20/07/2025

 

The young Avocets at the ARC weren't enjoying the rain and were trying to shelter under mum but she was not letting them.

The last 2 mornings I have been hoping in vain that the rain would drop migrants onto the peninsula, maybe tomorrow which seems to be something I say to myself everyday. There has been a Wood Sandpiper at Firth along with a Greenshank, Little Ringed Plovers and a couple of Whimbrel, which are probably the same birds seen at the ARC. 

Fed up Avocet chicks

The rain didn't bother the Garganey

The single Wigeon at the ARC was not bothered by the rain

Little Ringed Plovers at Firth

Common Scoters passing the fishing boats this afternoon

At the fishing boats this afternoon 52 Common Scoter flew West, also my first Balearic Shearwater of the season with a few Common and Sandwich Tern, while a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull also put in an appearance. This morning Jacob also saw 2 Manx Shearwaters.

My first Gem of the year

My first and probably only Lunar Thorn of the year, not annual in my trap

18/07/2025

Despite the last 2 days being very warm there has been no sea watching due to the fog that has persisted most of each day.

Wood Sandpiper at the ARC yesterday

1 of 3 Wood Sandpipers over the ARC yesterday

This morning a Wood Sandpiper was on Burrowes from Firth along with a Greenshank, Redshank, Little Ringed Plovers a Ringed Plover and a flyover Whimbrel. Apart from the few Common Terns nesting on the island at Dengemarsh the reserve was very quiet avian wise, but there are plenty of insects and plants to see and identify. Hopefully tonights rain will drop some waders on the ARC and Burrowes and passerines in the bushes.🤞

On the bright side there is one less Mink on the reserve as this one was a road casualty on the visitor entrance track this morning.

A nice flyby Great White Egret from Hanson this afternoon

Great White Egret roosting on the ARC this afternoon

Mum and Dad Avocet escorting a Great White Egret away from there chicks

The 2 Avocet chicks

Avocet

Juvenile Common Tern at Dengemarsh

Jersey Tigers have just started appearing in my trap

Gysonoma aceriana a relatively common micro in my trap

16/07/2025

Newly fledged Chiffchaff at the ARC

Avocet with one of the fast growing chicks at the ARC

Eclipse drake Garganey at the ARC

A trickle of returning migrant waders with a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks, 10+ Common Sandpipers, 6+ Little Ringed Plovers and a Ruff around the reserve. The bushes and sea remain very quiet, but I'm sure migration will pick up in the next couple of weeks.

An overload of juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at the fishing boats. to be fair there is not much else there to look at yet.

Clavigesta pudeyi (Pine Leaf Mining Moth) not a particularly scarce species but quite atractive.

14/07/2025

Not sure what this angler was thinking, perhaps he could cast a couple of extra feet.

Just as well the angler was in front the sea watch hide this morning as he provided me with some source of entertainment to pass away a fruitless hour. A handful each of Gannet, Kittiwake, Mediterranean Gull, Sandwich and Common Tern loitering off shore with a Grey Seal and at least 2 Harbour Porpoises.

One of several Common Lizards on the Willow Trail Boardwalk this morning

2 Garganey from Hanson this morning, also the 2 Avocet chicks still surviving, 5 Common Sandpipers, a Ruff and 4 Little Ringed Plovers among the many loafing eclipse duck present.

A Greenshank from Firth Lookout

1 of 4 young Little Ringed Plovers at the Firth Lookout this morning

Sandwich Terns from the fishing boats this afternoon, apart from 3 Mediterranean Gulls and a Common Tern there was little else of note, until the juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls showed up. 

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull with a Bass

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull about to devour its prize

                      Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull with a Great Black-backed thief behind it

In the battle for the Bass there was only ever going to be one winner, the Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was very quickly beaten by the Great Black-backed Gull.

A second Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull arrives

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull 

13/07/2025

A scruffy Chiffchaff

It is still very quiet around the peninsula, the numbers of young birds in the bushes seems to be very low, also young birds around the lakes are few. There are 2 Avocet chicks left alive on the ARC, where it appears all the Ringed Plover nests failed/predated along with the Black-headed Gulls, the Red-crested Pochard is holding on to her 1 remaining duckling, the Tufted Duck family has been decimated from 7 down to 2 ducklings. Earlier in the spring the Lapwings produced double figure numbers of chicks but I dont believe any managed to fledge due to weather/predation, Mink are being seen almost daily and the peninsula is overrun with Foxes. The only success breeding wise seems to have been with Egyptian, Greylag and Canada Geese, hopefully the breeding season was a success elsewhere as we look forward to returning waders, seabirds and migrant passerines.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth nectaring on Sweet Peas in my garden this morning

 A Plain Pug infrequent in my trap

My 20th Sussex Emerald this year, an amazingly good year for them