marsh Harrier. On the Beach reserve Wheatear, Peregrine, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Avocet, Golden and Grey Plover, Knot and Brent Geese were the pick of the bunch this morning. 36 Corn Bunting were counted inflight over Lime Kiln Cottage.

A ring ouzel was seen in area around the entrance gate.  A Slavonian grebe was reported on the ARC pit.  A swallow and six sand martins were seen on the reserve and three Scandinavian rock pipits were spotted near Makepeace hide.

With nesting space in demand at the moment, due to the high water levels, pairs of Black-headed Gulls are quick to take advantage of any opportunity. The bird pictured has bagged the only spot on the island infront of Parkes Hide, (water levels should continue to drop over the coming weeks). Later in the morning there was “pink” Black-headed Gull defending a territory right next to the nest.

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I’ve finally posted some reports on this blog! At the moment they’re all from St Thomas CoE Primary, Winchelsea, but I hope soon to post contributions from other educators working out of doors.

Go to the menu on the left of this page, then click the link for the blog.

An adult Cinnabar moth was seen today at Camber, an exceptionally early date for a species normally seen in late May. However, it was seen inside a building, so was probably influenced by central heating!

Highlights at Castle Water today, 3 Green Sandpiper, 31 Curlew, 20 Snipe, 35 Teal, 40+ Wigeon and 28 Shoveler were on the new excavations. A Black-necked Grebe in winter plumage was present at the southern end of the main pit, and is possibly the bird which has frequented Long Pit over the past few weeks.

The brochure for the Wildlife Weekend in Rye Bay in late May can be downloaded from this link, or picked up from many places locally - such as ESCC libraries or Lime Kiln Cottage.

Exhibition and sale of paintings by Norman McCanch

Two Slavonian grebes (one in summer plumage) on the ARC pit, a female marsh harrier and a white wagtail provided the highlights on this gloomy day.  Signs of spring earlier in the week included a ring ouzel seen early on Wednesday morning at the Water Tower pits and a chiffchaff singing from the car park bushes.  Lingering winter visitors included a couple of smew on Burrowes pit and a white-fronted goose at Denge Marsh.