RXwildlife Sightings

Two Dartford warblers were seen near the boardwalk this morning. Also of note were a merlin (in the car park area), two marsh harriers , two brent geese and several goldcrests.

Lots of woodland birds were noisy and conspicuous this morning among the autumn foliage of this Woodland Trust reserve. Nuthatches were piping in several locations, Jays transporting acorns across each clearing and twittering bands of Siskins and Lesser Redpolls circulating over the yellow treetops.
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No sign of any Cattle Egrets leaving the Little Egret roost at Castle Water this morning although 46 Little Egrets left the roost. Highlights from the Beach Reserve included a Barn Owl Hunting at the back of Ternery Pool, Merlin at the River Mouth, 12 Barnacle Geese (presumed feral) in flight over Harbour Farm and 9 Brent Geese on Flat Beach. And finally a rather frosty Wasp Spider was found clinging to the gate post at Lime Kiln Cottage, the picture was taken as it started to thaw out.

The four Cattle Egret were still present this morning, one leaving to the south-east again and the other three dropping down on Castle Water to the north of the hide. Fewer Little Egret (below), with only 24 seen leaving the roost, with other birds of note being a Marsh Harrier, Kingfisher, three Cetti’s Warbler and two calling Water Rail.

18/10 Today’s undoubted highlight was an adult rose-coloured starling found in Christmas Dell. Hobby, whinchat and black redstart were also of note.
20/10 A bittern was seen at Denge Marsh. Merlin, common sandpiper, turnstone, goldcrest and a single swallow, battling its way south, were also of note.
21/10 A black-necked grebe on the ARC pit and a Dartford warbler near the return trail were the day’s highlights.

The four Cattle Egret were present at Castle Water this morning, leaving the roost along with 44 Little Egret. One bird flew off south-east to be followed by the others about half an hour later. Also present this morning 3+ Bearded Tit, Barn Owl and Kingfisher.

A weird and wonderful catch in my moth trap in Rye today comprised 10 moths of 10 species - a fresh Green-brindled Crescent (pictured), its metallic scales glowing even in the grey light of dawn, plus the autumn’s first November Moth, a very late Small Square-spot, Mallow, Blair’s Shoulder-knot, L-album Wainscot, worn Barred Sallow and Black Rustic, and the micros Blastobasis decorella and Light Brown Apple Moth. None of the usual Large Yellow Underwings and Feathered Ranunculus - and I’m still waiting for my first Clifden Nonpareil. But the only predictable thing about moth trapping is its unpredictability.

Late news from Pete Rouse of an adult Whooper Swan among Mute Swans at the East Sussex end of the pit on Sunday Oct 12th.
A male Merlin was hunting Meadow pipits there at dusk yesterday.

Catocala fraxini is a large moth and sometimes referred to as the ‘Blue Underwing’. Once a scarce resident in Kent and Norfolk, it is now a rare immigrant to the south-east coast of Britain, with usually  less than 10 records a year. This very worn and faded individual was found in a Robinson trap at Icklesham on the morning of the 17^th October, one of only a handful of more common moths trapped that night. Wingspan 75 mm.

Alan Martin by e-mail

Four Cattle Egret were present on Castle Water mid-morning, visible from the hide. This is only the third record at Rye Harbour, and the first involving more than one individual. Also present here this morning at least 6 Bearded Tit, two Green Sandpiper, a flock of 16 Redpoll and an immature male Marsh Harrier. In addition, a Merlin was present on Harbour Farm early on.