There is a book fair this Saturday at Rye College (formerly Thomas Peacocke School – TN31 7NQ) from 10am-4pm. 32 dealers in books on all subjects including ornithology and Natural History. One dealer is selling around seventy New Naturalist titles at 50% discount. Admission £1 all ticket proceeds to the school library. Cafe on site. Bookbinders will advise you on repair to those old treasured books. Ample parking.
There have been considerable improvements in the sea defences at Pett Level and this has enabled a rapid increase in development behind the sea wall – even with the predictions of sea level rise. The black and white photo is thought to date from 1940s and shows the caravan site and the small railway on top of the box groyne that was used to bring shingle back from Rye Harbour, an activity that continues today with the shingle lorries during the winter.
To mark THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARY STANFORD LIFEBOAT DISASTER there will be an Illustrated Talk by Geoff Hutchinson in ST THOMAS’S CHURCH, WINCHELSEA – SATURDAY, 15TH NOVEMBER 2008 at 7.00 pm – TICKET PRICE £10 ALL PROCEEDS TO THE LIFEBOAT HOUSE RESTORATION FUND.
Today a vivid rainbow drew me over to Camber Castle where the resident Jackdaws were “playing” in the gusty winds around the central tower and 3 Black Redstarts were sheltering from the frequent showers.
The Green Heron (and a few birdwatchers) featured in last night’s local BBC news.
Click here to watch video.
Pelvetia canaliculata is a seaweed that grows on hard substrates on very sheltered to moderately exposed upper shores. Here it is growing on old wooden groynes near the mouth of the river Rother. It’s very tolerant of drying out and can survive for up to eight days out of water. Some of this seaweed spends up to 90 per cent of the time out of water.
The highlight of the day was a first-winter Red-breasted Flycatcher which spent most of the day around the Old Lighthouse or railway station (having been reported by the pagers the previous night) and frequently giving excellent views.
Click for larger image
There was a handful of other grounded migrants including a Woodcock, 22 Blackbirds, two Dartford Warblers, two Blackcaps, four Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest and 20 Goldcrests. There was also a steady trickle of birds overhead during the morning which included a Marsh Harrier, two Rock Pipits, five Tree Sparrows, 95 Chaffinches, eight Bramblings, 30 Siskins and 65 Redpolls.
David Walker from DBO website
The Rare Bird Alert has news of an extreme rarity in the RX area.
GREEN HERON still 8.20am 2mls west of Hythe at West Hythe on Royal Military Canal near dam (probably for 4th day). From West Hythe Royal Military Canal picnic site car park walk c.400yds to canal dam.
Catocala fraxini is a large moth and sometimes referred to as the ‘Blue Underwing’. Once a scarce resident in Kent and Norfolk, it is now a rare immigrant to the south-east coast of Britain, with usually less than 10 records a year. This very worn and faded individual was found in a Robinson trap at Icklesham on the morning of the 17th October, one of only a handful of more common moths trapped that night. Wingspan 75 mm.
Alan Martin by e-mail
During the last couple of sunny days there has been a steady stream of Red Admirals flying westward into the gentle breeze. I didn’t count, but it seemed that individuals were flying past me about every ten minutes.
Wild Hastings
wildRye
Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve Biodiversity Hastings Moths