Pulborough Brooks

With thanks to volunteer John for his report from November's monthly meander.

We took nine visitors on the Monthly Meander today. It didn't rain, it didn't blow, we weren't dazzled by the sun. The visibility was however, to put it politely, poor. From the terrace we saw nothing. By the time we reached Fattengates we had heard a Robin. It could only get better...

The usual mob of Blue and Great Tits greeted…

With thanks to volunteer Graham Osborne for his report and photos.

After a two-week break I was pleased to return to Pulborough Brooks on a beautifully warm and sunny day.

As I walked down the zigzag path the early morning dew was still visible on grass stalks and on numerous spider’s webs.

At Fattengates Courtyard I put out some seed, which was appreciated by the visiting birds, including Blue Tit and Great…

With thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photos

Although the weather forecast for Sunday was for thundery showers it stayed dry for most of the day.

The growing pond in front of West Mead Hide had attracted a good selection of wildfowl, including Wigeon, Mallard and Pintail.

At this time of year many of the male birds are in their eclipse plumage, such as this Pintail 

and this Wigeon.

Having had views of…

With thanks to volunteer Graham Osborne for his report and photos.

Although the weather forecast was for thundery showers it stayed dry (and very warm) for most of the day.

Soon after starting out I came across a confiding Great Tit.

As I made my way down the zigzag path the birds were keeping their distance, so I found an easier target - a group of Teasel heads.

At Fattengates Courtyard the evidence of earlier rain…

Thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photos.

The weather forecast for Sunday at Pulborough Brooks was for thundery showers. I decided to head straight for the North Brooks, thinking that I would find the highest number of birds there, and that I could shelter in Nettley’s Hide if it started to rain. From Hanger View I saw that there were good numbers of both Canada and Grey Lag Geese, as well as numerous Teal…

With thanks to volunteer Graham Osborne for his report and photos.

It was hot and humid at Pulborough Brooks on Sunday.

At Fattengates Courtyard a Red Admiral was on some Hemp Agrimony.

Although there was not a lot of water left in Pipe Pond a Southern Hawker dragonfly patrolled at low level, while a Grey Wagtail was feeding on the mud.

A regular visitor (Paul) had told me that he had seen a Whinchat from West Mead…

With thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photos.

It was mostly dry but windy at Pulborough Brooks on Sunday.

 By the zigzag path I spotted a pair of Sphaerophoria hoverflies mating in mid-air.

Near the bottom of the slope a Small Copper butterfly was basking in the sunlight.

I took the turn towards Fattengates Courtyard, and I soon came across a Painted Lady in very nice condition.

Near the raised pond I found…

With thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photographs

It was dry and warm at Pulborough Brooks on Sunday. 

 As I walked down the zigzag path I found a Leiobunum rotundum Harvestman

and a Common Scorpionfly.

At Fattengates Courtyard a Greenfinch briefly flew down to the pond for a drink.

At West Mead Hide the lack of water meant that there were very few birds to be seen at close range. However, I was able to…

Thanks to volunteer Graham Osborne for his report and photographs.

On Sunday I was joined on my Hides and Trails duties at Pulborough Brooks by Toby, a new RSPB Membership Fundraiser who is keen to get to know the reserve.  We started at Upperton’s Pond, where, almost as soon as we arrived, a Great Crested Newt larva swam up to the surface . 

Along the zigzag path the Ragwort was buzzing with hoverflies, including…

Thanks to volunteer Graham for his wildlife sightings report and photos.

After missing two Sundays at Pulborough Brooks I was pleased to return to Hides and Trails duties on the first weekend of August.

Soon after I arrived I saw a group of visitors whose attention was focused on something just behind the Welcome Hut. They pointed out the infant Common Lizard that has been seen regularly at this point, and I enjoyed…

Thanks to Johann, who has been spending the week on work experience with us, for his guest blog and photographs

Hi, my name is Johann.

I am a fifteen-year-old nature enthusiast and I have been a frequent visitor to RSPB Pulborough Brooks for nearly two years. As a passionate wildlife photographer I have found that this nature reserve is teeming with biodiversity, with its wetlands bustling with waterbirds, its meadows…

Thanks to volunteer Graham for his wildlife report and photos.

It was a dry, mostly cloudy day at Pulborough Brooks on Sunday. I started by heading to the yurt meadow, where there was a blaze of yellow provided by Ragwort. The flowerheads were attracting a range of invertebrate visitors including a Conehead (bush cricket) nymph,

a Peacock butterfly

and a female Crab Spider (Misumena vatia).

Some Knapweed presented…

Photo by Rob King

The Yellow Loosestrife Bee (Macropis europaea) is dependent on the Yellow Loosestrife plant that grows along just a few of our ditch edges. The female will gather not only pollen but oil from the plant which she mixes to a paste to line the nest chambers that she has dug. This waterproofs the chambers so that her larvae can survive over winter even during flood conditions.

Despite it being a notable…

With thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photos.

It was a cool day at Pulborough Brooks on Sunday, mostly dry but with the occasional brief spell of drizzle. Nevertheless, there were noticeably more butterflies about than there had been a week previously. Alongside the zigzag path, as well as the usual Meadow Browns there several Marbled whites, and I had a brief view of a Comma. I saw a couple of Ringlets

Thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photographs

It was dry but cloudy for the whole day at PB on Sunday. A resultant lack of flying dragonflies meant that recent spectacular Hobby displays would not be repeated on this occasion. However, as ever, there were many other wildlife highlights to be enjoyed. 

Quite a few birds were singing as I walked down the zigzag path, including Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat…

Thanks to volunteer Phil for his report and photos.

"Recent Sightings Friday 14 June – A Tale of Two Warblers"

There are many different species of warbler and by and large they all come into the “Little Brown Job” (LBJ) category, but some are just a little more colourful than others.

Earlier in the week I had become aware that a Savi’s Warbler had been found at Pulborough Brooks – cue lots…

Thanks to volunteer John Underwood for his report from this morning's wander.

It may be June but it was a bit nippy when I arrived in the car park. Being English weather the sun popped out now and again but  the clouds won the day and it was still chilly when I got  back. As a result there were no dragonflies to be seen but I did manage my first Meadow Brown of the year and a Cinnabar Moth in all it's grey and crimson…

Thank you to volunteer Graham for his wildlife report and photos:

After missing the two previous Sundays at Pulborough Brooks it was good to get back to a day of Hides and Trails on 9 June. The weather was fine and dry, although it was quite breezy for much of the time. A brief visit to Upperton’s Pond revealed three Four-spotted Chasers. 

As I approached West Mead Hide I saw my first Hobby of the day. After circling…

Thanks to volunteer John for his article following our 'monthly meander' event on Thursday.

"The grey morning didn't deter the six subscribers to our Monthly Meander nor the birding group from Wiltshire, a school party, the Gay Birders club and many others from coming on a Nightingale hunt.

No-one had to wait long. On the edge of the car park a Nightingale sang loudly all morning and as we went round…

Thanks to volunteer Graham Osborne for his sightings report and photos.

A lot of visitors came to Pulborough Brooks on Sunday, and the weather was dry and bright, but with a stiff breeze.

 A Nightingale was singing loudly near the car park as I arrived. Some visitors had managed to get photos of it, but it was singing from dense cover while I was there. I had hoped to have better luck with a Nightingale singing near the…

With thanks to volunteer Graham Jacobs for his report on yesterday's sightings:

On a lovely dry day (it seems that Graham's regular Thursday slot is usually characterised by rain) visitors were welcomed to the reserve by a Nightingale singing away in the car park, and several more were in full voice at the Zig Zags, Fattengates courtyard and Adder Alley.  Blackcaps were also serenading us all over the reserve and…

Thanks to volunteer Graham Osborne for his report and photographs.

There was fine weather at Pulborough Brooks on Sunday, and a lot of visitors were on the wetland trail.

 As I got out of my car I heard my first Nightingale of the day. An Adder showed briefly from the top of the zigzag path, and as I reached the bottom of the path I heard the scratchy song of a Whitethroat. There was plenty of birdsong to be heard at Fattengates…

With thanks to volunteer Phil for his article and photos

Over the course of the winter and early spring we have become very used to admiring the beautifully camouflaged plumage of Snipe in front of West Mead Hide. Now I am pleased to say there is another camouflage pattern to celebrate and it couldn’t be more different.  This belongs to my favourite butterfly – the Orange Tip.

Orange Tips emerge in early April…

With thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photos.

Although it was windy at Pulborough Brooks on Sunday it stayed dry, and there were plenty of visitors on the wetland trail throughout the day.  At the top of the zigzag path at least two Adders could be seen, and I shared scoped views with some visitors.

 As I approached Pipe Pond I heard my first brief burst of Nightingale song of the year. A little further on I…

With thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photos.

After missing the previous two Sundays at Pulborough Brooks the reserve looked a lot drier than during my last Hides & Trails visit.

 A quick visit to Upperton’s Pond revealed that all three newt species were readily viewable, and I made a mental note to allow enough time to attempt a few photos on my return in the afternoon. As I left the pond area I met a…