In just a few days we've had some amazing records of wildlife at the reserve.
Earlier in the year with our neighbours from Sussex Wildlife Trust's Eridge Rocks we cut and hung up some oak branches on the reserves. That might seem a strange thing to do but we were looking for evidence of the Olive Crescent moth, one of RSPB's priority non-avian species. The larvae of this moth feed on withered oak leaves so we were trying to replicate their food source. On 15 October Tony Davis from Butterfly Conservation joined the RSPB and Sussex Wildlife Trust volunteers to supervise checking the leaves for signs of the larvae. It wasn't long before the first one was discovered and we went on to find quite a few more which suggests that the Olive Crescent is well established on both reserves.
Tony demonstrating the survey method
An Olive Crescent Larva on a Withered Oak Leaf
Last week we completed the October survey of all of our Dormouse nestboxes and found 32 animals, the largest monthly total since we started our monitoring programme 3 years ago.
On 19 October the Saturday conservation work party volunteers had the privilege of seeing a flock of 30 Woodlark on some of the restored heathland areas. Birds were perching on log piles and on mounds, tumbling together in the air and bathing in small pools. There were even snatches of song. Woodlark are one of our target species and the first birds returned last year in response to the habitat restoration programme. To see such a large group was very exciting indeed.
And I shouldn't forget that a Kingfisher was spotted at the Decoy Pond on Friday. What a week in the short history of Broadwater Warren!
Wealden Reserves Office Manager