RXwildlife Sightings

Here is my personal choice of last year’s wildlife highs and lows.

Insects - highs

1. Painted Lady - invasion by huge numbers
2. Huebneria affinis - identification of this fly last seen in UK in 1921
3. Red-veined Darter- confirmed breeding at Castle Water

Lows

1. Harlequin Ladybird - continues to increase
2. Scarce Emerald – no sightings since 2006 of this rarity.
3. Limobius mixtus – no sightings this year from its only UK site.

 Birds, breeding - highs

1. Bittern - first booming in Sussex for 100 years.
2. Mash Harrier - first successful breeding at Castle Water.
3. Grasshopper Warbler – 2 singing in May at Rye Harbour farm.

Lows

1. Little Tern – none nested for second consecutive year.
2. Yellow Wagtail – no sign of population recovery.
3. Herring/Lesser Black-backed Gulls – population increasing.

Birds, non-breeding - highs

1. Golden Plover - flock regular for most of year at Flat Beach
2. Cettis Warblers - survived the cold weather
3. Raven – now noted almost daily.

Lows

1. Whimbrel – spring roost numbers low.
2. Long-eared Owl – regular roost sites empty in second winter period.
3. Barn Owl – apparent decline by end of the year after very wet weather.

Plants - highs

1. Stinking Hawk’s-beard – more than a 1000 plants of this re-introduced flower.
2. Yellow Vetch – discovery of colony near Camber Castle.
3. Slender Hare’s-ear – the only colony was larger and more extensive than we thought.

Lows

1. Australian Swampweed – continues to expand in the wetland at Castle Water.
2. Marshmallow - plants not increasing significantly in number.
3. Rabbits – large numbers continue to affect the flowers of the Beach Reserve.

Mammals – highs

1. American Mink – few signs this year.
2. Water Vole – widespread throughout the ditch system.
3. Roe Deer – first reserve record, at Castle Water .

Lows

1. Rabbits – breeding like Rabbits… numbers high despite controls.
2. Badger – widespread and not kept out of all electric fenced areas – bad news for ground nesting birds.
3. Bats – I did not see any, other than Pipistrelles… must try harder!

… and if you have made it this far I wish you a Happy New Year and Good Wildlife Watching!

Posted in Rye Harbour Nature Reserve | by Barry Yates