White Admiral

White Admiral

Purple Hairstreak

Silver-washed Fritillary

Large Skipper

Juvenile Blackcap

A visit to West Sussex today to try and photograph a Purple Emporer did not work out as planned as I only saw one Emporer and that stayed high in the canopy. Purple Hairstreaks were numerous and one did venture down into lens range also several White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillarys were flighty but eventually let me get some pics of them. Whilst walking the rides family parties of Tits, Woodpeckers, Chiffchaffs and a particularily showy Blackcap kept me entertained.
A visit to Carters Flood late this afternoon found 30 Blackwits, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Avocet and a Marsh Harrier. Vegetation infront of the hide has now made viewing the flood from very difficult. The scrape in the Panell Valley has now virtually dried up though the the small pool left did hold 6 Avocets (3 flightless juveniles), 2 Green Sandpipers and an LRP.

More of the same

I stopped at Cockles Bridge on the way to the ARC to watch a Marsh Harrier hunting. Whilst there a Corn Bunting was singing and Red legged Partridge put in an appearance also juvenile Pied Wagtail posed for the camera.

At the ARC Reed Buntings were still singing as were Reed and Sedge Warblers. One of the 2 Wood Sandpipers finally came close enough for a record shot. Still 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Dunlin and 10+ LRPs also the Goosander was still at the south end along with Lapwing and her 2 chicks.

ARC Pit

An evening visit to the Pit found 8 Blackwits, 2 Wood Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 14 LRPs, 6 RPs, 12 Oystercatchers, 100+ Lapwings, 2 Marsh Harriers, 3 Little Egrets and the usual Gulls, also at the South end the Goosander roosting on the island with Pochard and the 2 Lapwing chicks surviving another day despite attentions from the Crows.

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Summers over

At the ARC Pit this morning 2 Garganey, 2 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 10 LRPs, 10 Little Egrets, 18 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, 100+ Lapwing, 2 Marsh Harriers, large numbers of Swifts, Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins hawking high over the pit. On the way back to the car park a young Fox strolled across infront of me and disappeared over the bank.

On the sea at the point what appeared to be 100s of Swifts flying South, the only other birds of note were c.14 juvenile/1st winter Med Gulls feeding in the surf.

Late morning at Castle Water found 7 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 LRPs and 4 Marsh Harriers(2Ads + 2 Juvs) and again loads of Swifts. On the Ternery Pool still a few juvenile Med Gulls and a few Common Terns no eggs or with chicks. Sadly the water level has risen noticeably and washed out some tern nests since Saturday. Maybe just a coincidence but the new sluices have been opened to flood the land scaped part of the reserve which is made up entirely of beach.  Doh!!  

Sandpipers

This morning at the ARC from Hansen Hide 2 Wood Sandpipers, 3 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 8 LRPs and the Goosander at the south end of the pit. In an hours sea watch from the fishing boats there was a steady trickle of Gannets, Sandwich and Common Terns with a few Kittiwakes and 1 Manx Shearwater at 09.50. At The Patch 14+ Med Gulls of all ages, a few Common and Sandwich Terns. On the power staion perimeter fence a few Linnets were posing. Back at the ARC the only addition was a Garganey.

Very Dodgy Duck

On my way to visiting mum in West Sussex gave me the excuse i needed to go and see the Marbled Duck at Arlington. It was easy to find asleep on the bank infront of the farm. In the hour i was there it barely moved its head even when someone from the farm sat on the bench above the bank about 20mts away. Wild and Timid i dont think so!

Walland and Waders

  A look around Walland this morning found a family of Green Woodpeckers, still plenty of Tree Sparrows, a few Corn Buntings, 2 Yellowhammers, 2 Turtle Doves, 3 Mistle Thrushes and Several Marsh Harrier Sightings. At the ARC Pit today a Cuckoo still, 6 Little Egrets, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Curlew, 1 Dunlin, 13 LRPs, 2 Greenshank and Marsh Harrier and Sparrowhawk through.

ARC, Rye Harbour and back to the ARC.

On the pit this morning 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Blackwit, 6+ LRPs and a Cuckoo.
At Castle Water 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4+Green Sandpipers, 1 Wood Sandpiper 4 Blackwits, 1 Marsh Harrier and Whimbrel flew over. No sign of the Roseate Tern at High Tide in the Tern roost despite intense scrutiny from myself, Roger Haggar and Bob Smith but plenty of Sandwich Terns, Common Terns and a few Little Terns. At Denge Marsh the Great White dot is still present and on the pit this afternoon 3 Greenshank and another Common Sandpiper was new.

Roseate Tern

Oyk and chick.

At the ARC Pit this morning more of the same. The Goosander still at the south end with Pochard flock. From Hanson Hide Green Sandpiper, LRPs, Black-tailed Godwits, Hobby and Marsh Harrier.

Juv Redshank (Not Wood Sand)

Late morning at Rye Harbour on the Ternery Pool things are quieting down with only small numbers of Oystercatchers, Common Terns and Black-headed and Meditterranean Gulls left. From Denny hide I found a Roseate Tern (Scope views only), but the Terns on the Quarry are frequently disturbed by a marauding Kestrel so no sooner do you locate the Roseate it is disturbed. The Kestrel made four passes in the 90 mins i was and was chased off  unsuccessful each time. A Juv Redshank was feeding infront the hide.

Castle Water is looking excellent for wader migration with lots of islands viewable from the hide. This afternoon there was 5 Green Sandpipers, 5 Black-tailed godwits, 6 LRPs (4Juvs), 2 Dunlin and a Wood Sandpiper. From the viewpoint a pair of Marsh Harriers gave a fine display.

What the Hell has happened at Stodmarsh!!!

As you leave the car park walking to the Lampen Wall the stench of rotting fish hits you. The lake is lined with thousands of dead fish of all sorts and sizes including Eels that can tolerate poor conditions and hundreds of large Carp that were probably 20+ years old. In the 2 hours i was there i did not see a single Damselfly and only 1 Dragonfly, I hope this catastrophe does not spread to Grove Ferry. The Night Heron was showing distantly and appeared to be either catching small fish or cosuming the dead ones. 

At the ARC Pit late this afternoon from Hanson Hide there was 14 LRPs, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Ringed Plovers, 6 Black-tailed Godwitsand a Greenshank. |At the southern end the Goosander was with masses of loafing Pochard and 2 more LRPs. On Burrowes Pit the 1st summer Little Gull, 2 more LRPs and a Knot.