Bat survey, wildflower walk & squabbling oystercatchers
The following is Paul Steven's weekly Wildlife Sightings column that appears in the Chichester Observer newspaper.
Our Guides-in-the-Hide David Harper spotted an adult and a juvenile peregrine over the reserve together on Saturday. David also noted a redshank and common sandpiper from the Ramsar hide. David also spotted a kingfisher flying through. I saw one again on Monday carrying fish offsite, likely to feed young at the nest.
We had 6 oyster catchers on the grounds on Saturday. Our two regular pairs were visited by a pair that dropped in. The group kept taking to the air and squabbling nosily all around the reserve. The oystercatcher chick from pair that set up territory in our Tundra Pen has properly fledged and has been spotted flying around.
On Sunday I checked the habitats on the reserve recently completed in the Wetland Creation and Protection project at the Black Rabbit triangle. A horde of 20+ red-eyed damselflies were hovering at one of the ephemeral ponds. The silt from the dredged ditches is drying off nicely and already becoming overgrown with vegetation. I also saw a ringlet butterfly and a grey wagtail walking the edge of the pond. I heard a male linnet singing. There were no grizzled skippers at the chalk bank yet but I saw a large skipper, and an Essex skipper. The Essex skipper butterfly looks similar to the small skipper except the tips of its antennae are black instead of orange. I also some gatekeeper butterflies. These are emerging now through the end of August and are the only adults this year. Gatekeepers spend the winter as caterpillars.
We didn’t have a large count during last week’s bat survey. For several weeks in summer most bats are in their maternity colonies but we did see a few pipistrelles and a Daubenton’s bat. I picked up a noctule bat on the bat detector. I am leading a bat walk this autumn on Sept 14. If you are interested visit the Arundel Wetland Centre website for details.
The wetland wildflowers are reaching their peak. Gorgeous meadowsweet and purple loosestrife are flowering now with fleabane getting ready to burst forth. Our wetland herbalist Sheila Stenning is leading a Wildflower Walk this Friday 7 July at 11m, included in your admission to Arundel Wetland Centre.
Fledgling bullfinches are being seen around the reserve near their parents. Many of the black-headed gull chicks in the colony have fledged as well.
