Winter Walk
11/01/12 15:20 Filed in: Sightings
I had an amazingly sunny & warm walk up the Steyning Coombe this morning to meet up with Tom Parry from the South Downs National Park and Nigel who co-ordinates our Ranger Team. The Grammar School Task Force were up there continuing the good work clearing scrub to help restore some more chalk grassland.
The temperature was around 14˚C, unseasonably mild, and this might have explained the two pristine Red Admiral butterflies we spotted on the way back down.
Lots of birds were also about including a pair of Bullfinches, Gold & Greenfinches, Green Woodpecker, Collared Doves, & on the ponds, Mallard, Teal & Gadwall.
PV
The temperature was around 14˚C, unseasonably mild, and this might have explained the two pristine Red Admiral butterflies we spotted on the way back down.
Lots of birds were also about including a pair of Bullfinches, Gold & Greenfinches, Green Woodpecker, Collared Doves, & on the ponds, Mallard, Teal & Gadwall.
PV
Random Events
15/11/11 11:37 Filed in: Sightings
Being in the right place at the right time is one of the wonderful things about observing wildlife. No matter how much research & planning you do, nature will always spring a surprise on you. This morning I was at the Upper Pond making some plans for our upcoming felling operations and spent some time there wandering around. I was standing by the dam, just about to leave when there was a terrific flapping in one of the overhanging trees. Down comes a bundle of feathers which turned out to be a Sparrowhawk chasing a Pigeon. The Pigeon managed to escape into some undergrowth just above the waterline & the Sparrowhawk sat on a branch just above, giving me great views. After a couple of minutes the obviously injured Pigeon made an escape attempt but was pounced on by the raptor who proceeded to grab it in its talons, get on top of it, and sit there, wings outstretched, calmly drowning it!
After a while, when it’s prey was dead, it attempted several times to extract the Pigeon from the water, but it was just too heavy so it just gave up and flew off leaving the bird floating in the pond. Incredible!
Poor Pigeon for enduring a dreadful death, or poor Sparrowhawk for having expended so much time & effort and failing to get a meal? Probably both….
PV
After a while, when it’s prey was dead, it attempted several times to extract the Pigeon from the water, but it was just too heavy so it just gave up and flew off leaving the bird floating in the pond. Incredible!
Poor Pigeon for enduring a dreadful death, or poor Sparrowhawk for having expended so much time & effort and failing to get a meal? Probably both….
PV
Butterflies
15/08/11 15:09 Filed in: Sightings
Had a very good walk on the Rifle Range this morning seeing a good range of butterflies, 13 species in all, but not in large numbers:
Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small White, Large White, Small Heath, Brimstone, Wall Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Common Blue, Speckled Wood & Brown Hairstreak.
Also saw a Grass Snake & some Slow Worms under a felt. Swallows & House Martins were flying above.
The popularity of our Brown Hairstreak Reserve is again apparent as there were at least eight people watching & taking photographs of a couple of females as they laid eggs on blackthorn growing around the perimeter.
Slow Worm
Brown Hairstreak
Brown Hairstreak laying Eggs
Brimstone
Wall Brown
Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small White, Large White, Small Heath, Brimstone, Wall Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Common Blue, Speckled Wood & Brown Hairstreak.
Also saw a Grass Snake & some Slow Worms under a felt. Swallows & House Martins were flying above.
The popularity of our Brown Hairstreak Reserve is again apparent as there were at least eight people watching & taking photographs of a couple of females as they laid eggs on blackthorn growing around the perimeter.
Slow Worm
Brown Hairstreak
Brown Hairstreak laying Eggs
Brimstone
Wall Brown
Wasp Spider
14/08/11 15:56 Filed in: Sightings
Here’s a photo of a Wasp Spider taken on the Rifle Range by Simon Birnstingl:
These striking spiders were first recorded in the UK in 1922, and have, so far, spread as far north as Cambridge. They live on flying insects and grasshoppers and need fairly long grass in which to build their nests. Males are much smaller than females and some don’t survive the mating experience, being eaten by the female!
These striking spiders were first recorded in the UK in 1922, and have, so far, spread as far north as Cambridge. They live on flying insects and grasshoppers and need fairly long grass in which to build their nests. Males are much smaller than females and some don’t survive the mating experience, being eaten by the female!
Got The Blues Again
26/07/11 14:32 Filed in: Sightings
At last I’ve spotted some blue butterflies again!
Yesterday I saw 3 male Common Blues on the Rifle Range & 3 females & 1 male on the Steyning Coombe. Also there were plenty of Gatekeepers, a Small Heath, 2 Brimstone, Small & Large Whites & 2 Wall Brown.
Today, in spite of being a bit gloomy, was a wildlife extravaganza! On the boundary of the Rifle Range a Buzzard flew out of a tree, the wild flowers were amazing and there were several Common Blues flying among the Gatekeepers, along with a Brown Argus, a Silver-washed Fritillary, Red Admiral & Peacock. Also saw 2 Adders, a Grass Snake, a Common Lizard & a Slow Worm. Best of all though was a Chalkhill Blue, the first one I’ve seen here for years!
CHALKHILL BLUE
COMMON BLUE
BRIMSTONE
SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY
WALL BROWN
ADDER
Yesterday I saw 3 male Common Blues on the Rifle Range & 3 females & 1 male on the Steyning Coombe. Also there were plenty of Gatekeepers, a Small Heath, 2 Brimstone, Small & Large Whites & 2 Wall Brown.
Today, in spite of being a bit gloomy, was a wildlife extravaganza! On the boundary of the Rifle Range a Buzzard flew out of a tree, the wild flowers were amazing and there were several Common Blues flying among the Gatekeepers, along with a Brown Argus, a Silver-washed Fritillary, Red Admiral & Peacock. Also saw 2 Adders, a Grass Snake, a Common Lizard & a Slow Worm. Best of all though was a Chalkhill Blue, the first one I’ve seen here for years!
CHALKHILL BLUE
COMMON BLUE
BRIMSTONE
SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY
WALL BROWN
ADDER