RXwildlife Sightings

On 11th September I reported finding nests of the nationally scarce ant Temnothorax albipennis inside dead sea kale stems at Rye Harbour. I have been searching for both this species and the rarer Temnothorax interruptus at Rye and Dungeness. 30 nests were found at Dungeness, and 5 at Rye in the dead stems of vipers bugloss, sea kale and foxglove. All belonged to T. albipennis. A further nest was found under a stone. Five T. interruptus nests were found all under flints on Dungeness Estate, and the grazed areas of the RSPB reserve at Dungeness. This species is listed on the Governments Biodiversity Action Plan and the object of the work, funded by Natural England and the Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Foundation is to understand more about the habitat requirements of this species. There are some amazing photographs of these tiny ants on the net at Antweb.org

Still plenty of birds on Flat Beach Level at the monent, which this morning included 31 Grey Plover, 19 Brent Goose and a Knot, as well as small numbers of Dunlin and Redshank. A brief sea-watch mid-morning found small numbers of Red-throated Diver, Gannet and Common Scoter.