RXwildlife Sightings

Yesterday saw the arrival of our first wheatear of the year (in the Denge Marsh gully). A male black redstart was also seen there and a female was in the car park this morning. Single sand martins were seen over Burrowes pit and the ARC pit yesterday, a garganey was on Denge Marsh and an avocet was on New Excavations. Water pipit and rock pipit were also seen at Denge Marsh and a grey wagtail flew over. Also of note were three Slavonian and three black-necked grebes, a merlin and a barn owl.

There was a decent movement of brent geese early morning past Hastings & St. Leonards with 750 moving east between 6am and 8.30am. Also a marsh harrier, 2 red-breasted merganser, 2 wigeon and 2 teal were seen flying east.

The warmer weather is making a few hours in the garden more interesting with the appearance of adult insects which have successfully hibernated through the winter. Yesterday around mid day 3 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Red Admiral, Small Tortoishell and the hoverfly Eristalis tenax (Drone fly) which is a superb bee mimic were all found.

Eristalis tenax (Drone Fly)

A fine calm early morning on the Beach Reserve highlights included 3 Sand Martin in flight over the low water sand, 18 Sandwich Tern roosting along the shore, small groups of Brent Geese totaling 118 were heading east offshore, a flock of around 180 Knot also headed east after landing for a while on the shore. On Flat Beach 87 Golden Plover were roosting and 10 Avocet, a Green Sandpiper and a Wheatear were present on Harbour Farm. At Watch Cottage there were 2 Firecrests .

Knot on the shore

45 species aroud this Woodland Trust reserve today, including all 3 woodpeckers, Buzzard, Woodcock, Skylark, Marsh Tit & Firecrest.
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Highlights today included 400+ Black-headed Gull, 53 Mediterranean Gull and 17 Sandwich Tern at Ternery Pool, four Goldeneye (one drake) on Harbour Farm (the pools near the barns) and 40 Golden Plover and a Brent Goose on Flat Beach Level. In addition, a Chiffchaff was singing in the scrub next to Castle Water Hide mid-afternoon.

Black-headed Gull at Ternery Pool this morning

I’m used to watching territorial disputes between blackbird and robin.  What I have not witnessed before if the level of ferocity that starling can indulge in, until today.  Somewhat annoyingly a pair of these birds have been showing interest in nesting in the outlet vent from one of our extractor fans, and as the fight took place directly below this I assume it involved one of these birds.

A pair of birds were observed locked together by one of their feet, attempting to peck around the head, and particularly the beak of their rival, perilously close to the eyes, though at times they attacked other parts of the body.

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One of the advantages of being a newt is the potential to regenerate severed limbs, something that frogs and toads are unable to do.  One of the disadvantages of being a newt is that your fellow newts have the propensity to bite off bits of your limbs if they get too close!

I found this beautifully marked, and otherwise very healthy looking male smooth newt in my pond yesterday.  The toes on the left hind foot were noticeably smaller than normal.  Was this animal a victim of toe nibbling, or was it suffering from some sort of infection?

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Well, I’m sure it’s not the first butterfly of 2010 to be seen locally, but it’s my first (very late) and I don’t remember any recent butterfly photos on this forum. This was one of 4 Small Tortoiseshells I found today – a mating pair by Playden Church, and then two chasing each other (including this one) on the sunny slopes below Rye Cemetery. With more sunshine this week I expect many more will be reported.

This 15cm long fish was found dead this morning on the tide line near the Mary Stanford Lifeboat House. It appears to be a Common Dragonet Callionymus lyra, which lives a life on the sandy sea bed trying to remain hidden and ambush prey – its eyes and gill openings are both on top of the head.

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