RXwildlife Sightings

During a walk led by Patrick Roper through Brede High Wood we spotted a Brook Lamprey. At first we had trouble determining if there was something there in the stream or if we were just looking at an oddly shaped leaf. For some time we stared over the side of the footbridge at it debating the possibility. In the end it was decided the only way to find out was to reach in and scoop it out. Without difficulty it was scooped out by hand and sure enough it was a Brook Lamprey. It seemed oblivious to being handled and removed from the water and just lay motionless. The whole group on the walk had a chance to see the Lamprey and take photographs. It was then returned to the water unharmed.

(There was an informative R4 programme about Lampreys this week. Cliff)

Hopefully this goes out as computer problems continue at Lime Kiln. Avocets get top billing this morning with 56 birds present on two pools on Harbour Farm, 4 Little Ringed Plover and 11 Whimbrel were also of note. At Ternery Pool things much the same as previous posts, Mediterranean Gulls are still present in low numbers, I would expect more activity at this stage of the season as Black-headed Gulls are settling in good numbers. At least three Little Terns have been present, they seem to prefer roosting on the small islands seen from Denny Hide. At Castle Water a good selection of warblers are in song in the scrubby areas around the viewpoint and the main pit, 3 Lesser Whitethroat being of note. The new excavations and the islands on the main pit are still attracting at least 6 Little Ringed Plover and 4 Garganey its just luck as to where they might pop up. The short grassy areas at the northern end of the main pit are the best chance of finding Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail, a flock of 30 Linnet, Sand Martins and Swallows have also frequented the same area in recent days.

Read this Sussex Wildlife Trust blog by clicking here.

Highlights from Ternery Pool this morning, 3 Little Tern, 50 Common Tern and 200 Sandwich Tern. Roosting waders included 8 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Knot, 4 Avocet, 18 Dunlin and 240 Oystercatcher. Pairs of Redshank showed well infront of both hides. Elsewhere 2 Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank and 15 Avocet provided interest on Harbour Farm pools.

Invertebrates seem to have been relatively thin on the ground over the last week - in that time I have seen one butterfly and my moth trap has been notable for its emptiness. However, while checking the fences yesterday I did turn up a few good things crawly wise. The biggest surprise was a knot of 15 Helops caeruleus , a rare ‘darkling’ beetle which I expect to see in small numbers every year, but this gathering was probably more than I have seen in the least two years combined!

Some of the 15 Helops caeruleus found today on the Beach Reserve
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Of note yesterday and today a Cuckoo and 30+ Swallows at the viewpoint, on the Beach Reserve two Litte Tern at the River Mouth and a Cuckoo near the Wader Pool. A dozen Swallows and several House Martins were also lingering near the carpark in the village.

I found this young opilione (harvestman) last week in the local Malthouse Wood, Peasmarsh, crawling down a silver birch. Apart from the excellent camouflage against the tree, it was only luck I saw it whilst looking at something else, when I got to load the picture onto my computer I noticed the spiky crown. It could be Megabunus diadema - on the web it has a description given as ‘Its prominent pair of eyes is equipped with a spiny “crown”‘. For a close up Read the rest of this entry »

We found 85 bird species today, even though we missed several quite common ones. A Common Swift was over the Long Pits for much of the day, with all 3 hirundines streaming through. Though warblers were keeping their heads down in the cold N wind, we did see or hear Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Reed Sedge & Common Whitethroat. More unusual duck at Castle Water were 4 Garganey & 3 Pintail. A single Little Tern flew E along the beach.

Lots of birders around today, reliable reported sightings have included an early Swift and several House Martin over Harbour Farm, Lesser Whitethroat in song along Narrow Pit, at Castle Water at least 2 Garganey out from the hide and a Peregrine.

Common Ground Hoppers (above, Tetrix undulata), Dark Edged Bee flies and Dotted bee flies were about today in the recently coppiced woodland in Peasmarsh along with Brimstone, Peacock and my first sighting for the year of both male and female Orange tip.