RXwildlife Sightings

RSPB Dungeness sightings

Christine Hawkins — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:23:05 +0000

Tues 31st: Black tern, spotted flycatcher, pied flycatcher and raven.

Weds 1st: Red-crested pochard, black-necked grebe, bittern, great white egret, hobby, wryneck, redstart, whinchat, wheatear.

The wryneck was found feeding at the edge of the Lydd footpath behind Hooker’s pits yesterday morning. It is still present today but has moved to the scrubby area near Denge Marsh hide.

Rye Harbour Sightings

Chris Bentley — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:11:38 +0000

Highlights this morning included a Wood Sandpiper, two Common Sandpiper and Bearded Tit at Castle Water, Greenshank on the Quarry and Spotted Redshank on the pools next to Lime Kiln Cottage. In addition a juvenile Arctic Tern was feeding among the Common Terns on Long Pit and at least 50 Yellow Wagtail were foraging along the fence line near the old life-boat house.

Rye Harbour Sightings

Chris Bentley — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:14:06 +0000

Plenty of passerine activity on the Beach Reserve and Harbour Farm today, with around 100 Yellow Wagtail foraging along the beach road, several Wheatear near the river mouth, about 100 Sand Martin feeding over the pits and pools, and at least three Whinchat along the fence near Harbour Farm Barns. In addition, the Quarry held a Greenshank, three Knot and a Little Egret while a Green Sandpiper, a Snipe and two Grey Partridge were seen from the Crittall Hide (Ternery Pool)

Rye Harbour Moths

Chris Bentley — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:29:10 +0000

There seems to have been quite a bit of migrant activity over the last few days, with several species of immigrant turning up in my moth trap. The majority of these seem to be the (largish) micro Rush Veneer, with quite a few White-point (which probably also breeds on this part of the south coast), Dark Sword-grass and Silver Y. Highlight however was the attractive micro Marbled Yellow Pearl (Evergestis extimalis) another scarce resident more usually found as a migrant in southern Britain.

Marbled Yellow Pearl

Beach Reserve

Sam Smith — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 06:49:33 +0000

The tides are just right now for catching the roosting Curlew on the shingle ridges of West Beach before they disperse at dawn, 380 left this morning, a few Whimbrel were also present. Late news from saturday afternoon was an Osprey flying over Flat Beach and then the shore heading west.

Bixley Wood

Sam Smith — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 06:25:52 +0000

A peacefull and enjoyable visit to Bixley Wood yesterday provided a great selection of hoverflies, I found 24 species along the pathways and woodland clearings, several were new to me but one that stood out was Eriozona syrphoides. Information available on this large bumblebee mimic is several years old and a rather tedious trawl through the web found nothing new. It was first reported from Snowdonia in 1968 and recent records are spread acrosss northern and western Britain, I can’t find any reference to records in East Sussex? I can’t believe that such a big and distinctive hoverfly has gone unnoticed. Anyway, additional highlights were provided by Sericomyia silentis, Ferdinandea cuprea and Baccha elongata. Sadly it was a bad day for taking pictures, the best of the bunch are below.

Large bumblebee mimic Eriozona syrphoides

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White-rumped Sandpiper

Pat Bonham — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:00:06 +0000

Although rather distant, a small sandpiper with a short straight bill and a white rump was seen by Bob Greenhalf, Mary B. and me this morning near the hide at Castle Water. Definitely not a Curlew Sand, even less Green or Wood. We lost it after a few minutes but it could still be about, so worth looking out for.

SPA and Ramsar

Barry Yates — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:13:25 +0000

Natural England is holding a pre-consultation on the Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay proposal to extend the Dungeness to Pett Level Special Protection Area and to designate a new Ramsar Site. Click here for more information.

Castle Water

Sam Smith — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 06:36:17 +0000

Highlights from the main pit at day break included 91 Little Egret leaving the roost, Wood Sandpiper, 7 Greenshank, 8 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper and 15 Snipe. From the viewpoint Bearded Tit, Kingfisher, calling Cetti’s, lesser Whitethroat and a single Turtle Dove.

Beach Reserve

Sam Smith — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:23:23 +0000

Highlight this morning at first light was an impressive 26 Black Terns split between Ternery Pool and the Quarry, the group of birds also gave great views in flight over the low water sand heading towards the River Mouth, additional interest was provided by 5 Little Tern (2 immatures) and 8 Black-tailed Godwit.