Thanks to volunteer Gary for his report and photos
A beautiful sunny morning at Pulborough Brooks had more than a hint of autumn about it, and as I walked down the zigzag robins seemed to be ticking from every bush, and in the arable field goldfinches, meadow pipits and a small flock of linnets added to the autumn theme. West Mead was quiet due to the lack of water, but several stonechats could be made out and buzzards just sat like statues on distant posts. Lapwing numbers are building with about 50 keeping to a patch of short grass. Winpenny gave better views of the lapwing and also two further stonechats. A snipe showed for a couple of seconds, and a single green sandpiper plodded around the pool.
From the Hanger it was obvious that duck numbers are rising with wigeon now being the dominant species, some already having their cream coloured blaze down their head, and it was nice to see a pintail as well. A peregrine swept up into the usual tree, but this wasn’t the usual bird being quite small and blue-grey. It didn’t seem to know the tree very well either as it tiptoed along the branch before launching itself towards the panicking lapwing and wildfowl. Two kestrels were having an altercation with some crows, taking it in turns to chase one another but a nearby sparrowhawk kept itself out of trouble by hunching down in the vegetation before slipping away at ground level.
Nettleys was surprisingly cold, but in the nice warm sunshine near the picnic site I was surprised to see seven speckled wood and two red admiral butterflies on the brambles, but even more surprised to see a hornet catch a wasp and carry it off. A mating pair of migrant hawker dragonflies were so preoccupied that I could get quite close for a photograph.
A small shrub that looked as though it had been attacked with a hole punch gave evidence that a leaf cutter bee had been busy, but the insect itself did not show.
I couldn’t resist another look in West Mead, and just as well as a juvenile marsh harrier gave an excellent display over the South Brooks. It had a cream head, but the wing pattern seemed more male like, but as there is some debate about marsh harrier plumage, I’ll leave it there.
And then just a couple of extra sightings from today (Thursday 06 October):
Yellow browed warbler (seen and heard early this morning on the zig zag path), 2 ring ouzel (redstart corner) and firecrest (zig zags)