As the calm and mild weather continues the gull activity at Ternery Pool increases daily, 11 Mediterranean Gull were present this morning amongst the Black-headed Gulls. Good numbers of waders can still be found feeding along the shore at low water 330 Knot, 48 Grey plover, 50 Sanderling and 200 Dunlin were present this morning. The ever decreasing flood on Flat Beach is also attracting a good selection of roosting waders at high water.
We now have our first frogspawn in Northiam. This is 17 days later than in 2008, although the main burst of spawning that year did not take place until 24 February. The early spawn that was laid in 2008 mostly died after a spell of very frosty weather so perhaps it is a good thing the frogs have waited a bit longer this year.
So, can we say it is spring yet?
The day started at 6.45,on Pett sea wall,the sea was well up but not high tide yet (high tide was around 8.30). Most of the dabbling ducks were on the sea 300 Wigeon, 2 Pintail (1pair) and a few Mallard, there was 18 Pochard, 12 Tufted Duck, 30 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall on the pools, also 1 oiled R.T.Diver was on the third pool. The waders have gone down in numbers this week, maybe due to all the work going on around the marsh and on the sea wall?, and perhaps thats why the numbers have gone up at Rye?. The G.C.Grebes are much the same as last week, but there was hardly a Scoter to be seen. R.T.Divers were in good numbers, but further out to sea than the grebes, but there was 2 B.T.Divers closer in showing well not to far out. There was a very heavy westerly movement of B.H.Gulls all morning, with 2 Med Gulls heading east late morning. Birds of prey put in a good show with at least 3 Marsh Harriers and a Merlin. At Lydd Ranges there was good mixture of waders, 1 Avocet, 18 Knot, 12 Grey Plover, 3 Ring Plover, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Redshank, Turnstone. It was good seeing Skylark and hearing a Corn Bunting. On the way back we called into Pett again, and finished off the day with 2 Eider imm males. Good Birdwatching Pete.
Most of the interest was found on Flat Beach/Quarry today, with a count late morning finding around 500 each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, over 200 Dunlin, 150 or so Knot, 17 Grey Plover, 22 Ringed Plover and two Ruff. Elsewhere, number of gulls continues to increase at Ternery Pool, with 320 Black-headed Gull and five Mediterranean Gull present there, while highlights on Long Pit were three Scaup and a Goldeneye.
Since people have started reporting Med Gulls this week, I’ve been scrutinising the gull flock behind our house, but they’ve all been Black-headed & Common.
And no sound.
But today, exactly at midday, came a loud “Weow!!” from overhead, as a my first Med Gull of the year floated over on glowing white wings, ten days later than last year.
Soon afterwards a different Med was feeding with the other gulls and then came a further yelp as another one arrived high overhead.
For the next couple of months, their calls will characterise the spring soundscape of the area.
The mossy domes of old ant-hills indicate that this woodland was, not so long ago, a sunny meadow. The trees are even-age space invaders: Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Birch, Field Maple and Crab Apple, with a few Ash and Alder. None of them is coppiced and there is little in the way of ground flora apart from Dog’s Mercury sprouting from the ant-hills. Read the rest of this entry »
Filling in some more Winter Atlas blanks today, I found a bright male Brambling among feeding finches, Buzzard, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, 3 Stock Doves, 60+ Fieldfares and 50+ Yellowhammers. But no Wrens - have they been hit by the frosts?
Highlights today have included 4 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Peregrine, Merlin, 180 Knot and 1000 Golden Plover on the Beach Reserve. At Castle Water Bittern, Barn Owl and Marsh Harrier showed well from the viewpoint.
The recent mild weather has prompted many reports of Tortricodes alternella (left), an early spring micro mainly of oak and hornbeam woodland. The moth on the right is a male March Moth (the female is wingless), also of woodland including oak. Both are common and widespread but these are the first records today for my garden in Rye, below the densely wooded Military Road cliff-line. Yesterday’s moths were single Dotted Border, Common Quaker and the common plume Emmelina monodactyla.
A session of warm February sun produced the first slow-worm of the year, a sub-adult basking under a piece of roof-felt in our garden in Northiam.