Last night’s Shoresearch at Pett Level found many species, but for me the 2 highlights were - the 2 male Shanny in “breeding plumage” under a rock with no water (nearly black with white lips) and Read the rest of this entry »
It may have been one of the lowest low tides for the next 5 years, but the east wind made it oh so cold! In a short walk to the sea at Pett Level a small sea urchin test (Psammechinus miliaris?) and brittlestars (Ophiura albida) were found - below.
This part of the country had its greatest snow fall of the winter (about 15cm) and blizzard conditions were experienced through the morning. At Pett Pools there was a large flock of Wigeon forced close to the road where the snow had blown off the grass.
…there are still lots of birds at Pett Level, brilliantly lit by the low midwinter sun. Apart from the remaining Lapwings and Curlews, there are dozens of Grey and Golden Plovers and hundreds of Dunlin at the eastern end of the level, just before the cafe.
In contrast to the summer, water levels at the Pools are now very high, bringing a variety of duck close to the road. Terrific views can be had of Mallard, Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, Shelduck and Gadwall. From this close range the subtle barring of the latter can be appreciated, showing it to be so much more beautiful than the dull grey duck it looks in the field guides.
As dusk approaches, Pied Wagtails and Fieldfares converge on the reedbeds, where they roost to a primeval chorus of Water Rails and Cetti’s Warblers.
No sign of White-fronts though, unless I missed them, and no birds at all on the sea.
drake Gadwall
The recent storms have boken off slabs of moorlog,which now lie scattered along Pett beach. They originate from about 5000 years ago when the sea level was lower and forest extended into what is now Rye Bay. The returning salt water killed then pickled the forest, fallen onto its bed of blue clay, blanketing it with silt.
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Another day of bright blue sky and a chill in the air, migrant birds calling overhead, mostly invisible.
Heading north-east along the coasts old and new: Goldfinch, Siskin, lesser Redpoll, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit and a flock of 13 Crossbills while I was still at the back of the marsh.
Heading south-west: Woodpigeons (but not many), a flock of 6 Bullfinches high over the seawall, a Brambling and a Snow Bunting.
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Calls of Goldfinch, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Pied Wagtail coming from flocks blown along north-east; Swallows, House Martins and Starlings flying south into the wind. Read the rest of this entry »
I started bird watching while I was driving along the road towards Pett Pools, just before it got light, with a Barn Owl hunting along the road side, with the owl also hunting over the road side pool before flying off towards Carters. Its good to say that there is still water in the pools, with mainly ducks taking advantage of the water level with Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard and Shelduck on the pools. The only waders on the pools were 1Green Sand, 8 Dunlin 9 Redshank, 80 Lapwing with about 200 Curlew scattered over the marsh. There was at least 3 Cettis Wablers calling at the pools, and two more between the Toot Rock bridge and the bridge leading to Carters Flood. There was not much on Carters at all, but there was a roost of 6 Little Egrets on the branches of a dead tree just east of Carters on the old sea cliffs. Raptors seen were Kestrel, Buzzard cream head Marsh Harrier. Good bird watching Pete.
Today there was a Temminck’s Stint at the roadside Pool at Pett Level. In the photo note the slightly downcurved bill and clear bib - it should have pale legs, but the pool is very muddy!
Photo by e-mail from Neville Richardson.
Walking along the sea wall at Pett I caught site of a jet black bumblebee foraging on knapweed. It was either something good, or very good so soon it was inside my butterfly net so I could examine it more closely. Totally black bumblebees in Britain are likely to be one of two species. The really exciting one is a melanic form of the large garden bumblebee Bombus ruderatus. This is one of several species that are currently extinct on Romney Marsh, and it is listed on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. This bee became so rare in Britain that some bumblebee experts even doubted it existed, believing it to be a form of the very similar small garden bumblebee Bombus hortorum. It was then discovered in the Ouse Washes, and with the advent of the Entry Level Scheme, where farmers are paid to plant clover plots as a source of pollen and nectar, it is currently on the increase in Britain, and DNA studies have confirmed it to be a genuinely separate species.
Field Cuckoo Bumblebee
It has not yet found it’s way back to Romney Marsh and Rye Bay, however. B. ruderatus has a very long narrow face, whereas this bee had a short more rounded face, making it the other species that has a melanic form in Britain, the field cuckoo bumblebee Bombus (formerly Psithyrus) campestris. Read the rest of this entry »
