Volunteer Gary returns to Pulborough Brooks after several weeks away...
"Going on holiday is great, but coming back is always a pleasure to see what has changed. In the three weeks that I have been away the grass has shot up and now ripples in the wind and the bracken along Adder Alley is now chest high.
Walking down from the centre the first bird I heard was a nightingale at the top of the zig-zag giving its 'sweep-croak' call and further on whitethroat, blackcap, chiffchaff and willow warbler. It was good to see two young Lapwing still at West Mead looking almost like adults but given away by their fringed feathering. The umbellifer patch near Winpenny was alive with flies, bees, butterflies and the odd damselfly. Meadow browns, large skippers, painted ladies, small tortoiseshells and a few common blues could all be picked out, and several stunning banded demoiselle males were also present.
Along Adder Alley, what else but an adder was curled up soaking up the sun. As I sat quietly having a cup of coffee, two adult nightingales were feeding on the path just feet away for a very scaly chick that was begging deep within a bush, and a lesser whitethroat with at least two juveniles in tow moved along the hedge line. Behind me towards the riverbank, reed bunting and sedge warbler could be heard.
At the Hanger, two groups of twelve and five shelduck are growing up fast looking more like ducks and less like fluffy balls. One green sandpiper, four little-ringed plover and 50+ lapwing formed the wader contingent on the flood and singing linnets, common and lesser whitethroat on the down slope.
What more can I say – a good day."