Volunteer John, recounts his enjoyable day in the sunshine at Pulborough Brooks.
It was so therapeutic to get away from all the doom and gloom and enjoy the warm sunshine today. And the nature on show was wonderful!
There were so many uplifting moments I don't know where to start. Let's deal with the butterflies first - A peacock sunning itself on the path, a brimstone wandering by, a speckled wood seeing off intruders.
Speckled wood by Anna Allum
Others also saw comma. I caught up with one later in the day. Has anyone seen an orange tip yet? They are usually the first to appear.
Note from Anna: our first orange tip butterfly was spotted in the afternoon (sorry John!)
Now to the birds. A slow start but a loud one. chiffchaffs, robins and wrens made a lot of noise all around today. Going round it was noticeable that so many more species were making their presence felt - song thrush, blackbird, blue tit, great tit ( with variations), dunnock, the corvids, skylark, redshank and canada geese all added to the joy of spring. Above Nettley's the rooks are setting up home and letting everyone know about it!
At the top of the zig-zag four bullfinches flew over keeping in touch with their soft contact call. Blackcap were reported but I didn't hear one this time. Someone else claimed a willow warbler near its usual area at the bottom of the hill. I look forward to hearing one of my favourite songs described as " a silk scarf slipping off a ladies shoulder".
The best was yet to come though. Word was that there was a garganey on the North Brooks so, down to the dogleg viewpoint, Jupp’s View and Nettley’s hide in eager anticipation of seeing my favourite duck. I saw teal, wigeon, mallard, shelduck, shoveler and gadwall but, like all the other hopefuls I drew a garganey blank. Never mind there were waders to be found. A quick scan produced one black-tailed godwit getting reddish, two dunlin, four redshank and four avocet.
Avocet by Graham Osborne
The scoping continued and eventually I was rewarded with a new tick for the year but what was it? It wasn't that far away, no really it wasn't, just on the far side of the main water but it was small and not moving much. Was it ringed or little ringed? Check bird book (now on my phone - I'm getting to grips with this new technology) and ask for a second opinion from an incoming experienced birder. We agreed- it was a little ringed plover.
Little ringed plover by Phil Thornton
On the way back, a perky stonechat. A last look from the terrace added two mistle thrush in the field and I left thinking that I was a bit short on raptors - one buzzard and a distant peregrine on a post (yes, this one was a long way away) but as I left a red kite soared over the road in front of me. What a finish!
If you haven't been to the nature reserve recently don't hesitate. Enjoy all there is on offer while this beautiful spring sunshine continues.