RXwildlife Sightings

Despite the cold weather, there is a decent bit of warmth in the sun once you are out of the wind, and there has definitely been an increase in invertebrate activity over the last few days. Sam, has already mentioned Buff-tailed Bumble bee (Bombus terrestris), but others included Yellow Dung Fly and young Nursery-web Spiders and Wolf Spiders. Highlights were a couple of the gorgeous metallic darkling beetle Helops caeruleus (admittedly under an old railway sleeper, so not really active) and the attractively marked spider Phrurolithus festivus (see here).

Helops caeruleus

Highlights from a frosty dawn visit to Castle Water included 2 Bittern in flight, 37 Little Egret left the roost (main pit this time), at least 4 Cetti’s Warbler were calling from various spots and a Dartford Warbler gave brief views in the gorse and bramble scrub near the hide, a Common Lizard and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) were also there yesterday. Obviously Mediterranean Gulls are popping up everywhere even at 5.30am at Castle Water, but Ternery Pool is still the best bet around mid morning. Waders feeding along the shore have included 115 Knot, 35 Grey Plover and a measly 6 Dunlin. Elsewhere on the Beach Reserve Ringed Plover, Lapwing and Oystercatcher can be found displaying during spells of fine weather.