I wish that I could go out onto the reserve with volunteer Gary every week - he always finds some goodies. Here is his report of yesterday's highlights:
"Another day at Pulborough Brooks got off to a good start with a raven flying over the car park. The zigzag had the usual suspects in the form of bullfinch, blackcap, garden warbler, whitethroat, chiffchaff, linnet and, at Fattingates, willow warbler and a calling cuckoo. West Mead added little-ringed plover and a pair of pintail. Earlier another volunteer had seen one of the lapwing chicks.
Just before Winpenny a sparrowhawk appeared and from the hide itself two hobbies were flying backwards and forwards along a short section of riverbank. Quite a large grass snake swam across the newly formed pond, and on the walk to the Hanger, sedge and reed warblers were both heard. Two nightingales and a lesser whitethroat also gave themselves up. The Hanger produced a further three little-ringed plover, two black-tailed godwits plus wildfowl that included shoveler and gadwall. A very vocal cuckoo obligingly also perched in view.
Upon returning to West Mead, five or six hobbies were now occupying the same section of riverbank and as I walked back to the visitor centre a red kite and two hobbies circled overhead. You could even see their red trousers. Along with red admiral, peacock, green-veined white, and speckled wood butterflies anything else would be greedy, but still ….... you can hope."
Grass snake and hobby photographed by volunteer Chris