RXwildlife Sightings

For an impatient herpetologist it was good to have night-time temperatures of 6 C  and to get out into the rain last night to view great crested newts in some of the ponds close to ARC Pit, on the Dungeness RSPB reserve.  26 animals were present in one of the ponds, the males in full breeding dress, displaying to the females.  No sign of any eggs as yet, but it will not be long now, if the weather stays mild.

Rather pleasing also were the numbers of juvenile great crested newts in the water too, indicating that last year was a good breeding season.  Walking to the ponds required a degree of care because there were also newts crossing the path, to join their kin in the ponds.

This migration was also apparent at Northiam where numbers of newts in our garden pond have increased over the past few days. Roll-on springtime!

The unmistakable far-carrying call of Mediterranean Gulls could be clearly heard from Rye this morning. Eight white-winged adults were feeding with many Black-headed, Common and Herring Gulls on the flooded fields between the old primary school and the riverbank and Northpoint. Four were in full breeding plumage and looked like two pairs, strutting about and looking so much larger than nearby Black-headeds. A group of three had black heads but variable amounts of white on the ‘face’, and the eighth bird was still in winter plumage with a dark mask through the eye. I know they’ve been present at Rye Harbour and Pett Level for some time now but it’s always nice to find your own!

Highlights from the Beach Reserve this morning have included 180 Knot and 22 Grey Plover along the shore. Flat Beach Level/Quarry attracted 900 Lapwing, 31 Redshank, 42 Dunlin, 28 Golden plover, 34 Brent Geese and 49 Gadwall. At dawn 230 Curlew were present on a flooded corner of Harbour Farm were they had roosted overnight. Several Mediterranean Gulls were present at Ternery Pool first thing, and birds have been seen in flight or heard calling over the Beach Reserve.