Tuesday's sightings from volunteer Gary.
At a windy Pulborough Brooks today, lots of work going on, mainly to improve viewing from Netleys hide, so most birds had moved farther away. About eighty lapwing, seven dunlin, one green sandpiper and one little stint (briefly) made up the wader count, and the wildfowl consisted of mallard, teal, shoveler, gadwall together with literally hundreds of canada and greylag geese.
On my way to Netleys I was surprised to find two siskin feeding on the path near the picnic site; they were still present some time later when I returned. Still chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackcap and whitethroat dotted around the trail; one stonechat from Winpenny and when the sun shone a field filled up with 50+ house martins.
The ivy in the late afternoon sunshine in Fattengates was alive and buzzing with insects including comma butterflies, some hornets and a few rather beautiful jewel wasps. But whoever made the “Lizard Lounge” should be proud of themselves – it works!!
Anna: Gary has been using his mobile phone and scope to take these pictures.
I'm feeling proud of our group of family volunteers who helped construct the lizard lounge earlier in the year. Its good to know that the lounge is being used by reptilian sunbathers!
If you are interested in volunteering as a family take a look at our 'Family scrub bash' event on Sunday 25 October. We'll be clearing some of the birch that is invading the heathland then making some Halloween broomsticks to use for Halloween. We also use the birch brash for making homes for wildlife (like the slithering snake stack that you can see in Fattengates courtyard!)