RXwildlife Sightings

This animal was found dead on the shore this morning - half way between Winchelsea Beach and the Mary Stanford Lifeboat House.

Read the rest of this entry »

Birds of prey and waders continued to provide the highlights this week. Marsh harriers and hobbies were seen regularly, there were occasional sightings of peregrine and a hen harrier was seen today. Little ringed plover and lapwing chicks were seen at the ARC site where three green sandpipers were also present. A wood sandpiper and a spotted redshank were seen yesterday.

I’ve just completed my last Atlas survey for this breeding season, up in the High Weald hinterland.
In the pine woods many birds are hidden away; if you couldn’t hear or recognize the calls then you’d record next to nothing but even if you can, the habitat seems to be dominated by noisy family groups of just two species: Coal Tits up among the needles and Wrens below, deep in the bracken. In fact, many more birds are feeding quietly in the undergrowth, as was revealed when a dark fawn blundered across the path in front of me and crashed down through the Foxgloves, flushing little birds in all directions: a brood of Chaffinches, a Robin, a Song Thrush and others that were too quick for me.
Read the rest of this entry »

A slightly dull but refreshing dawn after the rain and thunderstorm during the early hours, highlights on the Beach Reserve included Barn Owl and 2 Little Tern along Shore Ridges, 300 Swift over Flat Beach, the recently flooded Wader Pool attracted Redshank with two small chicks, 4 Avocet and 2 Knot. Late news from Castle Water yesterday 9 Garganey, 3 Green Sandpiper, Greenshank and two sightings of Bittern from the viewpoint.

Avocet feeding on Wader Pool

At Ternery Pool the 500 pairs of Sandwich Tern have raised hundreds of young and these have just started to fledge and leave their nesting island (photo below, young on right). For the next couple of weeks there should will be a collection of young birds, waiting to be fed, just in front of the Crittall Hide, together with some family groups of Mediterranean Gulls, providing lots of opportunity for close study and photography.

Read the rest of this entry »

A visit to the viewpoint at dawn this morning found four Marsh Harrier, seven Bearded Tit, two Yellow Wagtail and a Turtle Dove purring from the trees around the viewpoint. In addition, a flock of about 60 Lapwing flushed from the islands on Castle Water by the harriers contained three Black-tailed Godwit, while at least five Little Egret and two Cetti’s Warbler were also present.

An interesting visit to Brede High Wood yesterday two dragonfly species provided the highlights, a close look amongst emergent vegetation around a small pond (pictured below) near one of the footpaths produced 12 Southern Hawker exuviae, an adult in the final stages of emergence was still present. This small pond is also supporting Broad-bodied Chaser, Large Red and Azure Damselfly, this is not bad for what is just a muddy puddle with the odd vehicle driving through on occaisions. Golden-ringed Dragonfly were also showing well with three males found patrolling woodland clearings and two exuviae (pictured below) found along the woodland stream by Holmans Meadow.

Southern Hawker with exuvia Read the rest of this entry »

While carrying out the weekly butterfly count at Castle Water I came across this delightful little moth on White Horehound near the viewpoint. It is a Horehound Plume Moth (Pterophorus spilodactylus), a local species which has been recorded from very few places on the reserve, and for the last few years only on a tiny patch of White Horehound near the viewpoint. Closer examination of the plant found another three adults, several pupae and one or two larvae (bottom).

Horehound Plume Moth
Read the rest of this entry »

Well Bee Orchid - which I think is our most stunning flower, is out now. This year there seems to be fewer than normal. They have a fascinating biology which can be discovered in David Lang’s book online…

http://www.britainsorchids.fieldguide.co.uk/?PP=species_account&SPID=60&SHC=4&PSD=1

Read the rest of this entry »

The vast majority of individuals in the Lime Kiln trap recently have been either Heart and Dart or Dark Arches, two species not noted for their colourful appearance, so it was pleasant to get a few more attractive visitors this morning. This included both Elephant Hawk-moth and Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Cinnabar, and best of all The Coronet (below) a less than annual species at Rye Harbour.

The Coronet