Thank you to volunteer Gary for the his report and photos
Very warm and muggy but still quite windy at Pulborough Brooks today. By 10:00 most bird song was diminished with only the odd burst from Whitethroats, although the other warblers did join in now and then. A nest box on an oak tree near the bottom of the zigzag has been taken over by bumble bees and a ring of sentries could be seen around the entrance hole.
Nightingales were only heard on two occasions and then not for long. Lapwings were very prominent chasing every potential threat; at one time eight were chasing a single crow. Nearby, a sitting Lapwing froze and seemed to melt into the grass. Although rather distant, four Redshank could also be seen chasing egrets and crows.
Plenty of damselflies were on the wing and this no doubt attracted a Hobby that was dashing backwards and forwards along the river bank. Long-tailed Tits were still bringing caterpillars to their nest in some brambles. A Kingfisher put in a brief appearance on the North Brooks as did two male Mandarin, otherwise the only things of note were 22 Mute Swans. Fattingates was very warm in the sunshine and I passed the time by watching the newts in the stone trough.