Sussex Nature Notes

First Task Of The Year

2012-01-14T18:10:00.000Z

A very cold start to the morning and our first frost of the year, considering how mild it's been recently - a bit of a shock, so wrapped up warm in layers.

I've changed our FoTT tasks around this quarter, so we only have one task a month. Hopefully we can divide the volunteers and still get two tasks done in one weekend. A gentler litter pick and a scrub clearance task.

Today we were meeting at the Bevendean entrance for both tasks, as we'd decided to clear the path along the west side of the Tye.

A lovely sunny morning, so not too unpleasant. Two of us set about clearing the path, which was relatively easy as it's not too overgrown at this time of year and with any luck it means that we'll have less to do later in the year.

Many thanks to the resident who came out with orange juice to revive us part way through. Yes, even in the cold, it's thirsty work.

The litter pickers managed to pick 12 bags of rubbish from along the coast road and on the lower part of the Tye itself. Still notable is the amount of dog poo bags being fished out of the undergrowth. We've even had more bins placed around the Tye, so it would be much appreciated if these could be used! It's not very pleasant for us, when out litter picking, even worse when strimming paths and around the gates or for anyone else, avoiding the large quantity of dog mess all over the Tye.

Frozen Planet 'Faked' Polar Bear Sequence

2011-12-13T19:47:00.000Z

There's been a lot of uproar in the press about the BBC 'faking' certain sections of their latest, fantastic series Frozen Planet.

I for one don't care a jot and it doesn't make any difference to me that the sequence of polar bear cubs being born was filmed in a zoo!

In fact I'd have been more concerned if it HAD been filmed in the wild. The intrusion and disturbance to wild animals in their natural environment should be minimal when filming these amazing programmes. The whole research team is obviously well aware of this in the way these programmes have been so painstakingly produced.

The naivety of some people to think that everything they see is filmed 'exactly as it is' in the wild. I'm already aware, as I was curious enough to find out how on earth they'd been able to film some of the sequences for both this and other programmes, that many of the sequences are shot in the 'lab' or studio.

It's done nothing to detract from an amazing series and I certainly don't feel I was in anyway mislead or that the series should be dismissed as 'fake' or that it's some major scandal. I also would have felt it was more of an intrusion to have had some disclaimer put up on screen or the flow of the narrative broken by an explanation of how the sequence was filmed.

After all - we're not up in arms at the airbrushing presented to us every day in magazines and adverts and we certainly don't object to all the CGI that is presented on the big screen.

Well done BBC and well done to all the Frozen Planet team for a fantastic series.

Image via Wikipedia

Shore-watching From Telscombe Cliffs

2011-11-08T09:15:00.000Z

Inspired by a certain Urban Birder's new Book, I headed down to the seafront for a good look at what was down there - rather than a cursory glance or distant views that I usually get when out for a run along the undercliff on Telscombe seafront.

The tide was on it's way out, so most of the birds were along the shoreline but I was delighted to see curlew feeding in amongst the gulls. The first one having a bath in one of the rockpools and then two chasing each other and a few minutes later a fourth flew past. I kept seeing them all along the shore as they either poked about in the weed or flew past, so not sure if it was the same four or if there were more of them.

Plenty of oystercatcher around in quite large numbers 10-12 at a time and I'm fairly certain those weren't the same group I saw each time, so there were at least 30 of them. Also at least 3 little egret and a few cormorant - mostly offshore and further along with wings outstretched in with a flock of gulls.

Now I'm just about OK with the more common species of gull but I could probably have spotted most of the species in the book when you start looking at the different ages, plumage, shapes and sizes. I did pick out - plenty of herring gull, lesser black backed gull and black headed gulls. My scope would have been useful for making sure there weren't any rarities or passing migrants in their midst and to improve my identification skills.

I did spot three completely black 'ducks' out on the water about 100m offshore. They just seemed to bob about not doing much and I couldn't make out what they were (needed that scope!) When I saw them again from up on the clifftop, they were still in much the same place. I saw one dive and thought I saw a paler underbelly when one of them had a stretch and a flap. I'm thinking common scoter - they do migrate around the coast in the winter and it's about the only bird I can think it could be (answers on a postcard).

I was just wondering if the peregrine was about when a bird of prey appeared over the cliff, quite far off to the west and being mobbed by a crow. It circled up over the sea until I lost sight of it without being able to make a positive id.

In the other direction I caught sight of a kestrel skimming along the clifftop before settling to preen on a clump of vegetation. In the same area a small flock of birds were making brief appearances on the edge of the clifftop - too far away to identify them from down on the undercliff. When I got back up to the top they turned out to be a few linnet in with flocks of starlings and a few house sparrows, feeding on the ground and washing in puddles, flying up to the rooftops every time a dog walker passed by. I was trying not to be too obvious while looking at people's roofs and gardens through my binoculars.

The seafront is just one of my local patches and next time I'll take my scope - who knows what I might be missing.

The Urban Birder - David Lindo

2011-10-11T17:59:00.000+01:00

I finally picked up a copy of David Lindo's book The Urban Birder from the man himself when we met up at the London Wetlands Centre.

It's an excellent little book and an inspiring and easy read that tells David's story from his early days as a young and enthusiastic wildlife observer, keen to learn more and soak up every little bit of information he could find, to where he is today, still following his passion.

His enthusiasm for birds and nature simply bounces off the page and there's laughter and a smile on every one as he relates his early adventures pursuing his hobby and gaining a huge wealth of knowledge. No wonder he knows so much about birds (urban and otherwise) when he's been studying them for years and taking detailed notes along the way.

However, the important message is that you can see birds and wildlife in any situation and even the most unassuming, barren and apparently desolate, urban environments can be just as rich a source as some of the birding hotspots.

You don't need huge amounts of expensive equipment and you don't have to travel miles to see a rarity. They can and do turn up in urban gardens, parks and open spaces - you just need a little patience and as David is fond of saying to 'look up'.

Take a leaf out of his book - grab your binoculars, get out there, get to know your local patch and you never know what might turn up.

Follow David at @urbanbirder

London Wetland Centre

2011-10-09T22:10:00.000+01:00

Finally, my first visit to the London Wetland Centre and what a treat. Set on the edge of the urban sprawl of London, beside the Thames, surrounded by tower blocks and with an almost constant sound of traffic and planes on their way in or out of Heathrow, this is a surprising oasis of wildlife.

Main Lake from Dulverton Hide

My first sighting on the short walk from the station to the centre, was a small flock of the infamous ring-necked parakeets flying noisily in the trees around the nearby playing fields. I know these aren't a rarity in London parks these days but they're still a novelty for us out-of-towners.

After a cup of tea and a quick bite to eat (it was an early start out of Brighton), while wondering to head first, I decided to follow the obvious birders (clue = green jackets and scopes) out to the Peacock Tower which, with three levels, has great views over the whole of the reserve. Now I thought the lot at Pulborough were a noisy rabble, chatting away exchanging news, views and sightings, but there were treble the number in the hide and even more chat going on!

Wader scrape and peregrine tower (left)

Over on the hospital building (left most building in the photo) were a pair of peregrine. One quite happily perched on the roof and the larger female, slightly lower down on the darker, windowless level.

Apparently their favourite spot and they're seen there quite often. It's worth noting that the hides have shelves under the windows, so a shelf clamp for the scope is more useful here than a tripod.

On the lake were plenty of wigeon, teal, shoveler and gadwall and at least nine heron. Several little grebe and a few tufted duck on the far side of the main lake (always nice to see) and out on the grazing marsh a wheatear popped up every now and then and a pair of stonechat did much the same, once they'd been tracked down.

My favourite bird, a snipe was spotted in the wader scrape - the locals know exactly where to find things, so it was just a matter of keeping eyes and ears open and asking if you're not sure.

OK my photo isn't going to win any awards but I'm new to digiscoping and it was hidden away in the bottom of the reeds.

A few swallow were still flying around over the water. It's still pretty warm for early October.

Green roof on one of the hides

The centre is surprisingly large and well laid out considering it's location and is more open than Arundel.

There's a lovely sustainable garden with some very creative bug hotels - unfortunately I didn't get a photo of them - you'll have to make do with the WWT video of their 'creature towers'.

The World wetlands area with their pens of exotic birds from around the world, are on the other side of the Visitor's Centre, so separated from the 'wilder' areas. I didn't make it up the Wildside and reedbeds areas this time, as I met up with David Lindo and then attended his talk in the afternoon.

Having purchased his excellent new book "The Urban Birder" - I headed off back home via the packed, standing room only, Sunday bus service to Clapham Junction and then connected with the train back to Brighton - chuckling away while reading David's book. Not a bad excursion for a day out

Waders At Pulborough Brooks

2011-08-21T21:34:00.001+01:00

Little Stint

Lovely day for waders out at RSPB Pulborough Brooks. Many people had turned up to see the Temmincks and Little Stints, which had put in an appearance for those patient enough to wait and search them out on the far pool on the North Brooks.

Even with a scope they were little more than specks in the distance which were impossible to see unless they moved and distinguished themselves from the similarly coloured lumps of mud.

At one point both were next to a Little Ringed Plover which helped show the comparative size - tiny!

There were enough experts out spotting, to explain the differences between all the waders - which was just as well as they're not easy - variations in plumage, light, age, juveniles and adults make it difficult for the less expert. It always helps to have a knowledgeable expert around to help with identification.

It was also a busy day for visitors, including small family groups, who were equally keen to see the birds out on the Brooks and welcomed a chance to see them through the scopes. I usually have a spare pair of binoculars for those who've either forgotten theirs or come unequipped - although they can be hired from the centre and are essential for spotting the birds further out.

Little Ringed PloverPlenty of Little Ringed Plover around and a Ringed Plover along with Greenshank, several Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper and several Ruff - I counted six but there had been or were eight.

A small group of Snipe were feeding out in the open near the fingers, which was lovely to see, as they're usually tucked away along the edges and more difficult to spot. The water levels were just about right - plenty of mud for the waders.

I walked back via Winpenny - no sign of any hobbies but did see two Redstart (a first for me at Pulborough) at what's now been named Redstart corner, between Winpenny and West Mead and got back in time for a good slab of bread pudding eaten with a cup of tea in the afternoon sunshine before heading home.

Images via Wikipedia

Restoring Our Wildflower Meadow on Telscombe Tye

2011-08-17T19:06:00.005+01:00

The Millenium Seed Bank at Wakehurst Place has created a new project to collect seed from wildflower meadows to preserve them for posterity.

Our very own John Carden from Friends of the Tye was interviewed on BBC Radio Sussex today to talk about the work that we did last year to seed Telscombe Tye with wildflowers. The feature starts around 1:00 and John is on about 1:30.

Listen again - BBC Radio Sussex - Sussex Breakfast

We'll be holding another Working Horse event on September 24th to carry on this work and plant even more seed on the Tye. Look out for further details locally and on the Friends of the Tye website.

Some of the seeds planted for:

Ox-eye daisies
Red and White Rampion
Yarrow
Self-heal
Meadow buttercup
Common vetch
Black medick
Black Knapweed

along with several grass species.

Tidying up the Pond

2011-08-14T21:23:00.001+01:00

What started out as just cutting back the flag iris, ended up as a complete two-day refurb of my half-barrel pond.

Pulled out all the plants, not that there's much in there, the iris roots were taking up much of the space and had completely outgrown their container. The water hawthorn is still hanging in there but being swamped out by the roots and the oxygenating plant. I scooped out all the sludge at the bottom which is a very fine silt along with several pebbles that have fallen in over time and grit from the plant pots.

The pond settled overnight and was lovely and clear this morning until I scooped out even more sludge and stirred it all up again. I'm sure it will slowly come back and the invertebrate wildlife will return. Much of it is now in a bucket and can be returned to 'restock' the pond if there's anything interesting swimming around.

The old iris rhizomes have been completely dug out and I've ended up with about a dozen leftover plants having replanted three of them.

I also upset the ants which had taken up residence in the plants, pebbles and under the slabs around the pond as I've completely stripped this back too. It looks a little bare at the moment. The before photo would have been a mass of iris leaves and not a lot of water showing, edged with cerastium (Snow in Summer), grass and sempervivum getting rapidly covered by the ant's nest. I've got some stonecrop growing in another part of the garden which will be ideal around the edge.

While clearing everything out, I discovered a frog and one large gold, well - black and gold fish which, as it was gasping for air on the surface in the silty water, I transferred to my 'new' pond. It and the water hawthorn will go back once it's settled again. No sign of the frog today, although the fish has been splashing about in the new pond, whether it's trying to make a break for it or just catching insects I'm not sure. It's got surprisingly fat considering it doesn't get fed.

The 'new' pond is a large container that will just sit on the patio and get planted up with water loving plants and maybe a small fish or two. More on that later.

The Countryside Code: 5. Consider Other People

2011-07-05T11:00:00.001+01:00

A series of posts relating to the Countryside Code as published by Natural England to help us all to respect, protect and enjoy our countryside.

Consider other people

Showing consideration and respect for other people makes the countryside a pleasant environment for everyone - at home, at work and at leisure.

Busy traffic on small country roads can be unpleasant and dangerous to local people, visitors and wildlife - so slow down and, where possible, leave your vehicle at home, consider sharing lifts and use alternatives such as public transport or cycling. For public transport information, visit the Traveline website .
Respect the needs of local people - for example, don't block gateways, driveways or other entry points with your vehicle.
Keep out of the way when farm animals are being gathered or moved and follow directions from the farmer.
When riding a bike or driving a vehicle, slow down for horses, walkers and livestock and give them plenty of room. By law, cyclists must give way to walkers and horse-riders on bridleways.
Support the rural economy - for example, buy your supplies from local shops.

The Countryside Code: 4. Keep Dogs Under Close Control

2011-06-28T11:00:00.001+01:00

A series of posts relating to the Countryside Code as published by Natural England to help us all to respect, protect and enjoy our countryside.

Keep dogs under close control

The countryside is a great place to exercise dogs, but it’s every owner’s duty to make sure their dog is not a danger or nuisance to farm animals, wildlife or other people.

By law, you must control your dog so that it does not disturb or scare farm animals or wildlife. On most areas of open country and common land, known as 'access land' you must keep your dog on a short lead between 1 March and 31 July, and all year round near farm animals.
You do not have to put your dog on a lead on public paths, as long as it is under close control. But as a general rule, keep your dog on a lead if you cannot rely on its obedience. By law, farmers are entitled to destroy a dog that injures or worries their animals.
If a farm animal chases you and your dog, it is safer to let your dog off the lead – don’t risk getting hurt by trying to protect it.
Take particular care that your dog doesn’t scare sheep and lambs or wander where it might disturb birds that nest on the ground and other wildlife – eggs and young will soon die without protection from their parents.
Everyone knows how unpleasant dog mess is and it can cause infections – so always clean up after your dog and get rid of the mess responsibly. Also make sure your dog is wormed regularly to protect it, other animals and people.
At certain times, dogs may not be allowed on some areas of access land or may need to be kept on a lead. Please follow any signs. You can also find out more by phoning the Open Access Contact Centre on 0845 100 3298.

Taken from the Natural England - Countryside Code

RSPB Pulborough Brooks - Volunteers Summer BBQ

2011-06-22T22:35:00.005+01:00

Every year the RSPB Pulborough Brooks hosts a summer BBQ as a 'thank you' for the volunteers. The weather hadn't be great today, so I was expecting this year's event to be undercover or at least the possibility that we were going to get wet. However, arriving at the reserve the sun was out, although showers loomed on the horizon.

The BBQ was in full swing cooking up the burgers and sausages for later. We assembled and set off in three groups to survey the heathland area. Paul - one of the wardens talked us through the changes that have been made so far and the plans for it's long term development.

A number of trees have already been felled and the idea is to return it to heathland over time. Highland cattle have been grazing in the central fenced area and have done a good job of trampling the bracken and opening up areas. The black pond at the bottom of the hill is a great attraction for dragonflies, although it's dark, peaty water doesn't look very appealing.

More felling later in the year will clear areas and thin out denser woodland but leaving some specimen trees and a few dead ones for interest. There are some old oaks around the edge of the heathland, down near the pond and apparently, if you clear everything around them too quickly they can go into shock and die, so the trees will be thinned gradually.

Paul also explained their plans to introduce a series of ponds and streams running down the hill, great for more dragonflies and to channel the rain water which tends to just pour straight down the hill. Where the vehicle tracks have disturbed the soil you can already see the heather starting to come through. Give it a few years and the area will look completely different.

They've started coppicing the sweet chestnut again which will improve the area for wood larks and nightjar and you can see the difference between the two newly coppiced areas and the thicker stems in the old coppiced area.

Back to the Visitor's Centre and some us walked down to The Hanger to look out for barn owls. They've been making a regular appearance between 6-7pm on recent evenings. Inevitably with dozens of binoculars trained on the brooks this evening wasn't one of them, although it was turning in to a lovely evening.

Back for food and a brief chat with the others volunteers who were already done with eating. Many of them are regulars on the working parties, so I rarely see them except for these events. Finishing off with a few long service awards and thank-yous.

Those of us who were left and still keen, headed back out to the heathland at around 9.00pm to listen out for the nightjars. We stood at the edge of the new chestnut coppice with a view of one of the favoured singing perches and waited. Shortly after we arrived one churred close by and then stopped. A small bat (pipestrelle?) was flying past above our heads. There were a few distant churrings heard and still we waited. A couple of people could wait no more and went off home.

Finally at about 10.00pm, just after another person had dropped out - we had a great view as one flew over our heads to the perch and proceeded to churr loudly, readjusting itself and then carrying on for several minutes. A great end to the evening and worth staying for.

The Countryside Code: 3. Protect Plants And Animals And Take Your Litter Home

2011-06-21T11:00:00.002+01:00

A series of posts relating to the Countryside Code as published by Natural England to help us all to respect, protect and enjoy our countryside.

Protect plants and animals and take your litter home

We have a responsibility to protect our countryside now and for future generations, so make sure you don't harm animals, birds, plants or trees.

Litter and leftover food doesn't just spoil the beauty of the countryside, it can be dangerous to wildlife and farm animals and can spread disease - so take your litter home with you. Dropping litter and dumping rubbish are criminal offences.
Discover the beauty of the natural environment and take special care not to damage, destroy or remove features such as rocks, plants and trees. They provide homes and food for wildlife, and add to everybody's enjoyment of the countryside.
Wild animals and farm animals can behave unpredictably if you get too close, especially if they're with their young - so give them plenty of space.
Fires can be as devastating to wildlife and habitats as they are to people and property - so be careful not to drop a match or smouldering cigarette at any time of the year. Sometimes, controlled fires are used to manage vegetation, particularly on heaths and moors between October and early April, so please check that a fire is not supervised before calling 999.

The Countryside Code: 2. Leave Gates And Property As You Find Them

2011-06-14T11:00:00.001+01:00

A series of posts relating to the Countryside Code as published by Natural England to help us all to respect, protect and enjoy our countryside.

Leave gates and property as you find them

Please respect the working life of the countryside, as our actions can affect people's livelihoods, our heritage, and the safety and welfare of animals and ourselves.

A farmer will normally leave a gate closed to keep livestock in, but may sometimes leave it open so they can reach food and water. Leave gates as you find them or follow instructions on signs. If walking in a group, make sure the last person knows how to leave the gates.
If you think a sign is illegal or misleading such as a 'Private - No Entry' sign on a public footpath, contact the local authority.
In fields where crops are growing, follow the paths wherever possible.
Use gates, stiles or gaps in field boundaries when provided - climbing over walls, hedges and fences can damage them and increase the risk of farm animals escaping.
Our heritage belongs to all of us - be careful not to disturb ruins and historic sites.
Leave machinery and livestock alone - don't interfere with animals even if you think they're in distress. Try to alert the farmer instead.

BBC Springwatch

2011-06-09T21:13:00.000+01:00

If you haven't already tuned into a daily dose of Springwatch, you're missing a treat. We're in to week two and we've already watched beavers, dippers, otters, red kites, barn owl chicks, blue tits, pied flycatchers, sandpipers, oyster catchers, buzzards on the webcams and a real treat - the first osprey chicks to hatch out in Wales - three of them currently.

I really have to say a huge thank you to the team that pull together this magical TV every evening. There's a mix of live footage and recordings of what's been happening during the day, interspersed with documentary and features.

The star of the show has to be the Ynys-hir RSPB reserve, which is where they're based this year. Stunning scenery, a varied environment and great wildlife. But we also get to see other areas around the UK with a guest presenter each week. Last week it was beavers in Knapdale Forest, this week puffins and manx shearwaters on Skomer and next week a rubbish dump in Essex!

Thank you BBC and the RSPB.

Join the fun on Twitter with @BBC_Springwatch. Watch the live webcams for the other 23 hours when it's not on.

The Countryside Code: 1. Be Safe, Plan Ahead And Follow Any Signs

2011-06-07T11:00:00.002+01:00

A series of posts relating to the Countryside Code as published by Natural England to help us all to respect, protect and enjoy our countryside.

Be safe, plan ahead and follow any signs

Even when going out locally, it's best to get the latest information about where and when you can go. For example, your rights to go onto some areas of open land may be restricted while work is carried out, for safety reasons, or during breeding seasons. Follow advice and local signs, and be prepared for the unexpected.

Refer to up-to-date maps or guidebooks, for details of open access land visit the maps page on this website or contact local information centres.
You are responsible for your own safety and for others in your care, so be prepared for changes in weather and other events. Visit our countryside directory for links to organisations offering specific advice on equipment and safety, or contact visitor information centres and libraries for a list of outdoor recreation groups.
Check weather conditions before you leave, and don't be afraid to turn back.
Part of the appeal of the countryside is that you can get away from it all. You may not see anyone for hours, and there are many places without clear mobile phone signals, so let someone know where you're going and when you expect to return.
Get to know the signs and symbols used in the countryside. Visit our finding your way pages on the website for more information.
If you’re looking for ideas, explore our things to do pages.

Springwatch - Stanmer Park June 2011

2011-06-05T19:21:00.061+01:00

In contrast to yesterday, today was grey and overcast but still windy. Headed off early to Stanmer Park for this year's Springwatch.

We were all kitted out with our new SDNPA shirts (a little on the small side), although wishing I'd worn my thermals and remembered a waterproof. Luckily we had gazebo's to shelter under and fortunately lots of people had marquees, so it was relatively easy to hide from the rain, although the leaflets definitely weren't as popular as usual, especially when they were soggy. Not quite enough room for them under the awning or a gazebo with a couple of dozen volunteers and staff to shelter and the 'workshop'.

Before the rain started

It didn't seem to put too many people off - while not as packed as it might have been on a sunny day, there were still plenty of people around and a reasonably steady stream turning up at the South Downs stand to build a bug box, make badges or play with felt which had all been moved under shelter.

We even had a rota this time - although as things weren't as hectic in the bug-box building tent, it was reasonably flexible. Letting small children lose with hammer and nails is asking for trouble but they enjoy it, even if you do risk the odd blackened finger. Although I'm not sure how many of the bug boxes actually make it out into a garden.

One of the birds of prey went AWOL again - seems to be a regular occurrence and there were plenty of local produce stalls to choose from. Anyone with a bit of shelter immediately attracted a crowd.

By about 4pm most people were heading back home as the rain wasn't easing up, stall holders were packing up but the organisers had let a little power go to their heads and refused to let any vehicles on the site - 'elf and safety... of course. No sign of any common sense or executive decision making. Oh no, instead, rules is rules.

In theory we'd have to wait around for an hour until the public were officially off the site - then another hour before vehicles were 'officially' allowed back on the site. I'm surprised they actually allow pedestrians and traffic to mingle in the park at all! Good thing they weren't at Saltdean yesterday, they'd have had apoplexy! To say nothing of

Anyhow, someone with a little more common sense did make a decision and having packed everything up, we loaded most things in to the SD vehicles and took them up to the office.

Saltdean Fun Day June 2011

2011-06-04T19:36:00.003+01:00

Sunny but as ever - windy, for our day at Saltdean Fund Day with the FoTT. Blue sky, sun hats and plenty of sunscreen.

Setting up the stall doesn't take long and this time we brought along some of the tools to add to the display, especially as anything else was likely to get blown away, even though I'd tried to pin things down on our display board.

We also had a good selection of bird boxes that John Carden had brought down for us to display - along with bug boxes, butterfly boxes and a bat box.

Most of the stall holders ended up in the marquee as it was too windy for them outside. In the time until the event officially opened I had a chance to whizz round the other stalls and pick up a few vegetable plants for the garden.

Strimmer and brushcutter

Lots of people came out in to the sunshine and we had a steady stream of people to talk to. Many people have been impressed and enjoying the wild flowers on the Tye and wanted to know when the working horses would be back again.

As it proved so popular and we want to spread this year's seed even further, it looks as if it might well happen again later this year. Keep your eyes out for details once dates have been finalised.

Thanks to all the new members who signed up on the day - we'll look forward to seeing you out on some of the tasks.

If you're an ex-member, would like to become a member or want to know more - get in touch. You'll find details on our website - www.friendsoftelscombetye.co.uk.

Wild Flowers on Telscombe Tye

2011-06-03T08:42:00.003+01:00

A swathe of wild flowers has appeared on the main Telscombe Tye where the bunding used to be.

Last September the area was harrowed and reseeded with chalk grassland wildflowers and grasses. Organised by over 500 volunteers from Saltdean Residents Association and Friends of Telscombe Tye, with the assistance of horses from the Working Horse Trust.

Most visible are the ox-eye daisies, agrimony, red and white campion. Over 20 species were included in the mix and will flower through to September.

We'll be carrying out a survey on the main Tye next weekend to see just how many species have appeared on the bunding and to see what other species have started to recolonise other areas of the Tye.

If you'd like to join us or offer your own expertise and observations, contact the Friends of Telscombe Tye.

Baby Blue Tits

2011-05-28T18:52:00.002+01:00

Just watched my first brood of baby blue tits appear in the garden. Five little bundles in all - paler and much fatter than the parents who are flitting to and fro from the feeders to the bushes, where their brood are waiting to be fed.

They've all got tails and not too much of a yellow gape, so may have been out of the nest for a few days.

They came back later in the day and got even closer - to within a few feet of where I was sitting. Managed to get a few shots but take into account - they're through glass and it was blowing a gale out there!

I've got some beautifully focused twigs and leaves and occasionally a not too bad a shot of the blue-tits. Unbelievably adorable little bundles of fluff and looking well fed, getting buffeted by the wind.

Very attentive parents - both birds are feeding all five of them, making constant trips between feeders and their brood. The youngsters do occasionally fly over to the feeders but don't quite know what to do and just wait to be fed.

Spot the birdie!

They're so well fed that they're even dozing off on their perches. They were around for a good half-hour and I hope to see them back.

Dew Pond Surveys - Kingston, nr Lewes

2011-05-08T22:47:00.070+01:00

Something a little different for today's task and my first pond survey. A slow start to the day but we finally made it to a new (two years old) dew pond in Kingston at the foot of the South Downs.

Out with the kit and on with the waders. Surveying the fauna and flora in and around the pond. It hasn't been planted but there are already a few plants appearing around the edge of the pond. Newts popped up to the surface every now and then but were too quick for us to catch them. There were a few swallows skimming around.

Plenty of pond creatures appeared in the nets but the most exciting discovery was the broad bodied chasers that were hatching out all around the pond. It had rained the previous night and they must have crawled out into the grass at the edge of the pond and then started to hatch during the morning.

We found one at first, which caused great excitement as we scoured the book trying to identify it, distracting us from doing much else as it repeatedly had it's photo taken. The more we looked the more we found - counting around 20 in all, all at a similar distance from the waters edge.

There was a clue in that there were three male broad bodied chasers flying around the pond. Being freshly hatched the colour was pale and developing all the time, which added to the confusion. After an hour or so we finally settled on the broad-bodied and also worked out the males and females - most of them seemed to be males. As you watched the colour developed in the body and wings, eventually showing up the distinctive yellow dots along the sides.

After a couple of hours they started to fly off in fairly quick succession. Up and over the trees. There were more nymphs in the pond, so no doubt the same thing will happen over the next few days. It was mildly amusing watching them devour the smaller creatures in the trays as we tried to identify beetles and other larvae.

Having finished surveying this pond, we drove up the hill to look at the other three on the top of the Downs. One was completely dry, possibly due to a cracked pipe, which needs some investigation and repair to see if it can at least hold some water. It's been fenced to keep cattle and dogs out but does have a gate. Much of the gorse which was cleared a couple of years ago has started to come back.

The other two had water in but less wildlife - although we were running out of time to survey them both. Plenty of weed and snails in one and a duck in the other. Rabbits, pipits, whitethroat and passing goldfinches.

A lovely gentle day with great views across the downs.

Plant Survey on Telscombe Tye

2011-05-07T20:02:00.001+01:00

Earlier than last year but an opportunity to perhaps pick out a few different species. We were surveying two of the quadrants on the e-Piece. We couldn't find the third peg as despite clearing the undergrowth last year it had disappeared again.

Too early for some species but there were plenty of cowslips on the slope and one or two orchids in each quadrat. Not in flower yet, perhaps we'll check later in the month to see which they actually are, by which time the scabious will also be out.

Plenty of birdsong around - we heard a cuckoo as we walked down the path and both green and spotted woodpeckers were around. I also spotted a blackcap singing below us.

RSPB Pulborough Nightingale Festival 2011

2011-05-02T09:34:00.021+01:00

A glorious evening to be out listening to nightingales. Arrived at the centre just as people were starting to gather for the evening's event.

Image by Sergey Yeliseev via FlickrToday was the last evening of the annual Nightingale Festival and the weather couldn't be better. Although it had been warm during the day - the temperature did drop, although not as cold as last year.

I was allocated to Adder Alley. Further along than last year where the nightingales had been singing at the Hanger and Picnic area. We heard one as we left the centre - right along the path to the zig-zag and more down near Fattingates - another regular territory.

It took a while but as the light started to go, the nightingales started to sing and they were fantastic. There were at least four along the whole of Adder Alley - starting near to Little Hanger hide, with two quite close together. In fact at one point there were three singing within a 100 metre stretch and they didn't just start and stop. They were singing for a good 5-10 minutes at a time. The last one which I recorded was singing for at least 15 minutes. (I'll try and get it uploaded).

Although you could hear them really well and singing very loudly from the centre of a bush - they were hard to see and not showing themselves at all. Only a fleeting glimpse when they moved between cover as they finished singing or to start up again.

We had quite a few visitors who venture out this far onto the reserve. The British Whites were also stealing the show as they had young calves who were being very cute and lively as the sun set.

A great evening and the nightingales certainly put on a good performance.

Blue Tits Are Moving In!

2011-04-08T18:35:00.000+01:00

I've been keeping an eye on the blue tits this week. A few weeks back they were taking an interest in one of my nest boxes. It's happened before - they pop in and out a couple of times early in the year and then never come back.

Image via WikipediaThis year the honeysuckle and quince have grown up around it, so the box itself isn't quite as exposed. I did cut back a sprig of honeysuckle that was almost covering the front of the box as blue tits prefer a clear flight path in.

Over the last couple of weeks they've been visiting and pecking at the hole on a regular basis - enlarging it slightly, probably smoothing off the edges. This week they've been bring nest material. I'm so excited! It's only been there 4-5 years - waiting to be occupied.

I moved the bird feeders to the other side of the garden and went out earlier and raked up some moss - lets face it, there's enough of it in the lawn - also sprinkled a few feathers out to make their job easier. It took them (or is it just one bird building the nest?) a while to twig but now it's flying down and picking up clumps of moss practically as big as itself and stuffing them into the nest.

There's a lot of hopping about from branch to branch before it finally enters and plenty of calling too. I was out in the garden enjoying the sunshine earlier and although there were plenty of alarm calls, it didn't put them off, which is just as well, as I'm likely to be out there a lot as the weather improves and I get the veg 'patch' planted up.

Wonderful Wyevale Waxwings

2011-04-02T20:55:00.060+01:00

A lovely warm Spring day and definitely one for a visit to Pulborough. Plenty of the woodland birds out and about and singing - chiffchaff, blackcap, willow warbler. Slowly starting to recognise the blackcap song more easily.

I spotted a male bullfinch on the path between West Mead and Winpenny and a small adder out in the brief moments of sunshine in Adder Alley. A dabchick was feeding in the pool below Little Hanger with the mallard.

Image by Moonrhino via Flickr
While sitting in the picnic area - news arrived of the waxwings up at the Pulborough garden centre. Now, despite the frequent sightings of waxwings all over the county this winter, I've not seen any. In fact I've never seen a waxwing, so it was definitely worth driving the short distance to see them, especially as these are likely to be the last of the year - grabbing the obligatory bread pudding on the way.

I arrived and thought I'd missed them - it took a few minutes to spot two of them up in the tree-top and then another eight in the trees across the road. A little more patience and more of them appeared - moving to the trees right at the entrance of the garden centre and feeding on the berries on a large cotoneaster shrub opposite - 22 waxwings in total. A few more people turned up as word had got out and as I had my scope, we got really good views of them. They really are lovely birds and such a treat to have seen them.

Image via WikipediaBack to Pulborough and down to Jupps View. There's plenty of water on the Brooks - not too much but the pools are definitely more full then they have been in past years. They've done a lot of work with sluices to enable them to be able to control the water levels better and it's working - although there weren't many waders around.

I missed the green sandpiper but did see a lovely black-tailed godwit in it's summer plumage and a dunlin. A few duck still around - shoveler, wigeon and teal, several little egret and shelduck. Nuthatch and green and greater spotted woodpecker heard around the reserve.

Also spotted two small tortoiseshell butterflies in flight, which caused great excitement as very few had been seen so far this year. Meanwhile back at Winpenny and brief glimpses of the white-fronted goose out in the distance with the canada geese.

I'm sure the deer are getting lighter. Whereas a few years ago they were all dark, there seem to be more of the lighter fallow deer in the herds now. Still masses of them all over the reserve and out on the Brooks.

Just before I left I popped into the heathland area in the faint hope of seeing the little spotted woodpecker. I did see a woodpecker but it turned out to be a greater spotted playing hide and seek in the tree tops before coming out for better views.

No birds of prey today, which is unusual for Pulborough - although I did see a couple of kestrels on the drive there and back.

South Downs National Park Authority Takes Over

2011-04-01T09:00:00.001+01:00

Image via WikipediaToday the South Downs officially becomes a National Park under the newly formed South Downs National Park Authority. Bells will ring out along the 100+ mile stretch of the South Downs in celebration.

It's taken a good few years, if not decades to get to this stage. It was first suggested in the 40's when the first National Parks were designated, consultation started on the proposed park in 1999 and finally agreed in 2009 with the National Park being designated in 2010 and now handed over to the South Downs NPA.

Some of the hard working volunteers were featured today on local news programmes, out working near Lewes. Hundreds of volunteers help to shape and maintain the Downs and that work will continue. If you'd like to get involved there are plenty of volunteering groups now listed on the South Downs National Park website, including my own local group - Friends of Telscombe Tye.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2011 - Results Are In

2011-03-31T19:38:00.000+01:00

Just two months ago over 600,000 people took part in the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch and now the results are in.

Perhaps due to the cold weather more small birds were spotted in our gardens with more goldcrests and treecreepers making an appearance. Unfortunately neither of those made it on to my list and I can't say I've ever seen a treecreeper in my garden.

House sparrow, starling and blackbird were the top three species counted - I managed two of the three within the hour. Starlings certainly aren't a daily visitor but do turn up pretty regularly and of course turned up later in the day. Both the house sparrow and starling are still in decline - although most people probably think they're 'common' birds.

In East and West Sussex the Top 10 were blue tit, house sparrow, starling, blackbird, woodpigeon, chaffinch, great tit, robin and collared dove with magpie and goldfinch switching for the 10th place in East and West Sussex respectively. This is fairly consistent across the counties although long-tailed tit makes it onto the Top 10 in many other counties and there's a great variety in the bottom 10 with rarer garden visitors including - brambling, grey heron, sparrowhawk and even red kite.

Two For One

2011-03-27T20:40:00.015+01:00

Two tasks for the price of one this weekend.

Two people went off for a litter pick up on the main Tye. There wasn't enough to justify a full task as we'd cleared much of it on previous litter picks. The rest of us (all three) went up to the e-piece for a bit more scrub clearance.

Finishing off the area we started last month, which consisted mainly of bramble, a few sprouting elder, ash stumps and hawthorn seedlings. Sadly Tor grass is taking hold in many of the cleared areas and this can be clearly seen over on the middle 'prong' in the cleared patches.

Also plenty of dead rose-bay willow herb, which has totally taken over one half of the slope and the dead stalks certainly help get the bonfire going. Most of the cleared slope is covered in moss and riddled with rabbit holes but could be a good slope for butterflies and wild flowers given a few years and some good, controlled grazing.

There were more walkers out today - probably due to the warmer weather and sunshine. Plenty of woodland birds singing in the trees but no sign of the buzzards this time.

If you'd like to join us - you'll find details on the www.friendsoftelscombetye.co.uk

Related articles:

Wrong sort of grass (sussex.ac.uk)

Red Kites In Sussex

2011-02-20T21:57:00.000Z

And to top it all, TWO red kites appeared overhead just before lunch and upstaged the sparrowhawk.

Image via WikipediaHaving seen them along the A272 yesterday, it was definitely not what I was expecting to see and NOT flying over the house.

They circled lazily above and headed towards the Downs before disappearing out of sight.

They have been spotted in the area before and it's not unusual to see them if you're lucky and know where to look. If you live in the Chilterns you probably wonder what all the fuss is about but here in Sussex they're still not that common.

Absolutely amazing to see them and to know that they're slowly spreading out this way. Hopefully it won't be long before these beautiful birds, with their elegant wingspan and forked tails, are as common a sight along the South Downs as the buzzard.

Fantastic Views Of A Male Sparrowhawk

2011-02-20T21:35:00.000Z

Spent most of the day watching a male sparrowhawk making regular attacks on the small birds on the feeders. While it's been seen occasionally and I get one in my garden every now and then, it's unusual to see it appear every four to five minutes, flying across the garden and attempting to grab a bird.

It had appeared a few times yesterday morning but as we were out all day it may have been doing the same thing. The birds were certainly absent from the feeders in their usual numbers, as there's usually a steady stream of them nipping in and out to the feeders throughout the day. Obviously put off by the hawk, they were being cautious and only feeding on the nuts nearest cover.

The sparrowhawk was first spotted taking a blue tit before flying off. It then returned at regular intervals throughout the day. Mostly missing - landing on either the feeder itself, a nearby branch or swooping in and out again. It caught a great tit later in the day and at one point looked as if it might have a go at the woodpigeon, who was a good indicator of the impending attack, as you could see it duck just before the hawk came through.

It nearly always came from the same direction but despite going outside to look - I couldn't see it sitting anywhere nearby or sitting on a branch with it's catch. There were plenty of woodpigeon and jackdaws around perched in trees but no sign of the sparrowhawk. Given the regularity of it's attacks it must have been close, it even came in when we were standing outside looking for it.

After the second attack and a little later in the afternoon, the birds had returned, so perhaps it had it's fill and had moved off.

While it's sad to see the small birds being taken, it was amazing to see the sparrowhawk return again and again and to get such great views.

Red Kites In Hampshire

2011-02-19T19:58:00.014Z

The A272 between Petersfield and Winchester is a lovely stretch of road, not great if you're in a hurry and get stuck behind something but far more scenic than many other roads and a good opportunity to spot wildlife on the move.

I was expecting to see at least a buzzard and did spot one sitting in the top of a tree. Plenty of pheasant around and catkins starting to come out.

On the way back there was a brief glimpse of two red kite on the edge of woodland, not too far from where I've seen one before.

National Nest Box Week - 14-21 February

2011-02-14T09:02:00.032Z

National Nest Box Week is the week to focus on the birds in and around your garden, school or local park.

Started in 1997, it's run by the British Trust for Ornithology and encourages people to put up boxes in their local area to help our breeding birds.

Image by Crowcombe Al via FlickrBoxes come in all shapes and sizes for a variety of birds. Make your own from a plank of wood (without the perch) or buy a ready made box from your local wildlife organisation or garden centre.

Don't forget nesting sites for birds like the house sparrow - usually several together or swallows and house martins under the eaves.

The BTO also runs the Nest Box Challenge where you can register your boxes and report any activity throughout the year.

What will you do this week for birds and their boxes?

Scrub Clearance on the E-Piece

2011-02-12T18:27:00.001Z

Three of us turned up to work on the e-Piece. Cold and windy but glimpses of blue sky and at least rain wasn't forecast for the day.

As we wandered down to clear an area of regrowth, we took the opportunity to clear one of the paths down from the bridleway to the edge of the field which had become pretty impassble.

An hour or so's work and we'd widened the path and made it visible again, instead of having to fight your way through brambles and hawthorn.

E-piece - before

We then checked out the bird boxes along the edge of the field. Eight of them in total put up a good few years ago. Mainly tit boxes but one open-fronted robin box.

Only two of the boxes had been occupied or at least had some nesting material in them. Spiders had taken up residence in a couple but were otherwise empty.

The rest of the tit boxes had the holes enlarged - where woodpeckers or perhaps squirrels have enlarged them. They were empty, so they hadn't been raided for eggs or nestlings.

E-piece - after

We then started working further along the slope - clearing regrowth between two patches of more mature scrub that had been cleared a few years before.

We managed to clear most of the lower part of the slope in the time that was left. It's amazing how much you can get done - even if there are only a few of us - although it was mostly bramble and a few sprouting elders and ash.

Working On Blackcap With The National Trust

2011-02-06T18:29:00.004Z

A fairly gloomy and drizzly day and we're working up on Blackcap with the National Trust. Watched beaters in the fields below before the rest of the crew turned up. Not sure what they were beating for - didn't seem to be a lot of pheasant around although there were plenty of wood pigeons.

We were working on a new area that I haven't worked in before. Further round and lower down from where we were working last year and a bit of a trek from where we left the landrovers.

Mainly the usual scrub encroaching onto an area of grassland - littered with anthills. Managed to poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick but then that's not unusual when cutting scrub.

Plenty of lopper-sized shrubs to cut back, along with thicker trunks and bramble patches. Spotted a sparrowhawk dashing across the treetops and woodpeckers - green and spotted calling from the woods.

Missing Hen Harrier

2011-01-30T20:12:00.001Z

Having finished a litter-pick on Telscombe Tye and on such a beautiful sunny day, I headed over to Pulborough in hope of seeing the Hen Harrier that had been around for a few days. Needless to say - it hadn't been seen for a couple of days and didn't put in an appearance.

Arrived in time to collect up a slab of bread pudding and headed out to the hides. Several snipe feeding along the edge of the well flooded and partially ice covered pond at West Mead and sightings of the white-fronted geese in the distance feeding with two flocks of canada geese.

There were also several fieldfare on the ground around the hide, close enough for lovely views. Plenty of wigeon feeding out on the grass and teal on the water and a distant sighting of the peregrine - unusually just sitting on the grass.

Quite a few visitors in the hide today - drawn out by the weather perhaps. I chatted with a couple who lived in Pulborough but had never visited the reserve. Such is the way - you rarely visit the sights on your own doorstep.

Image via WikipediaJust outside Winpenny was a small flock on bullfinches - three males and one female. Lovely bright pink chests with their black caps.

On to the Hanger, Jupps and Nettley where there were plenty of duck out on the water. More wigeon, teal and plenty of pintail, shoveler and shelduck. Hundreds of black-tailed godwit, again out in the distance - many more than I've seen before - my (very) rough count was about 130.

After a while several dunlin were spotted. The birds seemed to be as far away from the hides as possible, so scopes were definitely needed today.

Several of the godwit had coloured leg rings, which were slightly easier to see once they'd flown closer but take some recording - especially when they're wading. There are two different coloured rings on each leg and as I discovered, rings on their lower legs (below the knee) are intentional and haven't just slipped!

Although the hen harrier didn't put in an appearance, the peregrine was around as was a kestrel, a sparrowhawk scaring the pigeons and a buzzard.

Litter Pick on Telscombe Tye

2011-01-30T19:22:00.001Z

Sunny but cold and windy for today's litter pick on Telscombe Tye. Six of us met up at Bevendean avenue at the newly and headed up the Tye with the other objective of also re-seating one of the posts that had come lose or been driven over, up on Bridleway 8.

It turned out there were three posts that needed digging back in but this didn't take long. The rest of us walked up the Tye and then back down to the coast road picking up litter. You can tell when we get closer to civilisation as the amount of dog mess increases - as do the dog poo bags discarded into the undergrowth - very unpleasant! Being a sunny day there were certainly lots of dog-walkers about.

After a couple of hours we'd collected at least a dozen bags of litter - mainly discarded crisp and sweet wrappers, carrier bags that get blown and assorted bits of plastics and beer cans and bottles - mainly up near the cross dyke.

It's only half a days effort but satisfying although also annoying at how much we collect, discarded by people using the Tye.

Our next litter-picking task will probably be along the coast road - tackling the corner near the Badger's Watch which is where litter discarded by passing traffic ends up.

Friends of Telscombe Tye

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2011 Results

2011-01-29T17:06:00.004Z

This year's sightings for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch:

Blue Tit 3
Great Tit 2
Chaffinch 1
Sparrow 4
Robin 1
Blackbird 2
Dunnock 1
Collared Dove 1
Wood Pigeon 1
Greenfinch 1

2 cats!

Total species (not including cats) 10 out of a possible 26.

Usual suspects that didn't put in an appearance in the allotted hour but did appear later in the day - starling and goldfinch.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2011 - 29th-30th January

2011-01-28T17:34:00.000Z

This weekend is the RSPB's annual Big Garden Birdwatch. A little later in the month than usual and it's turned cold again so it might be a good weekend for birds turning up at your feeders.

Get out early tomorrow morning, top up the feeders and don't forget the bird bath. If you've been feeding regularly over the winter you'll already have an idea of what might turn up.

Settle yourself in with a cup of tea or coffee, get the children involved and spend an hour watching what comes in to the garden. Only count what you see within an hour. Pick any hour over this weekend.

Use the RSPB's ID sheet or any piece of paper. Make a note of the total number of a species you see at any one time, not the total over the hour.

If you don't have a garden - take a walk out to your local park, common or wild, open space.

Submit your results at http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/.

If you're on Twitter - use the #bgbw hashtag

Southease To Piddinghoe

2011-01-09T18:24:00.000Z

A short walk along the river from Southease to Piddinghoe. Three dabchick and one great crested grebe were diving on the river, moving rapidly upstream with the incoming tide. I watched a grey wagtail for several minutes feeding from the track ahead before it flew off across the river and a little egret flew up river, being mobbed by crows.

Southease Swing Bridge

Crossing the road at Piddinghoe and walking along the track that takes the footpath on a detour away from river, up the hill and back into Piddinghoe further along the road, bypassing a short stretch of the river. A longer route but worth the detour as I had a lovely view of a male kestrel sitting up in a tree and several red-legged partridge disappearing up the bank and in the nearby fields. Their presence accounted for by the game bird pens all along the valley. This is also why I've often seen partridge along this stretch of road as well as dozens of pheasant.

I made it as far as Piddinghoe Pool which had nothing on it and I missed seeing the bearded tit which has been around for a week or so.

Heading back the way I'd come, a buzzard flew over as I reached the top of Harping's Hill. Swiftly pursued by several carrion crow it flew down over the river but was overhead again as I walked along the track back down to the road.

The tide was well in by now and only a few gulls on the river this time, a solitary redshank moving up and down the river and finally a small flock of teal circling round and a grey heron which came in to land in the fields near Southease.

Christmas In Skipton

2010-12-24T18:24:00.019Z

Made it through the snow and ice earlier in the week up to the snowy, icy wastes of Yorkshire. Much colder than down in the South and a lot more snow around.

Staying with friends in Carleton, a small village just across the River Aire and the Leeds Liverpool Canal from Skipton. This is one of many snowy walks around the area. Pintail, mallard and mute swan on the river, which was pretty much frozen, although it's normally a fast flowing river.

The valley is surrounded by heather covered hills, currently covered in snow and only a few weeks ago this areas was covered in water as the valley is prone to flooding.

Lighter Snow Fall

2010-12-18T13:17:00.001Z

Today's snowfall is not nearly as heavy as the previous one. Not much more than an inch in this part of Sussex - although over on the Hampshire border they've had 4-5 inches. A mixture of sleet and snow and more slush than anything.

Still, I was out topping up the feeders, filling up the bird bath and making sure the birds are fed before I got my breakfast. Lovely to watch them in the garden - a regular stream of the usual visitors - blue tits, great tits, chaffinch, three greenfinch, similar number of goldfinch and house sparrows, a pair of blackbirds. Three woodpigeons descended at one point and swaffed everything up. Four collared doves squabbling over pole position - literally sometimes, as one sits rather precariously on top of the pole feeder, having been booted off the other feeders by the woodpigeon.

The sun is now out and it's thawing. More snow forecast but hope it doesn't impact on Christmas travel plans.

White-Tailed Eagle On Amberley Brooks

2010-12-11T19:03:00.002Z

After the cold and snow I thought I'd risk a jaunt over to Pulborough to see if the ice had gone and any of the ducks had returned.

It was a few degrees above freezing and the ice was thawing out on the Brooks but not completely and there were only a few ducks out in the open patches of water. A few pairs of pintail, a couple of shelduck and shovelers and plenty of teal and canada geese.

The peregrine was in its favourite perch and had recently killed a teal, which it was busily eating, being watched from the hanger by a larger group of visiting birdwatchers. A sparrowhawk flew in to take a look or to chase it off and shortly after it dropped what was left of the teal and flew off towards Coldwaltham.

The only waders were two or three dunlin out on the ice - just about managing to keep their footing. The wigeon were over on the fields by Winpenny and there were plenty of fieldfare and redwings feeding on the berries along the edge of the Brooks. No sign of the large numbers of snipe that had been spotted earlier in the week.

The highlight of the day was of course the white-tailed eagle over on Amberley and my first ever twitch. Dave and Graham were off to see it as made my way down to the hides. Having established there really was an eagle and they weren't joking, I decided to join them later. After all who knows whether it would still be there when they got there. Surely it must be another of the escapees that seem to inhabit this valley - causing amusement and excitement?

Twitchers at Amberley

After getting frozen out on the Brooks - I headed back to the Visitor's Centre to find that most of the staff had already been out to Rackham to view the eagle and it was still there. Following Sue's instructions I arrived to find Dave and Graham were still there - along with about a dozen other birders. All abandoning (and probably gratefully) the Christmas shopping in order to view a rare visitor to Sussex.

It was huge! Just as I turned up, it had taken off and was being mobbed by crows, so you could see just how big it was, before flying back into one of three trees out on Amberley Brooks. Several sizes larger than a buzzard and made the crows next to it in the tree look tiny. There were also three Ruff out on the meadows, slightly closer than the eagle and a herd of the dark fallow deer moving around on the Brooks - oblivious to the large bird of prey sitting the tree above them.

Much speculation as to what it was doing there - definitely not a Scottish eagle, it didn't have wing tags - possibly a young Scandinavian bird that had headed south and by-passed Scotland due to the cold weather conditions - apparently the fact it was an escapee had already been discounted. It was identified as being a 2nd year juvenille - grey bill, some white on the tail. Glad someone was there verify the details. It was a long way off and I could just about make out it's lighter bill and paler breast.

Back to Pulborough in time for a cup of tea and bread pudding - still warm from the oven!

Related links:

Sussex Ornithological Society - Recent Sightings
RSPB Amberley Wildbrooks
SWT Amberley Wildbrooks
Nearby RSPB Pulborough Brooks Reserve

Heavy Snowfall In Sussex

2010-12-02T09:48:00.002Z

Not as heavy as some parts of the country but to see this amount of snow on the coast in Sussex is unusual.

Birds In An Urban/Suburban Garden

2010-11-26T18:43:00.014Z

No matter how big or small or where your garden is located, you can still attract birds to your garden. You might not get hundreds of species but there's still great pleasure to be had from watching your regular visitors and their habits.

Many urban birds that were a common sight are now in danger and the hundreds and thousands of people who regularly feed birds in their gardens are helping to preserve many of them.

Starling, house sparrow, song thrush, cuckoo and skylark - birds we're all familiar with are on the Red List. Swallows, house martins and dunnock are on the Amber List.

Even if you live in a suburban area, birds don't distinguish between countryside and towns. As long as there is food available and places to nest they'll be there.

Put out the feeders, have a little patience and see what turns up.

Related links:

Population Status of Birds in the UK. (BTO Web)
Red, amber and green explained (RSPB)
Urban birding (The Urban Birder)

Waterlogged Inside And Out

2010-11-14T21:05:00.000Z

Many thanks to the hardy few who turned out on a grey and drizzly Sunday for some light clearance of scrub regrowth up on the E-piece.

It started out looking as if, optimistically, it might be a reasonable day. Although light rain/showers were forecast there was some blue sky and the clouds were lifting shortly before we all met up. Inevitably, having decided to go ahead, the drizzle set in and became heavier and more persistent.

After a couple of hours and soaked to the skin - we decided to call it a day and headed back to warmth and to dry off. We managed to clear an area at the top of the slope of small blackthorn, hawthorn seedlings and the more vigorous elder. Hopefully the rabbits can take over and keep it down.

A great effort despite the weather and limited numbers.

It's All Happening Today

2010-11-09T13:05:00.000Z

Now the chiffchaff has turned up and is in it's favourite shrub picking insects off the leaves and branches and being quite acrobatic in the process. It's so close that my binoculars won't even focus on it. Lovely little bird and always nice to see such a delicate bird in the garden, which doesn't happen very often.

It's been joined by one of the blue tits and even the coal tit has now appeared in the ribes, pecking away on a sunflower heart before flying off to the woods. None of them are taking much notice of the fat balls - at least not yet.

One of the pleasant distractions of being able to work from home.

Wet And Windy Breakfast (And Another First!)

2010-11-09T08:54:00.040Z

The birds are back in the garden. After a lull last month when they're more likely to be making the most of the autumn harvest, with the drop in temperature they're back in the garden.

The fat wood pigeon is pecking at the fall-out on the ground. The blue tit flits too and fro from feeder to bush - there appear to be two of them but they're hard to keep track of sometimes.

Image via Wikipedia - photo by AvicedaOMG a coal tit just did the same! And b**gger me - I'm sure that was a nuthatch! Only caught a glimpse of it's beak from the other side of the feeder. Two more firsts for the garden!

You're getting the action as it happens, as I sit here eating breakfast, watching the feeders. The house sparrows have also now flown in for their breakfast and a great tit is also out there with them.

The greenfinches tend to be more sedate - taking their time, pecking seed but also having challenging the other birds on the feeders - other greenfinches and sparrows. There's also a dunnock moving around in the bushes.

The blackbirds are also back (not right at this moment) but they'll make regular visits until the berries are gone - both on the fence and in the front garden, so I can look out for them from the sitting room window - and anyone else who decides to turn up.

Final visitor for breakfast is the goldfinch - delicately picking at the niger seed, which he gets all to himself. I've also counted four blue-tits now and a male chaffinch has also flown in to compete with the wood pigeon.

Well the coal tit is still around, so hopefully that will become a regular visitor.

Lullington Heath

2010-11-07T20:29:00.000Z

A change of location for today's task - from Blackcap where we were a couple of weeks ago to Lullington Heath NNR, north of Friston Forest and a combined task with the Eastern group and Lou Parkinson from Natural England.

A much colder start to the day than the mild weather we've had for the past few days but not yet requiring the thermals. Also an earlier start than normal as I'd agreed to meet the Eastern Group at Seven Sisters rather than drive over to Stanmer only to drive back this way.

And with an earlier start we were out on the hill and working just after 10. The others didn't turn up until 11! Clearing scrub around Old Winchester Pond but some discussion about just how much scrub we needed to clear.

Although the idea was to open up the view across the reserve - birds and wildlife in general need a bit of cover and walkers could also benefit from a few sheltered patches - especially on exposed areas of the Downs.

We focused on the gorse, bramble and regrowth of hawthorn and blackthorn, clearing it back from the pond and also clearing a path along the fence-line.

The fire took a while to get going but by lunch-time was roaring away. We quickly cleared away everything that had been cut in the morning and also dragged out scrub that had been cut and left from an earlier task.

Finished off earlier than normal and headed off back to Seven Sisters - still stinking of smoke and with a few more scratches. One knee resembling a pin-cushion but all aches and pains and odours washed away with a good soak and should sleep like a log.

Twitchers A Very British Obsession

2010-11-03T18:32:00.033Z

Training spotting for birders?

Just watched BBC4's programme "Twitchers A Very British Obsession". Now I love my birds, I enjoy spotting different species and yes, I do make lists of the birds I see when I'm out and about but I'm not that obsessed.

I wouldn't class myself as being vaguely Twitcher-ish. For me it's about what I see and observe it the natural environment. You never know what might turn up and occasionally it's a rarity but you wouldn't get me jumping in the car and driving for 15 hours just to tick off a bird which is essentially in a totally alien environment and stands little chance of survival.

Yes, I enjoyed seeing the snow-geese and bar headed goose over at Pulborough last year - although they were highly unlikely to have flown in 'accidentally' - more likely escapees from a nearby collection.

Let's face it, I have enough trouble identifying some of the migrant waders and I'd get excited if I saw a long-tailed tit in the garden ... so perhaps the appeal of twitching isn't the same.

The idea of hordes, in fact often hundreds of 'twitchers' all directing their scopes at some poor bird in a bush, just doesn't appeal. It's a bit like watching animals in a zoo. You get to see creatures you'd probably never see in real life but it's not really 'real'.

I did come across a horde of twitchers (what is the collective name for twitchers?) at Farlington Marshes. It was years ago and there was a rare warbler in the said bush - I think it might even have been a Cetti's Warbler.

That said - some of these twitching rarities have now become commonplace. Little Egrets were a rare sight not so very long ago and I remember getting excited seeing my first Egyptian goose (another escapee) up in Norfolk and that Cetti's Warbler is not as rare.

I've no idea how many birds I've seen so far. I might get a little competitive and notice when I hit a personal best at Pulborough but that's about it ... maybe I ought to update my Life List ...

RSPB Feed The Birds Day

2010-10-30T10:42:00.000+01:00

Today is the RSPB's Feed The Birds Day. With the clocks going back this weekend, now is the time to clean off those feeders, stock up on good things to keep your birds happy over the winter.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/feedthebirds/

If we have another cold winter many birds will rely on food sources from gardens to survive. You may also get to see birds you don't normally see. Fieldfares and redwings were frequent garden visitors last year.

Clean your feeders and tables regularly to avoid build up of mouldy food and disease.
Provide clean, fresh water for drinking and washing.
Put out a variety of different food from a variety of feeders to attract different birds.
Don't be too tidy - seed heads provide food and hiding places for insects.

First Garden Goldcrest

2010-10-26T13:24:00.000+01:00

A lucky spot in the garden today - a little goldcrest in the flowering currant (Ribes) near the backdoor. I just happened to be taking a break from work and it caught my eye as I walked past. Only a brief glimpse as it then disappeared from view.

Image by nutmeg66 via Flickr

It's the first time I've seen one in the garden - having seen them at Pulborough last weekend. There are plenty of trees around, so it's not too surprising - I've just never spotted one in the garden before. Of course they are pretty small and could be easily missed.

Who knows what's out there when I'm not watching.

Rainbows Over Pulborough

2010-10-23T19:17:00.009+01:00

Over to Pulborough for a little bird watching - not realising that it was Autumn Fair day, so the car park was packed to overflowing and I was parked out along the access road.

Great for business as it meant things were busier than usual and a few more people venturing out onto the reserve. I started to rain just as I arrived - only a shower so it didn't stop me heading on out to the reserve.

I have to say there wasn't a huge amount out there today. Plenty of the usual suspects - large numbers of wildfowl had arrived but no waders. Not a single one!

Lovely to see so many pintail and the wigeon are wonderful with their gentle calls. Teal, shoveler and shelduck also out on the water and a large number of lapwing on the banks.

Another shower or two during the afternoon, followed by sunshine resulted in an amazing double rainbow above Pulborough. The photo really doesn't do it justice but you can just about see the second rainbow forming. It became much brighter and the main rainbow formed a complete arc over the North Brooks.

A few highlights even without the waders - a bullfinch sitting in the bushes just below The Hanger and also a couple of redwings feeding with three song thrushes and what we think was a fleeting glimpse of a fieldfare as it few past. A buzzard also flew over a couple of times - being given a hard time by the crows but not bothering the other birds.

In the woods and bushes along the way I also spotted nuthatch, a treecreeper and several goldcrest which is quite unusual. They're often up in the tops of trees and hard to see.

Blackcap

2010-10-16T20:41:00.005+01:00

Before

Another trip to Blackcap, near Lewes and more scrub-clearance. A fairly small patch to clear which was overgrown with bramble, some small trees and bushes and plenty of willow-herb and wild marjoram which added a lovely scent to our work.

We were being 'buzzed' by the hang gliders who were flying up and down along the ridge all day. Two or three of them whizzing by at great speed.

There was also a sparrowhawk flying along the woodland edge and calls from woodpeckers (green and greater-spotted) throughout the day as well as smaller birds wondering where their cover had disappeared.

After

There were only four of us + Gary (with the brush-cutter) but in just a few hours we managed to clear most of the slope. Luckily most of it was pretty light stuff and burnt well. Great views across the Weald in a mix of Autumn sunshine and later showers.

Blog Action Day 2010: Water and Wildlife

2010-10-15T22:39:00.000+01:00

Image via Wikipedia

Whilst we're busily washing our clothes, drinking our cappuccinos and tapping away on our computer and smartphones, we're using up a precious resource.

Less that 1% of the world's water is available as fresh water and with a rapidly expanding population there are more and more demands being placed on this limited resource.

As people compete for resources, wildlife and nature come under even more pressure.

Worldwide, wetlands cover 6% of the world's surface, an area larger than the USA. Half their area has been lost in the last century.

300-400 million people live close to or depend on Wetlands.
Rice provides 20% of the world's dietary energy and is grown on wetlands.
40% of fish species come from freshwater habitats.
5 million people die each year from poor water supply.

They are an important ecosystem for people and wildlife, providing feeding sites for hundreds of thousands of birds. These ecosystems collapse as water is extracted for agriculture and manufacturing.

We build on natural floodplains, drain marshy areas for redevelopment, concrete over large areas and build up river banks. Rivers, lakes and floodplains slow down and absorb floodwater. Wetlands absorb storm surges and coastal flooding. Without them, the impact on loss of life, lack of clean water and disease is far greater as is the cost of clean-up and repairing the damage.

Today is Blog Action Day - one day in the year when blogs focus on one topic. This year it's water. Help reduce your consumption and preserve this precious resource.

Related links:

Blog Action Day 2010 for more blogs and info.
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust saving wetlands for people and wildlife across the world.
Check your Water Footprint - http://www.waterfootprint.org

Where Were All The Birds?

2010-10-13T12:11:00.015+01:00

Just back from a week in Turkey on the south-west Aegean coast and disappointing from a birding point of view. Not that I was there for that purpose but it's always nice to see different species when you're in a new place, especially abroad.

There was very little around - perhaps it's just not the right time of year or it's just not a good area. It was a very touristy, purpose built resort, so I wasn't expecting flocks of rare or exotic species but a few residents would have been nice.

There were certainly plenty of magpies and sparrows. Hooded crows were a common sight away from the town but there was a lack of raptors which I'd hoped and expected to see. A fleeting glimpse of a falcon-like bird on a bus journey was at close at it got. There were egrets along some of the wetter areas and grey wagtails at the poolside in the resort.

My friend heard a nightjar one night and there was a small owl of some description near to our apartment in the evening - heard but not seen.

We weren't too far from the birding sites of Lake Bafa and the Menderes Delta but didn't have the time or transport to get there - we were more focused on enjoying the break, relaxing and taking in a few archaelogical sites.

There was evidence of storks in many of the towns with nests on any tall structure and some columns built for the purpose. They storks themselves were long gone - back to Africa.

Turkey is meant to be great for birds but they weren't much in evidence.

RSPB Arne - Osprey and Spoonbills

2010-09-26T18:30:00.048+01:00

Image by Lisa Lawley via Flickr

A lovely sunny day with a cool Autumn chill and a perfect opportunity to stop off at the RSPB's reserve of Arne on my way back from Dorset. Situated on the western edge of Poole Harbour, it's not that well sign-posted but head out of Wareham to the village of Arne, along a pretty much single-track road across heathland and you'll find it.

The small main car-park was pretty full when we arrived. No doubt people were there to see the osprey - which we had too - well I had, not sure about my travelling companion who was along for the ride. First stop was the hide across Coombe Heath where two of them had been seen during the week. The heather is almost over but there still a few splashes of purple around and the Autumn colours have just started to appear. Swallows and house-martins still around in numbers and plenty of small birds.

Within minutes of entering the hide, the osprey put in a brief appearance - it flew gradually closer over the inlet and then headed off out of sight. A buzzard circled high up over the trees but no more osprey. Never mind - it was enough to have seen it. My first sighting of an osprey in this country.

Back to the car park where we were pointed in the direction of the roosting tawny owl - way up in the top of a pine tree on the edge of the heath, near to the car park. All you could see was a dark blob in the trees and it's feathers. A few smaller birds, including a nuthatch spotted it and started calling loudly before moving on ... as did we, for a walk to the other part of the reserve.

Past a herd of Sika deer feeding in the fields, around the farm and onto the shore near Shipstal Point. Here out of the wind and in the sunshine it was lovely and warm. The tide was in, so very little mud for the waders around. A few gulls, little terns and cormorants taking off overhead. On the saltmarsh little egret and a curlew.

From the viewpoint up on the heath there's a wonderful view of the reserve, Bournemouth on the far shore
and island in Poole harbour along with the expanse of salt marsh and mud flats.

At the other hide - overlooking the saltmarsh I spotted the spoonbill. When we first arrived they had their heads tucked in, so looked much like the egret - although their size and stance probably gave them away. As they stuck their heads out to preen, their spoon bills were clearly visible and in the end there was a flock of ten standing together. Resting up on the saltmarsh were hundreds of curlew, well, certainly a hundred or so - they were everywhere. A few of them were out feeding along with oystercatchers and four dunlin busying themselves along the edge of the mud flats.

The occasional black-tailed godwit also came in to view - especially from the higher of the two hides where there are really good views of the roosting birds waiting for the tide to drop. Dozens of cormorant and oystercatchers, plenty of little egrets with their bright yellow feet, a few shelduck and teal.

All in all a great few hours at a lovely reserve with a mix of heathland, woodland, saltmarsh and mudflats - I'll certainly be back.

Working Horse Day - Telscombe Tye

2010-09-24T21:14:00.001+01:00

Image via Wikipedia

Come along to the WORKING HORSE DAY on Telscombe Tye, tomorrow Saturday - 25th September starting at 10.30 am.

Follow the horses and help plant the seed. Ice cream and light refreshments available. Cart rides for children and adults.

All are welcome and we look forward to seeing you there.

Marsh Harrier And Flycatchers

2010-09-18T21:56:00.000+01:00

Image via Wikipedia

Fantastic day over at the RSPB Pulborough. Not only was the weather great - a cool start but warmed up nicely but a very special sighting of a juvenille Marsh Harrier out on the North Brooks. Lovely dark chocolate colour with a light, creamy head. Another first for me, although not a rare sight here. Pulborough is always full of surprises.

Also out there in amongst the teal and mallard were a couple of shelduck, a single snipe, dunlin and a green sandpiper as well as a fleeting glimpse of the Hobby flying up over the trees. Two barnacle geese were also feeding in with the canada geese.

It was extremely cold under the trees at Jupps View which was out of the sunshine the other side of the trees, so we warmed up at the picnic area and were treated to a brief view of a Brown Hairstreak - we even found an egg! A lovely male Brimstone also flew in and settled on a bramble and there were Speckled Woods and dragonflies around too (see how that butterfly course has come in handy). There were also three spotted flycatchers in the picnic area - flitting out from their perches around the area.

I was joined for lunch by parents who haven't visited Pulborough, despite driving passed regularly - like many others. We had the usual delicious lunch in the cafe and they loved the bread pudding too, walked off with a circuit around the reserve. We saw the flycatchers again as well as the waders and the hobby - above the trees rather than over the brooks.

After they'd left I went over into the heathland area and watched two nuthatch feeding in the top of the conifers along with a goldcrest or two and a coal tit. I caught a very high glimpse of a sparrowhawk circling over the heathland before moving off into the distance. There are still plenty of swallows and house martins around on the reserve, although they won't be here for much longer.

Telscombe Tye - Kent Gap

2010-09-07T20:10:00.037+01:00

The newly installed Kent gap on Telscombe Tye, at the bottom of the funeral track, leading out onto the south coast road.

Aimed at keeping unauthorised vehicles off the Tye, while allowing access for cyclists and walkers (and horse-drawn carriages - not that we get many of those on the Tye).

Stanmer Orchard Clearing Undergrowth

2010-08-28T18:47:00.001+01:00

Up at Stanmer this morning for another task at the Orchard. Plenty of windfalls in the new orchard near the village and they've been busy labelling up the trees. Some recognisable varieties like Bramley but other old fashioned varieties that you don't see very often and certainly not in your average supermarket.

Two new volunteers joined us today, so we were about eight in all. Having collected tools we set about the undergrowth in the old orchard.

Somewhat limited with tools but all things considered we did a pretty good job in a few hours. Amazing what you do with a couple of slashers.

Although the butterflies, beetles and crickets might not have appreciated their home and food source being cut back down to ground level. There were quite a few common blues flying around.

A few toads were also off to find new homes. We managed to clear about two thirds of the undergrowth - leaving the remainder for the next task group and the brush-cutters, which were due in later in the week.

We had a lunch break back in the main orchard with the chance to pick-up a few windfalls to take away with us and admire the bee-hive and the hedge-laying which was completed a couple of years ago to keep the horses out of the orchard.

It's Apple Day up at Stanmer on September 26th - a free event to find out more about apples, eat them, juice them and buy them.

Three Young Goldfinch

2010-08-22T10:05:00.000+01:00

Three immature goldfinches in the garden on one of the feeders. Similar to the adults but without the face and chest markings of the adults. They're also pretty 'assertive' - chasing off the pair of greenfinch that have also appeared - rowdy teenagers.

Young House Sparrow

2010-08-17T12:35:00.001+01:00

There's a young house sparrow in the garden. He's spending most of his time on the ground and looks slightly confused. I thought at first that perhaps he was stunned having flown into the window but I can see a slight yellow gape and he's able to fly up on to things but seems to prefer it on the ground. Not good with so many cats around, so I'm keeping an eye out as much as I can.

He's quite happily pecking around but then stops for a nap and seems to like 'nestling' in clumps of grass or plants, as though he's missing the nest. Perhaps he's just fat and lazy as there's so much seed on the ground below the feeders.

A few other sparrows flew in and were up on the feeder. They seemed to ignore each other. He's not calling or behaving like a baby when other birds are around.

Golden Ringed Dragonfly

2010-08-16T16:33:00.001+01:00

Out in the garden in a brief spate of sunshine and spotted a large dragonfly with black and gold rings. Now the only dragonfly I know like this having seen one at Pulborough, is the cannily named Golden Ringed dragonfly.

I've seen dragonflies, damselflies and hawkers in the garden before but I don't usually see enough of them or for long enough, to identify them. As it's the only large dragonfly with gold and black rings I think I'm on to a safe bet with this one.

Chalk Downland Butterflies

2010-08-15T19:06:00.093+01:00

As I left Harting it was autumnally cool and misty. Not a good day for spotting butterflies. Fortunately as I drove further west it brightened up but arriving at Mill Hill LNR, although sunny it was very windy.

Having gathered in the correct car park we set off down the hill for a brief overview from Simon about what we were looking for. Neatly grouping the butterflies into their six main groups with identifying features and again eliminating those we were unlikely to see.

We quickly spotted a Wall Brown - unusual but very pretty and one of the 'brown' group - along with the Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper. Distinguished by their overall colour - brown with orange or orange with brown.

Adonis Blue

Blue butterflies were also appearing - quickly identified as Adonis and one was unceremoniously (and very carefully) grabbed by Simon, so that we could see the colour, the black lines and the underside. In fact we were pretty much surrounded by Adonis Blue - they were everywhere! I was expecting us to be lucky to catch a fleeting glimpse of maybe a handful.

Further down the slope, there were also the paler Chalkhill Blues and the purple tinged Common Blues. There were so many of them that we were able to see all three, often close together. Making it easy to see the difference between them.

Chalkhill Blue

They seemed to favour settling on bare patches of earth and lumps of dung. We spent a happy few minutes wandering over the ground at the bottom. Also identifying plant species from yesterday, then heading back up the hill via the slightly gentler path, rather than the straight down the slope approach - to the car park and off to our second site near Steyning.

Having negotiated the vagaries of the Steyning parking system, we wandered up the hill for a lunch stop in the sunshine watching the gliders and spotting a Hobby, catching a quick glimpse of a Green-veined White and Holly Blues on the track up. The 'whites' are difficult to identify as they rarely settle and disappear up and away pretty quickly.

We were here to look for Brown Hairstreak and were in luck. Neil Hulme from the local Sussex Butterfly Conservation Trust was on the site and had already spotted one. He and a couple of others were busily photographing a female. We joined them and got amazingly close to a female egg-laying.

Unfortunately my photographic attempts were too blurred but you can find decent images here but I did get one of a Speckled Wood.

Speckled Wood

At 2.30 the females went back up into the trees and that was pretty much it for the day. They're very precise with their timing and Neil knows their habits and behaviour intimately.

We walked further up the hill and then spent a good few minutes watching whatever butterflies were around. Two Wall Brown's made an appearance, as well as several Common Blues, a Small White, Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns.

There was masses of wild marjoram which left a lovely scent as you walked through it and the bees and butterflies loved it. I found a huge bumblebee on the marjoram. No idea what species but it was huge.

Back down the hill to the cars. I stopped off briefly at Woods Mill on the way back but it was clouding over and getting cooler, so not much around. In fact very quite. I did spot Holly Blues and a rather ragged Comma and fleeting whites. I spent a bit of time trying to get a few shots of a male kestrel sitting on the dead tree in the meadow area. Not great but good practice.

Further photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/claree/sets/72157624751965448/

Chalk Downland Wildflowers

2010-08-14T19:00:00.008+01:00

Today's Sussex Wildlife Trust course on wild flowers of the chalk downland, started at Singleton Village Hall. The early arrivals having set the room up, we set about important things like tea and coffee while the others arrived.

Simon Curson, our guide, gave us a brief introduction of the flower groups that we were likely to see and an excellent overview and explanation, including his two minute explanation of 'how the Downs were formed'.

Carline Thistle

If you feel overwhelmed by the pages of potential thistles, hawkweeds and hawkbits in your identification book - it's reassuring to know that actually there are perhaps just a handful of species that you're likely to see in any particular location, so once you know this you can eliminate most of the others.

We started out with a walk up the hill from Singleton, in the drizzle - making slow progress as we kept stopping every few steps to check the species on the rough grassland which was overgrown with spear and creeping thistle, field pansy, willowherb sp., woody nightshade and sow thistle sp.

Sp = species, i.e. haven't identified the exact plant but it's from that family. A good let off when you don't want or really need to identify the specific hawkbit plant.

There was a further distraction identifying the Roesel's Bush-cricket before we finally made it onto the chalk grassland. Long antennae = cricket, short antennae = grasshoppers.

Clustered Bellflower

Along the hedgerow was majoram with a lovely small pink flower and minty/herby scent, wild basil, hemp nettle, white dead nettle. On the grassland, plenty of ragwort, yarrow and small clumps of self heal and wild thyme. Back down the hill and more crickets and grasshoppers, common speedwell, scarlet pimpernel and more bittersweet/woody nightshade. Apparently it tastes bitter, then sweet, then you're dead! Pity the person who worked that one out?

A short comfort break before heading up the hill past the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum onto the Trundle - where we had lunch and then walked down from the car park to the strip of grassland beside the track. In the next two hours we managed to progress a few hundred yards down the track busily identifying many of the plants we'd seen slides of and recording over 20 species in just that one area.

We also identified a few butterflies while we were at it, saw three buzzards circling overhead and watched the rain over Bognor Regis. We finished off in time to get back to the cars before the next wave of showers hit us.

Oystercatchers, Curlew And A 'Pale' Gull?

2010-08-12T21:19:00.000+01:00

A walk down to the seafront this evening and the tide was well out. Plenty of seabirds roosting on the shore in amongst the seaweed or bathing in the pools - mainly herring . A group of twenty or so adult black-headed gulls in varying stages of moult. Some have completely lost their black heads and others still have a faint outline.

There were a few greater black-backed gulls and I think, but don't quote me on it, a glaucous gull. Now it was a way off on the shoreline but it was definitely paler than all the other herring gulls - adults and juvenilles. Similar size but overall pale, creamy colour rather than grey and different from all the other varieties, shapes and sizes of bird. I'll admit that I need to get my 'seabird eye' in, as I do have difficulty with all their different stages of plumage. It's also a bit early in the season as they tend to be more winter birds.

I did count at least 10 oystercatchers feeding along the shore, a couple of little egrets and after much scanning, a lone curlew in amongst them all. There was a fulmar up on the cliff, a couple of rock doves and a pair of swallows flying over the clifftop.

Seafront Walk

2010-08-09T20:10:00.014+01:00

A walk/jog/run along the seafront this morning for a change of scenery and the first piece of serious exercise in a while. The blackberries are just starting to ripen and I picked a couple from a passing bramble on the way - the first blackberries of the year. There were several female blackbirds in the park in what looked like a family group with one male.

The tide was in and there were plenty of gulls on the seashore along with several dogwalkers, one of whom was a lady who'd done the Brighton marathon last year and had already signed up for the next one - that put me to shame!

A few oystercatchers around and three little egrets flying along the shoreline but I was in exercise mode and didn't have my bino's with me, so other than looking at what I could see close by, I didn't see much else.

Bees And Butterflies

2010-08-08T20:22:00.000+01:00

The wind has dropped, the sun is out and insects are everywhere. Bees on the lavender, hoverflies on the fennel - they love it and I keep at least one large clump growing, which does result in it seeding itself all around the garden - especially if I don't dead-head it soon enough.

There are plenty of butterflies around - blue and brown ones. They spend more time fluttering than settling, so are difficult to identify and even then, I've got the book in hand trying to work them out. The pictures have them nicely settled with open wings and more often they've got their wings closed, not so helpful. However, I did identify holly blue, meadow brown and a gatekeeper (two white spots in the black eyespot).

I'm doing a course this weekend on butterflies so I hope to have improved my fluttering butterfly identification skills. Especially the little blue and brown ones you see out on the downland.

Breeding Blackbirds?

2010-08-07T09:19:00.001+01:00

I think the blackbirds may be having another brood. The male has just been down gathering as many seeds in his mouth as he can before flying off towards the trees. He takes a couple for himself first before ending up with a beak-full of seeds.

Also in for breakfast are a pair of great tits (don't seem them very often), a blue tit, a pair of goldfinches and a noisy female chaffinch. The male usually appears later in the day and is equally noisy. My cue to check there's not a cat around.

Brean Down Country Park

2010-07-26T20:51:00.001+01:00

At the end of the road to Berrow, bypassing the caravan, holiday and leisure park and the bird garden is Brean Down Country Park. A large lump of rock jutting out in to the Severn Estuary. There's a steep flight of steps from the car park and cafe at the base which takes you up on to the top and a spectacular walk along the top of the Down with it's closely cropped grass, ancient field systems (remaining as a faint outline) and steep cliffs on either side.

At the end of the point is the remains of a Fort on the seaward end. Mainly built in the 19th Century but used during the World Wars. The original buildings apart from being gutted are in much better condition than the crumbling concrete constructions that were built later.

From the top of Brean Down you realise how massive the Severn estuary is. On either side is a vast expanse of water - straight ahead to Wales in one direction, to Exmoor and the Bristol Channel and up river towards Bristol. Weston-super-Mare in the bay behind with it's newly built pier.

Thankfully there was a constant breeze otherwise it would have been extremely hot. We spotted a lovely stonechat and a number of pipits on the way back. There's a small herd of goats on the way up and a herd of lovely and very impressive horned British White.

Luckily the trek up the steps and the attractions further along the beach probably put most people off, as there were relatively few people around but still some of those that were, were inappropriately dressed - although I was slightly over-dressed for the heat. It was cool and cloudy when we left the house.

Spotted Flycatchers Return

2010-07-11T21:00:00.000+01:00

The spotted flycatchers reappeared in Harting a few days ago. Very late in the season if they've only just arrived, so perhaps they were nesting somewhere else and have moved here for their second brood.

They've certainly taken up residence in their usual nesting place by the front door and we've all got fingers crossed that this year they successfully rear their brood and the nest doesn't get attacked by magpies or jackdaws which is what happened last year.

The parent bird(s) appear every now and then on the telephone wire or on one of the over-hanging branches before visiting the nest.

Lovely to see them back again.

Tame Blackbirds

2010-06-24T11:43:00.000+01:00

I've got a very tame pair of blackbirds in the garden. The male frequently comes down to feed when I'm sitting out and doesn't seem to be the slightest bit concerned by my presence. Having given me a wary look he just carries on feeding. This morning he was attempting to stuff as many seeds into his mouth as possible, so they still have young to feed somewhere. Either first brood that should be ready to fledge by now or perhaps on their second brood.

The female has just come down too. It's either a young female or a tail-less adult as she has no tail feathers. Also very tame and flew up onto the trellis when I came out to top up the bird bath, watched me and then flew back down as I went back inside.

I hope they're a lot more wary if a cat appears. In fact I've just put the bird table back out with some feed as it's off the ground and safer from the danger of cats sneaking up on them.

Pulborough: Nightjars

2010-06-17T21:53:00.000+01:00

Another great Summer BBQ for the volunteers at Pulborough. Out in the front of the centre this time, so we didn't disturb the nesting barn owls.

After the meal several of us hung around as it got dark and went to see and hear the nightjars on the heathland. It got darker and darker and I got more and more bitten but no sign of them. There was one distant, short churr around 10pm and after another 15 minutes I decided to give up and head back to the car. At which point I heard one very clearly and quite close. Finally!

We rushed round to view its perch and saw it flattened out along a branch and clearly heard it calling. It flew off after a few minutes but it was lovely to hear it and worth staying late for.

Stunned Nuthatch

2010-06-15T21:54:00.019+01:00

Over at my parents and the usual array of small birds on the feeders. I brought over a large sack of seed as they get through it so fast. Plenty of young, yellow newly fledged bluetits.

While sitting out in the sunshine a hobby flashed by. At least, from it's fleeting shape I guessed that's what it was. There are several swallows around although they've not nested in the bottom shed.

A little later I found a stunned nuthatch outside the back door. It had obviously flown in to the window. I put it in a shaded area to see if it would recover. Sadly it looked as if it might have broken a leg and died a few minutes later.

Arundel Wildfowl

2010-06-13T19:59:00.003+01:00

Another visit to Arundel Wildfowl Trust and quite a few changes since last time I was here. The Wetlands Discovery Area is complete and well established with a 'quiet' path around the area and two hides close to it. One was closed and the presence of young children running around screaming didn't exactly make it the tranquil area it was intended.

Plenty of young chicks around - mallard, coot and moorhen mainly with a few young shelduck on the ponds. Coot and moorhen chicks that only their mum could love, nothing like the cuter and fluffier shelduck chicks.

The Scrape area has been opened up and there's a new sand martin hide overlooking the riverside pools that hadn't even been started last time I was here, although no sand martins around.

Quite a few warblers - Reed, Sedge and Cetti's. There was a buzzard and kestrel flying over the woods and a number of woodland birds in the woodland walk area which comes out in the reedbed.

Probably not the best time to come on a sunny weekend when there are plenty of family and weekenders around who are more interested in feeding the exotics and fluffy duckings than being aware of the 'wild' birds.

It's probably one of the reasons why it's not one of my favourite locations. Possibly better in the winter or on a weekday and I'd like to see what's out in the Discovery area.

Day 3: South Downs Way - Southease to Ditchling Beacon

2010-06-05T19:40:00.001+01:00

We set off slightly earlier today having deposited cars at either end of our walk. Heading out from the church in Southease with runners going one way and masses of walkers going the other. We'd obviously chosen a busy weekend - although this being half-term week, it probably wasn't surprising as there were plenty of people along the whole of the route. We were repeating the first part of the walk that we'd covered at the end of Day 2 walking back to Telscombe.

Having hiked up Mill Hill and stepped aside to let runners pass, we walked up the long incline on to Kingston Ridge along concrete roads and wide chalk tracks and fields of grazing cattle.

Finally saw a buzzard as we walked round up on the escarpment above Lewes. No red kite though. Several of those have been seen along the eastern end of the Downs recently but not when I've been out and about.

Masses of meadow pipits around on the Downs today, I've never heard so many singing. Their 'tumbling' song different from the skylarks. There were also plenty of blue butterflies - although what species of blue I couldn't tell - chalk hill and common blues most likely. Flitting by too fast and not enough time to sit and watch, as we continued on our way.

The runners were putting us to shame by running UP the hills we were merely walking. It turned out it's the annual South Downs Way Relay race. Teams of six, running along the entire length of the South Downs in one day, eighteen legs. One of their changeover points was the A27 between Falmer and Lewes (and a tap stop for water) where they were all gathered. After a steep uphill slog over Long Hill and down through the woods we came back out onto open chalk downland.

As we headed up towards Blackcap we came across a mobile shearing setup. Having wondered what the two gazebos we'd spotted in the distance were doing in the relative middle of nowhere, their purpose became clear as we got nearer.

No, they weren't a refreshment tent setup for hot and tired walkers (unfortunately). There was a clue in the wool scattered round the field and the presence of sheep (as yet unsheared).

Shortly after we arrived, the action started as the sheep were herded into the pens with much bleating, shuffling and hot, panting sheep and their lambs. Although some of the lambs had escaped the pen and were racing around outside. They looked much in need of shearing and not just as relief from the heat. Can you imagine being dressed up in a thick woolly jumper in the heat.

It was going to be a while before any actual shearing took place, as the shearers (no doubt from Australia and New Zealand) were still munching their lunch, so we walked on and had our own brief lunch stop once we'd reached Blackcap Down.

Although it's an article from last year - it explains the reason so many sheep still seemed to have their fleeces so late in the year and in such hot weather.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4301984.Sheep_shearer_shortage_worries_Sussex_farmers/

After our short break sitting in the shade of a hawthorn on Blackcap, listening to a yellowhammer singing away in the heat, it was just another hour walk to Ditchling Beacon and a welcome ice-cream before heading back to pick up the car.

Total walked today: 11.5 miles - 4.5 hrs
TOTAL SO FAR: 29.5 miles (32.5mi) - 70.5 to go

You can find more photos of the walk on Facebook and Flickr

Wildlife Webcams and Baby Birds

2010-06-03T08:11:00.000+01:00

There's nothing more enthralling than watching wildlife happening right in front of you. With nesting season well underway a great way to do this is to view live action on a webcam. There are several wildlife groups with webcams set up on their reserves and live streaming for you to watch.

See four at once on BBC Springwatch
Watch Owls and Kestrels at Dorset Wildlife Trust
RSPB webcams - birds of prey, seabirds and feeders.

Don't disturb nesting birds - you may be keen to see the eggs or young birds but parents can abandon their nests if disturbed. Stay well clear and keep animals and children away.

Baby Birds

There will be plenty of young birds around at the moment but don't immediately assume they've been abandoned.

If you find a baby bird and it's feathered and uninjured - leave it alone. It's parents are probably nearby and will not come near while you are there.

If it's on the ground and in immediate danger from cats or a road - place it in a nearby bush or tree.

If it's a young chick, you might be able to find the nest (probably above where you found it) and replace the bird in the nest and move well away.

You can find more advice on the RSPB site http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/health/babybirds.asp

A27 Unidentified Crane(?) and Arlington

2010-05-31T18:40:00.001+01:00

I nearly drove off the road on my way to Arlington reservoir, when I spotted a crane flying east high above the A27. I pulled over (safely), grabbed my binoculars out of the car but it was already too far away for me to pick it out. I wonder if it was the common crane that's been spotted around the county recently.

Onward to Arlington on a grey day which kept promising to clear up but never quite did. There was very little out on the water. The usual assortment of great crested grebe, canada geese and mallard. A few coots, moorhen, cormorant and gulls. Perhaps the fishing boats were putting some of them off.

Several woodland warblers along the trail and a couple of swallows and swifts but that was it. A quiet visit.

Soggy Birds and Birders

2010-05-29T20:21:00.003+01:00

After the heat of last weekend, a complete contrast today and back to what we can normally expect of a British Summer - cold, grey ... and wet!

All the volunteers seemed to have congregated in Nettley's Hide out of the rain. We had wonderful views of a sedge warbler singing from a nearby bush. Masses of sand martins flying around and flying along the stream below the hide so very close views. Usually they're flying over the brooks and harder to pick out. They were also sitting on the barbed wire on the fences in the centre of the pools, so with a scope you could see them being fed by the adults. All of the hirudines were out today despite the rain.

There were a few mallard ducklings - not many. I spotted two females with two and four chicks respectively, although being wet, many birds were probably keeping a low profile. The only wader I saw was a redshank. Plenty of the woodland summer visitors have appeared - chiffchaff, willow warblers and of course the nightingales. I heard one briefly between Winpenny and Little Hanger.

The rain did come in mid-morning. Not a downpour but enough to get pretty soggy, as I walked back up to the centre, after seeing what was out on the North Brooks. Pointing out the sedge warbler to the few visitors brave enough to venture out and enthralling a family group with close-up views of the deer.

A short break to dry out with a cup of tea and a slab of bread pudding and I was back out for a short wander round, as the weather hadn't really improved. There were two Egyptian Geese out on the brooks, I've often seen one but not two at once, also over forty mute swan feeding along with shaggy and very cute highland cattle - several adults and their young. Over forty species spotted today, which considering the rain wasn't bad.

Well worth visiting the centre at the moment - especially for their Springwatch weekend next weekend. They've got webcams set up on a couple of nest boxes and you can watch the big screen in the centre with the cutest clutch of bluetits packed into one of the next boxes. I counted eight heads and they're getting pretty big, so they won't be there long. Get along soon so you don't miss them.

Drinking and Bathing

2010-05-24T12:44:00.000+01:00

Don't forget to put out plenty of water for the birds. They're hard at work looking after young in the nest or fledglings and need water to drink and bathe. I've had a pair of blackbirds visiting my garden regularly in this hot weather to come and drink and have a bath. Presumably taking it in turns to look after the youngsters - while the other one goes off to take a break.

The wood pigeons are the most regular visitors to the bird bath but the magpies are also getting the hang of taking a bath and the smaller birds tend to pop in towards the end of the afternoon.

If you're feeling hot and thirsty in the heat, think how the birds must be feeling.

Day 2: South Downs Way - Exceat to Southease

2010-05-23T18:27:00.013+01:00

Even early morning it was hot, so I knew today was going to be a hot one. A slightly longer walk than Day 1 but less hilly. Four of us this time - sunhats, sunscreen, sunglasses and plenty of water.

We park up at Exceat, Seven Sisters Country Park and set off up the hill overlooking the Cuckmere valley and it's meanders into Friston Forest and a direct up and down route through the trees to West Dean.

On through the forest, past fields of buttercups and across farmland to Litlington and a view of the white horse across the valley, together with dozens of paragliders setting up alongside it.

From Litlington we headed down to the river and walked along the river bank with several reed warblers singing from the reeds and house martins skimming over the river, to Alfriston where we just had to stop at Badgers tea rooms for tea and cake. The garden was packed (unsurprisingly) so we sat inside in their newly refurbished tea rooms with very pretty floral pink table cloths.

Yummy cake and tea - served from silver pots and jugs - unusual. Back out into the heat and another English tradition - morris dancing in the village square. A brief photo stop and then we headed out through Alfriston, up the hill and back onto the Downs where I heard a nightingale singing from the trees alongside the wide bridleway.

There were plenty of cyclists out enjoying the SDW and the sunshine and several groups of youngsters walking the downs who judging by their rucksacks, camping mats and sleeping bags had been out camping for the weekend.

We followed the ridge with great views across the Weald to our right and views down to the coast on our left. Past paragliders on Bostal Hill, sheep and cattle panting in the heat, until our lunch stop on Firle Beacon - overlooking Firle, Mt Caburn and Lewes in the distance with masses of cowslips coming to an end on the slope infront of us.

It was a long stretch in the heat and would have been even hotter if it hadn't been for a slight breeze. The poor sheep were suffering, the lambs a few weeks old now and the poor mums not yet shorn. They were trying to find any scrap of shade they could which is difficult on the mainly chalk grassland on the top of the Downs, where the only cover is the occasional patch of gorse or bramble.

It got hotter as we walked down Itford Hill, across the A26 and the railway line at Southease station, following the path across the River Ouse into Southease village and a water tap! Hurrah. A chance to refill our bottles for the final walk back to Telscombe and take a look inside the small and very old village church.

Crossing the road and following the path down to the farm track. I heard a yellowhammer singing by the road junction up to Telscombe Village and a whitethroat as we walked through the farm, having left the South Downs Way were it heads up to Mill Hill.

We were now on the home stretch, into Telscombe Village up the final hill to Telscombe Tye and back home, stopping off at the shop for an ice-cream and then a well earned rest in the garden.

I was surprised at how few birds of prey we saw - no kestrels or buzzards up on the Downs. Perhaps too hot or too many paragliders around or I just didn't notice them.

Total walked today: 11 (+3) miles - 7 hrs
TOTAL SO FAR: 18.5 miles (21.5mi) - 81.5 to go

If you'd like to support us on our walk raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support , you can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/CESDW2010

Day 1: South Downs Way - Five Do Seven

2010-05-08T20:23:00.003+01:00

Earlier this year my friend Chrissie suggested the two of us walk the South Downs Way from Eastbourne to Winchester. It seemed like a good idea as it's on our respective doorsteps and while walking parts of it and living close to it for years, neither of us have ever walked the whole length.

This isn't going to be an endurance test - we're not going to be completing it in 24hrs or hiking the whole length in one go but rather doing it over several weekends and several days but aiming to complete it in 7 days in total.

Today happened to be Day 1 and a couple of Chrissie's friends and her husband came along for the first walk.

We met up at Exceat, left one car in the Forestry Commission car park and drove to the start of the walk in Eastbourne, where we left the other car. Grey and overcast with showers likely later in the day.

Great views across Eastbourne and along the coast with much talk of trekking poles, as we hiked up the first steep hill, passing dog walkers, a few crazy runners (up those steep slopes!?) and plenty of cowslips, vipers bugloss and a few dog violets on the grassy slopes.

Following the way markers above the playing fields and around the edge of Whitebread Hole with playing fields at the bottom. Along the headland and paved paths, round to Beachy Head for a breakfast stop at the brick remains of a signal station, which has now been thoughtfully filled with benches.

There are a number of crosses along the clifftop above the lighthouse 160 metres below - a reminder of the other attraction of Beachy Head.

The first real hill, once past Beachy Head is down and up to the Belle Tout lighthouse and around its stone walls following the path down to Birling Gap. The hotel there is closed and undergoing refurbishment but there's a temporary refreshment kiosk selling tea/coffee and the usual grilled offerings. As it was starting to spit with rain - actually it had been spitting for a while - we sat inside for a short break, a drink and loo stop.

Heading up the hill towards the Seven Sisters - yes, there are seven of them (well, eight but they don't count Flat Hill), so no getting away from that. Steep downhills followed by steep uphills or long hard uphill slogs.

Several swallows skimming along the cliff edge and stonechats and whitethroats singing from the scrub along the way. I heard a peregrine calling from the cliffs as we walked down to Crowlink and there were fulmar flying below - perhaps also nesting on the cliffs.

A short break for lunch at the top of the seventh - overlooking Cuckmere Haven and then downhill all the way back to Exceat and the car - just as the drizzle started to become more persistent. Good timing!

Total walk: 7.5 miles - 3 1/2 hrs including breaks.
TOTAL SO FAR: 7.5 - 92.5 to go

If you'd like to support us on our walk, you can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/CESDW2010

Near Miss

2010-05-07T15:33:00.001+01:00

A very sorry looking woodpigeon that's been attacked either by a cat or the sparrowhawk. Bare patch on it's back with skin visible and feathers missing.

It flew in and flew out again this afternoon, so it's mobile and can fly OK. If not too badly damaged and suffering from shock, it might recover from it's near miss. I'll keep an eye out for it as it's obviously one of my regular visitors.

Beach Walk In Dorset

2010-05-04T22:13:00.014+01:00

A lovely walk along the coast from the Hive Beach Cafe on the Dorset coast in the Spring sunshine. Too early for lunch so a walk first, skimming stones from the shoreline and then back for lunch at the cafe, which was really busy but worth the wait.

Decided to pop into Lyme Regis for dessert or perhaps a cream tea on the seafront but very disappointed. No longer a quaint fishing village but very touristy and tourist tat at that!

Made it as far as Cobb harbour but didn't venture out fossil-hunting along the shoreline. We did however manage to find a cream tea in a cafe in one of the little side roads off the main thoroughfare.

First Whitethroat Of The Year

2010-04-20T18:29:00.000+01:00

Wow! Just seen a (male?) Common Whitethroat right outside the sitting room window. I could definitely see it's white throat but with the light behind it and slightly dirty windows, the rest of the colour wasn't too distinct but it seemed to have a grey rather than brown head. Beautiful little bird, especially so close - just a few feet away. Flitting slowly from branch to branch on the pyracantha outside and peering in through the window. I'm not sure whether it was watching me or if it was looking at it's reflection.

It must be one of the first to arrive and they're always a welcome summer visitor. I do seem them vary rarely in the garden or in the shrubs just outside but they're far more common up on the Tye.

Large brown caterpillar

2010-04-18T21:58:00.000+01:00

BIG brown caterpillar found on the daffodils this morning - almost 2" (60mm) and pretty ugly looking creature.

A brief search on Google turned up a photo and info about the large yellow underwing moth. The caterpillars are also known as cutworms because of their feeding habits on young plants.

I did hope it was something more exotic but the adult moth is more distinctive and quite large. The adults feed at night and on nectar - ivy, buddleia, valerian - all of which are around the garden. I'll definitely have to look out for that around the garden.

First Swallows

2010-04-10T19:21:00.000+01:00

Saw my first swallows today. There were three of them feeding over the horse fields in Rottingdean where I was collecting manure for the veg garden at a local stable.

It seems early, as it's only the beginning of April and they don't usually appear around here until early May but good to see them. Will be keeping an eye out for them and the house-martins appearing over the house and up on the Tye soon.

Nectar For The Bees

2010-04-09T13:44:00.000+01:00

During my recent visit to the garden centre I treated myself to a Skimmia Fragrant Cloud.

It's absolutely lovely and as it's name suggests - very fragrant. The bees love it and that was the reason I brought it. Not only was the scent lovely, wafting round the garden centre but all the plants were covered in bees, so I couldn't resist.

It's especially important to have something for the bees at this time of year. There were a few crocus earlier and the stinking hellebore (not a great name but the bumblebees love it) is out. I was surprised at how early the lungwort appeared - also a bee favourite.

The daffodils are now in full bloom, although being munched by the snails and the yellow ribes is just starting to come out and attracting the bees.

Bumblebees have been appearing for a few weeks - apparently the pregnant females appear first, searching for nest sites, which why they've been flying low over the ground.

Pecking Order: Greenfinches

2010-03-11T12:23:00.000Z

Greenfinches seem to be one of the more aggressive (assertive) of the small birds. When they're on the feeders they will see off anyone else who wants to get near, although they also squabble amongst themselves.

They fly around in large flocks and are often seen at the top of nearby trees in a group of 20-30. Probably a mix of older and younger birds, parents and siblings (maybe even foreign winter visitors) with a hierarchical pecking order within the group.

Breakfast Roll Call

2010-03-07T14:21:00.000Z

Who's coming for breakfast?

First ones that I see are the house sparrows - a small group that turns up every day.
- greenfinches squabbling amongst themselves to get to the seed.
- two robins chasing each other around the garden in between feeding on the ground or the pole feeder.
- four goldfinches - switching between feeders and taking cover at the slightest disturbance.
- a blue tit on the fat balls and another on the seed
- the woodpigeon that's been sitting on the fence, finally ventures down to collect the fallen seed
- male blackbird appears - ground feeding.
- goldfinches back for a second helping

Second wave coming in an hour or so later:
- the pair of collared doves have appeared - hanging precariously on the feeder.
- a starling investigates both the bird table and the seed feeder
- a pair of chaffinches - not so adept at the seed feeder but also on the ground
- robin back - now on the bird table
- finally the great tits - snatch and grab on the feeders
- an unusual visitor - a magpie on the lawn, peering at the feeders before flying off

Pecking Order: Dunnock

2010-03-04T13:04:00.000Z

The poor dunnock is definitely at the bottom of the pecking order in my garden. It gets chased away by pretty much everyone - including the blackcap which isn't usually one of the residents and was being chased off by everyone else at first.

There are a pair that come into the garden and they spend most of their time under the feeder pole, close to cover but sometimes venturing out into the open or on to the bird table but usually retreat to the bushes if anyone else comes close.

Defensive Driving Assessment

2010-02-27T17:02:00.003Z

It was like taking my driving test again - although I can't really compare driving a landrover along country lanes to driving around London in a Triumph Dolomite. I was being assessed for my on-road driving ability of the South Downs landrover. I haven't driven anything vaguely four-wheeled since I did the off-road driving course and the landrover is pretty different from a modern easy to drive hatchback.

However, I didn't hit anything, I didn't turn it over on a bend and I didn't terrify my fellow passenger and assessment candidate or the assessor, so I passed. Just the theory to go and then I might be heading out in a landrover on a task.

How To: Birdsong

2010-02-26T10:00:00.000Z

One of the best ways to identify birds is from their birdsong.

One of the most difficult ways to identify birds is from their birdsong.

Yes, it's a conundrum. We often hear birds before we see them - or often without seeing them. However, being able to identify anything but the more obvious is often difficult. It takes years of practice, getting tuned in and then of course there are only those that can only be heard at certain times of year, so no sooner have you got the hang of the wood warbler or the whitethroat and it's gone.

I was given the Collins Field Guide: Bird Songs and Calls a couple of years ago and although it's not the best guide, it does give you a better chance of being able to identify a bird out in the wild. Play and rewind frequently, so that recognition comes from repetition. It's useful to find the bird you want to identify or think you might see before you go out (like crossbills). [N.B. Not for beginners]

Another useful tool is the audio snippets on the RSPB website and British Garden Birds which has short bursts of songs and calls.

Even better if you can go out with someone who's experienced. They can then point you in the right direction and help the initial identification process easier.

If you can start to identify birds by their song you'll get even more enjoyment from your birdwatching.

House Sparrows

2010-02-19T11:57:00.000Z

Seven house sparrows on the feeders just now. I'll often see 3-5 but 7 is the highest count so far.

I think word must be getting round about the well stocked feeders. In fact I'll need to get another bag of seed at the RSPB Pulborough this weekend.

I'll give up with the peanuts, those have never been popular and go bad before they ever get eaten. The fat balls are popular with the starlings but not many others. The woodpigeon did have a go the other day as it could reach it from one of the other feeders.

More Feeders, More Birds

2010-02-19T11:32:00.000Z

Definitely seeing more birds in the garden these days since the new feeders were installed. Although now that I'm working from the dining room table it also means I see more of them throughout the day rather than the occasional glimpse from the kitchen window.

This morning I came down to a small flock of green and goldfinches. The goldfinches are becoming regular visitors several times a day. Often just two but I've seen as many as six at a time. I was lucky if I saw them several times a year, so it's lovely to have these colourful visitors every day. They're now almost totally ignoring the niger feeder in favour of the sunflower seed mix. Perhaps the positioning more in the open makes a difference.

I usually only see one solitary greenfinch, so having three or four at a time was a treat. They're definitely the most aggressive - chasing off any other birds that come near the feeder when they're on it, regardless of whether there are spare perches. There's often a large flock of 20 or so birds that fly in towards the end of the day and sit on the trees in the park but they don't come visiting.

The blackcap is also a regular visitor. Ever since the snow - he's been in the garden pretty much every day and is even getting aggressive with some of the other smaller birds.

A Good Day For The Birds

2010-02-11T20:50:00.000Z

A lovely day in the garden today. It started out very cold but no sign of the snow which had blocked roads just a few miles either side of here.

I watched - robins, blackbirds, song thrush, goldfinches, chaffinches, dunnock, collared doves, wood pigeons, blue tit, great tit, greenfinches, house sparrows, starling and a pair of blackcaps. Everyone seemed to be in pairs today although the robins were chasing each other round the garden rather being within a few feet of each other.

The female blackcap has been coming into the garden for a couple of days but today the male reappeared and both of them spent most of the day feeding, drinking and bathing. Everyone was particularly interested in the bird bath today.

Two song thrush appeared at one point and were having a fight before flying off. Two males claiming their territory or a pair? I've only seen one in the garden and today it was feeding on the ground near the house but perhaps I've had two different one's visiting at different times. I'll keep making sure snails are available, so they keep coming back. Shouldn't be a problem, there are so many of them!

A Very Chilly Search For Fieldfare

2010-02-10T20:56:00.000Z

It couldn't make up it's mind today whether it was going to snow or not. There were snow showers on and off all day. One minute it was grey and there'd be a flurry of snow and a few minutes later the sky would be blue and the sun came out. A large flock of redwing or fieldfare flew over about midday so I went out early afternoon to see if there was any sign of them up on the Tye.

It was bitterly cold with an icy wind but no snow and also no sign of a large flock of feeding birds. They were probably long gone by then. Plenty of wood pigeon flying around and I did spot one solitary fieldfare up in the horse field with a couple of blackbirds and carrion crows but that was it, very little else around.

And Then There Were Ten

2010-02-09T17:29:00.004Z

There are often several magpies around the area and it's rare to see only one or two at a time. This afternoon half a dozen flew up onto one of the nearby roofs and were quickly joined by more. In the end there were ten of them together on the roof. Two more were sitting on nearby trees - perhaps not members of the same family group as they didn't join them.

There are many variations on the Magpie rhyme - one for sorrow, two for joy and in the US, where magpies are rarer they base it on crows. I like this version which includes additional lines:

One for sorrow,

Two for Joy,

Three for a girl,

Four for a boy,

Five for silver,

Six for gold,

Seven for a secret never to be told,

Eight for a wish,

Nine for a kiss,

Ten a surprise you should be careful not to miss,

Eleven for health,

Twelve for wealth,

Thirteen beware, it's the devil himself.

Pulborough: Water Rail and the Biking Birder

2010-02-07T20:18:00.001Z

The morning was cold, grey and with a few showers around and expecting more I headed out to Pulborough to meet up with the Biking Birder. I arrived, surprised to find the car park full, especially on a Friday. Heading straight out to Nettley's I bumped into Peter, the warden, who had seen a female goldeneye out on the far ponds and shortly after than Anna, who's been watching a water rail from Nettley's and found when Gary (@bikingbirder201) was due to arrive.

At Nettley's the water rail was clearly visible in a clump of sedge close to the fence. Beautiful views when it came out into the open with a pair of green woodpeckers feeding on the ground on the other side of the reeds. Plenty of canada geese, wigeon, teal, a few gadwall and the wonderful, elegant pintails out on the Brooks, which were fairly flooded. Waders were few and far between with only a couple of black-tailed godwit spotted and no sign of the snipe. Winpenny was very quiet - plenty of lapwing, a few teal and wigeon and three tufted duck over at the back. A lovely song thrush singing from the hedgerow between Winpenny and West Mead.

No sign of the crossbills over on the heathland when I went up for a short walk before taking a break for lunch but they were there. I just didn't see them, although I think I heard them down in the plantation.

After lunch I finally caught up with Gary back in Nettley's - him and Barnaby Bear. He'd seen the crossbills, which was the main tick needed here and was checking out the waterbirds. Nothing new had appeared although I did see the Peregrine flying off from a perch near to Jupp's View over the trees and had spotted a buzzard flying near to the centre as I walked down.

While enjoying a cup of tea and a slice of bread pudding out in the sunshine with Gary and Anna - I spotted a few more species to add to the day's list and ended up with a total of 48. A few photo opps and then Gary headed off to Horsham for the next leg of his journey.

Breakfast With The Goldfinches

2010-02-04T11:30:00.000Z

The goldfinches seem to be regular breakfast visitors to the feeders at the moment and this morning I spotted seven house sparrows scrapping for their turn on the feeder - there only being four perches available - although if they'd looked a few feet away there are six on the other feeder! I always enjoy seeing the sparrows now - especially as they're not as common as they once were.

Coppicing In Stanmer

2010-01-31T17:51:00.042Z

Well what a treat today - with the South Downs up at Stanmer Woods to continue coppicing in the area we started working on back in September. What a difference. Not only were the leaves no longer on the trees which opened it up but the whole area was unrecognisable. It was almost completely cleared back to ground level with a few standards (mature trees) and some of the larger branches had been added along the edge to create a fence between the coups so it was easier to see where the next coppiced area starts.

Our treat was that Neil - the Brighton Ranger provided us with tea and coffee before we even got started and having eventually got the fire going - had brought along hot cross buns for us to toast on the fire AND biscuits. Now that's how to treat your volunteers. :)

Although the area looked clear - there was still some coppicing to do and plenty to drag over to the fire to burn. Using the previous fire area it took a couple of hours to get the fire roaring which then got knocked back so we could toast our buns and Neil could heat up his tajine. I even attempted to warm up my pasty. Semi works, although you tend to end up with a warm, crispy or burnt outside and still cold in the middle.

Once lunch was over we stoked up the fire and managed to burn most of the wood that had been previously cut, sawing and loping and keeping the fire fed until we finished around 2.30 to let it burn down, leaving a large pile of ash.

I heard a greater spotted woodpecker several times throughout the day but apart from a few woodland birds there wasn't much around. Not that I spent a lot of time looking - concentrating more on clearing and burning.