RXwildlife Sightings

Looking at one of the brackish pits on Harbour Farm today I came across this fascinating tableau. Below and to the right is a female Flecked General (Stratiomys singularior), laying a mass of bright green eggs. To the left and above is an older, but still unhatched batch of Flecked General eggs, and perching on this like some fat-thighed gargoyle is the parasitic wasp Chalcis sispes. This is a parasitoid of Flecked General larvae, the wasp eggs being laid in either young larvae or well developed eggs. In order to get a ready supply of victims, the female wasp often protects an eggs mass from other females of the same species, fighting back to back with the muscular hind-legs.

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Highlights over the past few days have included 4 Greenshank, 12 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 10 Snipe, 4 Black-tailed Godwit and a Spotted Flycatcher at Castle Water. On the Beach Reserve at least 40 Yellow Wagtails were along Shore Ridges, Willow Warblers have also been a feature in recent days and can even pop up with the wagtails amongst the Sea Kale. The last residues of the breeding season can still be found at Ternery Pool with the last few fledged Common Tern still being fed, there are also Common Sandpipers, Dunlin and Green Sandpiper feeding around the margins. At least 4 Avocet and Little Ringed Plover are still frequenting Harbour Farm Pools and the above mentioned waders are also found around the margins. 

Willow Warbler in Sea Kale along Shore Ridges.