RXwildlife Sightings

On Sunday, Pete Rouse saw: 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper, 20 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 10 Avocet, 2 Redshanks and a Sanderling.

Bird highlights today included, Black Tern at the River Mouth, Hobby and Marsh Harrier on Harbour farm. Avocet with chicks, Little Ringed Plover, Grey Plover and Dunlin  on the new pools behind Ternery Pool. 300+ Swift were at long Pit and Castle Water.

This plant became extinct in Britain in the 1980’s and has been reintroduced to Dungeness and Rye Harbour. The news from Rye Harbour site is very encouraging. 69 plants were found in bud, and it is likely that more rosettes, not yet in bud, were missed. The large rosette found on fairly coarse gravel has given rise to a massive flowering plant with 49 buds and one open flower. At Dungeness all the rosettes present at the end of April were still present and starting to form flower stems. Several showed signs of rabbit grazing, and none were particularly long.
Brian Banks

The buds droop in a distinctive way before the flowers open.
See earlier report of this plant by clicking here.

The magnificent Emperor Dragonfly is now emerging at Castle Water, these dragonflies will be the largest hawker on the wing during the summer at Castle Water. The larva are also huge and ferocious preditors, as shown in the collection of larval skins in the picture below. Working from left to right Emperor, Hairy Hawker, Four-spotted chaser and Broad-bodied Chaser.

For a close up of the head.. Read the rest of this entry »

On a cold and windy morning walk along the sea wall the most obvious sightings were Swift coming in off the sea. There were over one hundred present and more arriving as I left. The pools were quiet with fourteen summer plumaged Dunlin being the only birds of note. The sea was also quiet with a small party of six Common Scoter and a single Great Crested Grebe present.

More weevils in the moth trap this morning, this time a Liophloeus tessulatus. A large common species, although not often seen, whose larvae feed on the roots of umbellifers. Plenty of moths also in the trap, although nothing of note except for a huge increase in the numbers of heart and dart present.

Yesterday morning a quail was heard calling in the set-aside field behind the Quarry, Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve.

This pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) came to my roof balcony moth trap in St Leonards last night. It’s the first one I’ve seen in Hastings. Also had 30+ species of moth in the trap this morning including maiden’s blush, orange footman, treble brown-spot and small waved umber.

…starts today. Looking for something to do this Bank Holiday Weekend? Why not visit the Wildlife Weekend at Rye Bay and find out about the work to conserve and enhance this important wildlife area with support from local people and organisations?

On Saturday, see the colourful Children’s Parade walk from Ypres Tower to the Strand, starting at 10.45; and then catch the family activities at Rye Harbour. At 2pm find out about sustainable stocks of fish and which are best to buy and eat with the Marine Conservation Society at Fish Café, Tower Street.

On Sunday, enjoy the open day at the National Trust’s organic farm near Winchelsea – Wickham Manor.

On Monday afternoon, join the Cools Seas Roadshow and Kent Kite Flyers at Camber.

All weekend in Rye, you can see exhibitions at the Turtle Art Gallery, Rye Art Gallery and Fish Café.

Click here for more information.

At last, a reasonable catch in the moth trap. Fifty eight species were represented including our first Scorched Wing, Orange Footman, Sandy Carpet and Clouded Silver. The commonest moths at the moment included White Ermine, Snout, Straw Dot and Treble Lines.