Whilst we may be trying to find some shade from the summer sunshine, for some of our birds it is autumn already - the breeding season is over, and it's time to be on the move again.
The North Brooks is the place to be as far as wading birds are concerned - the perfect blend of water and mud! A variety of waders use the flood meadows and pools at Pulborough Brooks a bit like a service station, stopping off to rest, re-group and re-fuel.
At the moment, your task is to spot 3 different species of sandpiper - common, green and wood. I love the fact that sandpipers reveal their identify by 'bobbing' - you then have to work out which type it is.
The common sandpiper has browner plumage on its back and white on its belly with the white extending upwards to its 'armpits' - not very technical I know but that's how I remember it!
The green sandpiper is a slate-grey on the back and again white on the belly - the two colours sharply contrasted with clean lines.
Green sandpiper on West Mead Pool (Peter Hughes)
The wood sandpiper is the least frequently seen of the trio. Its creamy white stripe which extends from the bill, over the eye and to the back of the neck helps to distinguish it from the green sandpiper, and it has an altogether more elegant look. The margin between the speckled breast and the white underparts is less clean cut.
In addition to the sandpipers, keep a watchful eye open for greenshank, black-tailed godwit, little ringed plover, snipe and dunlin - all have been seen in the last few days.
We're encouraging the meadows on the south brooks to dry out at the moment to allow us to complete some of the essential management work that maintains the habitat for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl - after the wet winter, even after the current heatwave, the ground is still rather soft and tricky to negotiate with the tractor. The fields have to be topped and grazed to get the conditions just right.
Around the hedgerows and fencelines you could be lucky enough to find a spotted flycatcher, darting from fence to air in pursuit of insect prey. The fenceline along adder alley or near redstart corner are often the best places to look.
Juvenile marsh harrier, peregrine and red kite have also been reported.
The fleabane along the zig zag path is just coming into flower and is attracting butterflies in good numbers - gatekeepers, tatty meadow browns and small skippers are the most numerous but also common blue, red admiral, small tortoiseshell, clouded yellow and brimstone.
Clouded yellow butterfly enjoying the fleabane. Pat Brothwell.
Plenty of dragonflies zooming around the hedgerows as well as the ponds - emperors, southern hawkers, lovely bronze-winged brown hawkers. With black and ruddy darters frequenting the heathland pools.