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 a Sphaerophoria sp. and a Helophilus sp.
By the path to Fattengates Courtyard a Turnip Sawfly landed on a leaf,
and a Peacock butterfly opened briefly while nectaring on Hemp-agrimony.
We soon moved on to West Mead Hide, where we enjoyed a close-range view of a White Stork.
In the meadow, as we approached Redstart Corner, we found a female Reed Bunting.
On reaching Redstart Corner Pond I spotted a beetle perched near the top of a stalk.
After a brief stop at Winpenny Hide we made our way to the Ditch Dipping Ponds. There we found a few Azure Damselflies, a Blue-tailed Damselfly, a Brown Hawker, a Common Darter and a Ruddy Darter.
Toby then spotted a White-tailed Eagle being harassed by a Common Buzzard.
As we walked a circuit of the Wetland Discovery Trail we had more views of the flying eagle, and a Hobby and a Peregrine also joined in with the aerial action.
We relocated to Hanger View where I shared scoped views of some distant Green Sandpipers, Snipe, a Redshank and an obliging Water Rail with a number of visitors. One of the regularly visiting Great Tits came a bit closer to provide my final image before we headed back to the Visitor Centre .