RXwildlife Sightings

There was a flock of 8 Snow Buntings today at Camber, just on the seaward side of the dunes along the main path from the large car park.

On the sand dunes at Camber there is an extensive growth of Sea Buckthorn. This year seems to be a bumper crop of the bright orange berries, which will be food for some of our winter thrushes. BUT before they eat them all try eating some… they are a bit sharp and rich in vitamin C. It is thought that it was introduced to Camber to help stabilise the sand, but it has invaded many areas and shaded out much of the other sand dune flora. Some control has been carried out with the consent of English Nature.

Sea Buckthorn berries at Camber

A spider recording trip to Camber Sands by Tony Russell-Smith and Emilie Touze last Saturday produced some interesting records the most significant being the newly discovered species Megalepthyphantes sp. n., which is in the linyphid (money spider) family.

‘The most exciting thing here is the Megalepthyphantes sp. n. This is a first record for Sussex and the first time the species has been found away from a short stretch of coast on the N. Kent coast together with some woodland sites in the immediate hinterland. It is also the first time it has been found on sand dunes. It was also good to see such typical dune species as Agroeca cuprea, Philodromus fallax and Ceratinopsis romana.’

excerpt from Tony’s email.

Early this afternoon there was a 1st winter Glaucous Gull on
the lake at Pound Field Farm, Camber. TQ955192
Gordon Jarvis

I was interested to see Cliff Dean’s image of a hybrid Canada Goose X Greylag Goose? at Pett Level on 26th February. I also saw and photographed this bird at Scotney Pit on 12th January 2005.
David Walker

Of interest, Charles Trollope brought to me the remains of a recently dead Great Skua which he had just found on Rye Golf Course.
David Walker

The Lesser Scaup was present this morning.

While I was sat in the hide at Castle Water this evening I could see 200+ Golden Plover and many hundreds of Lapwing to the east of the Rother.

White-fronted Goose - 29
Barnacle Goose - 30
Snow Goose - 4 (1 white & 3 blue phase birds)
Lesser Scaup - drake still present
Scaup - pair at the Kent end of the pit
Smew - 1 redhead
Hen Harrier - 1 ringtail
Avocet - 2
report by Paul James

The Lesser Scaup was still at Scotney Gravel Pit on 19th.