With thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photos.
I visited PB on both days of this particular weekend. On Saturday I was with the Pulborough Brooks Dragonfly Survey Team, while on Sunday I carried out my usual Hides and Trails duties.
Saturday 23 Sept
The dragonfly survey started on the heathland on Saturday morning. As the team finished surveying the first pond a Kestrel flew into a nearby Pine tree to provide a pleasing silhouette.
Although there are fewer dragonflies to be seen in September as compared to the summer months there are still some nice specimens on the wing, such as this male Ruddy Darter.
The season was almost at an end for Common Emerald Damselflies, but we did manage to spot one male near Black Pond.
We found a few more Willow Emerald Damselflies, a species with a later than average flight season.
The only hawker species we recorded was Migrant Hawker, but we did manage to see 16 individuals during the day, including this mating pair at Upperton’s Pond.
Non-dragonfly highlights of the afternoon included a Donacia sp. leaf beetle at the ditch dipping ponds
and a Yellowhammer by the river bank.
Sunday 24 Sept
On Sunday morning there were numerous Swallows feeding over Upperton’s Field.
I was soon distracted from watching these when a Sparrowhawk flew into view, only to be immediately attacked by a Rook.
I was joined by fellow Hides and Trails volunteer Martin, and we made our way to West Mead Hide. There we shared scoped views of a distant Great White Egret and a closer Kestrel with some visitors. We soon moved on to Winpenny Hide, where Martin spotted a Marsh Harrier at some distance. Closer to the hide was a single Little Egret.
I left Martin with a number of visitors and moved on to Hanger View. As well as a few distant waders (3 Ruff, 2 Dunlin and a single Black-tailed Godwit) there were good numbers of feeding Swallows and House Martins.
At one point a Hobby performed a rapid fly-past, and I was just quick enough to get in a few shots of it .
I finished the afternoon at the new viewpoint on the bend in the path to Nettley’s Hide, where Martin and I shared scoped views of the waders on the North Brooks with some visitors. En route, on the bank by the path near Hairstreak Corner, I captured my final image of the day - a backlit Common Darter.