If you last visited us over winter when the entire site was underwater you would scarcely recognise the view now. Looking out from the visitor centre windows you can barely see any water at all!
We are able to retain water on the north of the reserve for longer – the ground slopes downwards towards the hides on the North Brooks ensuring the pools and ditches in front of Nettley’s hide and Jupp’s view still have some water in the summer. At the moment the combination of mud and wet stuff is proving attractive to waders. Today, volunteers reported greenshank, black-tailed godwit, little ringed plover and green sandpipers. A marsh harrier was also seen patrolling low over the ditches on the south brooks this afternoon.
On Saturday, for the first time in a long while, a barn owl was seen hunting out on the river bank. Barn owls have had a tough couple of years - cold winters, wet springs, wet winters – all of which have resulted in fewer breeding pairs in the valley (and nationally). We have not seen barn owls on the reserve this year but we’ve heard the good news that there are several pairs with young on nearby land – presumably pushed onto higher ground during the winter floods. We’re hopeful that these pairs will have bred successfully and that Saturday’s sighting will be the first of many.
In one of the sunny spells (I timed it impeccably) I ventured out into the meadow. Amongst the self heal, knapweed, meadow cranesbill and bird’s foot trefoil I spotted a range of butterflies and beasties; large and small skipper, gatekeeper, ringlet, meadow brown, large white, red admiral and small tortoiseshell. We have even had a couple of sightings of marbled white this summer – one of my favourite butterflies and not terribly common here at Pulborough Brooks.
Large skipper
Hoverflies can also be seen visiting the flowers – this one mimics a wasp but it can’t sting.
Hoverflies are great for plants and gardens – the larvae will often eat aphids and they help to pollinate some of our flowers. There are smart little soldier beetles everywhere – all sporting their orange and black uniforms. Sometimes affectionately known as ‘hogweed bonking beetles’ they can often be found clasped together on the white umbellifers around the nature trail.
Not so numerous are the splendid oedemera nobilis beetles – they do have a common name but I can never quite remember if it is fat-legged, swollen-thighed or thick-kneed (or some other combination)!
If you are speedy you should also spot grasshoppers and crickets jumping amongst the flowers and grasses. The fleabane along the zig zag path is a particularly good spot for Roesel’s bush cricket. Listen out for them singing, or stridulating, and then go off in search.