Fixed point photography can be very useful to highlight slow changes in habitat that might not be noticed. July is the time that we repeat our series and this location on the Beach Reserve shows an old wooden vehicle track that we are slowly restoring back to shingle vegetation. But look either side and see how the False Oat Grass is taking over the bare shingle…
2009
There is a summary of last month’s wildlife by clicking here, and there is ten minutes of hot and sunny wildlife, below…
The first specimen of a humming-bird hawk-moth I have seen in our Northiam garden since 2006 paid a visit today to some Verbena bonariensis.
Lots of butterflies around today, despite the changeable weather and often stiff breeze! Highlights were more Marbled White and at least two Brown Argus near the viewpoint, while Meadow Brown, Essex Skipper and Gatekeeper (below) numbers seem to be on the up at the moment In addition, there are still small numbers of Painted Lady around (though nowhere near the numbers a few weeks ago) and the odd Red Admiral .
Gatekeeper
Two Mediterranean gulls were spotted among the black-headed gulls in front of Firth hide this morning. Our young kestrels left the nest this week and could usually be seen loafing around on the workshop roof. Hobbies were still present in small numbers and a peregrine flew over the car park on Monday. Waders seen included common and green sandpipers, curlew and whimbrel. Our bittern reappeared on Wednesday, when it was seen flying from Hooker’s pits to Denge Marsh.
The two breeding colonies of Common Tern (115 pairs Ternery pool, 130+ Quarry) are fledging chicks now, Crittall Hide is once again the best location to see the goings on. The two Little Tern that have stayed faithfull to the site since the start of the breeding season are still hanging around Shore Ridges and the shore at low water. Other highlights include upto 9 Common and 4 Green Sandpipers spread over Ternery pool and Harbour Farm pools, at least 3 Little Ringed Plover were on the pools nearest the barns.
Fledged Common Tern at Ternery Pool