Over the past few years we’ve been welcoming a very special creature to the heathland at Pulborough Brooks...the field cricket.

Field cricket by Pete Hughes

This chunky cricket is a mixture of brown and black with striking yellow wing bases.  The fine veins on the wings resemble wrought-iron work and it is the modified veins on these wings that form the ‘harp’ that enables the male to make a melodious but penetrating…

With thanks to volunteer Graham for his account and stunning photos.

Although it was windy at PB yesterday, the sun was out and the wildlife did not disappoint. Whilst the singing nightingales continue to hide from my lens, there were plenty of other species on show around the reserve.

West Mead Hide continues to be a hotspot for visitors, particularly because of our breeding waders. At least two young lapwing broods…

An introduction to one of our prettiest spring flowers – greater stitchwort.

Greater stitchwort by Anna Allum

This pretty starry white springtime flower that grows to calf height is often found thriving alongside red campion and bluebells on our woodland floors and grass verges.

The plant’s name ‘stitchwort’ refers to its alleged ability to cure the pain associated with runners stitch. However there are many more…

Thanks to volunteer Phil for his article and photos. We're expecting a sunny weekend and there are plenty of butterflies to be seen out around the nature trails.

This article was first written for the Staff and Volunteer Newsletter in the first weeks of Lockdown 1 in 2020. With all the recent fine weather bringing out plenty of butterflies I thought it would be appropriate to revisit this for the blog. Two years ago…

Volunteer John recounts an enjoyable morning on the reserve leading one of our 'birding for beginners' events.

We met on the terrace where over a cup of coffee we explained how to adjust your binoculars and which bird guides to get ( RSPB British Birds and Collins). As we chatted a red kite cruised by followed by a buzzard. A nice start.

 

Buzzard by Graham Osborne

At the Yurt  we got acquainted with blue and great…

Volunteer John, recounts his enjoyable day in the sunshine at Pulborough Brooks.

It was so therapeutic to get away from all the doom and gloom and enjoy the warm sunshine today. And the nature on show was wonderful!

There were so many uplifting moments I don't know where to start. Let's deal with the butterflies first - A peacock sunning itself on the path, a brimstone wandering by, a speckled wood seeing off intruders…

Whilst I’m generally talking about birds at this time of year, reserving my enthusiasm for invertebrates until the summer months, there are some incredible invertebrates out and about even in the earlier months.

I couldn’t resist gently rolling a few of the logs on the wooded edge of the heath to admire the woodlice, centipedes and beetles. I was thrilled to see one of these:

 

Violet ground beetle by Carey…

Thank you to volunteer Phil for his article and stunning photos.

Most readers will be familiar with the concept of a starling murmuration even if they haven’t actually seen one. These gatherings of anything from a few hundred to many hundreds of thousands of starlings are formed shortly before they go to roost for the night. The birds swirl around in remarkable synchronicity sometimes forming interesting shapes in the…

Tawny owl by Graham Osborne

The sun is low over the western horizon and the sky painted with the glorious pink and orange hues of sunset. Dark silhouettes fly overheard calling ‘jack, jack’; the jackdaws and rooks are heading to bed. As the light fades further you can hear the noisy blackbirds – not the mellow song of the morning but the harsher ‘chink, chink’ calls that signal dusk. And then it becomes twilight and…

If you're planning a visit over the weekend here's a sneak preview of the wildlife you could see.

Hen harrier & marsh harrier at the top of the list but a flock of 30 goldfinches adds to the charm.

Goldfinch by Anne Harwood

Goldcrest by Chris Prince

One of my favourite birds to look and listen out for on the wooded heath is the goldcrest. This tiny bird is continually on the move, foraging amongst the tree branches for its invertebrate prey and performing its high-pitched reeling song.

Whilst goldcrests can be seen here year round we do get an influx of them in winter. These tiny birds, weighing no more than a 20 pence piece, make the tricky…

Thanks to volunteer Phil for his blog and photos.

On a beautiful sunny day that started with a chill in the air and then increasingly felt like Spring I returned to the Visitor Centre up the Zigzag Path accompanied by the sound of a song thrush loudly proclaiming its territory. However, the more I listened the more I had the feeling that something was not quite right. Somehow the typical repeated phrases of the song thrush…

Due to damage caused by Storm Eunice, including damage to the roof of one of the hides and fallen trees, we'll be closed on Sunday 20 February.

With high winds expected again all afternoon the car park, visitor centre and nature trails will be closed.

Sorry.

We'll update on the situation on Monday morning.

Due to a weather warning for high winds, we will be closed on Friday 18 February. We will re-open as soon as possible following safety checks. Please check for updates before visiting.

Volunteer Phil recounts a rather unusual wildlife sighting for February in his latest blog...

This day proved bright and very sunny, looking very like spring, but chilly and still feeling like winter.

Around lunchtime I was looking out over the North Brooks from the hairpin bend above Jupps View in the company of 2 visitors. We were discussing the presence of a ruff feeding close to the lapwings, seen here in this photo…

Many thanks to volunteer John for his account of a morning's birding at the reserve.

Along the zigzag we had the pleasure of seeing three bullfinches feeding in bright sunshine while a couple of greenfinch wheezed their spring song. Much of the way round was accompanied by the persistent song of several song thrushes and the general volume of birdsong was quite noticeable.

Song thrush by Anne Harwood.

From the t…

Our new Visitor Experience Officer, Lydia, now reveals the top 5 in our Big Garden Birdwatch usual suspects list...

We're getting excited about this weekend's Big Garden Birdwatch - we can't wait to see which species will be top of the charts at our bird feeding station.  Could it be the chirpy house sparrow, or will it be the brilliant blue tit?

Last week's blog introduced you to the birds at 10 down to 6…

It’s January and that only means one thing, it’s time for the Big Garden Birdwatch! Our new Visitor Experience Officer, Lydia, explains how to get involved and introduces you to some of the usual suspects!

Over the last 43 years the Big Garden Birdwatch has become one of the largest wildlife surveys and is really one of a kind. The magnitude of data collected over this time has given us a unique insight into…

Wildlife sightings - highlights of 2021

Introduction of parking charges at RSPB Pulborough Brooks

We're sorry that due to staff illness the cafe will be closed this weekend. Nature trails, shop and toilets open as normal.

Thanks to volunteer Phil for his report and photos - recent sightings Friday 10 December – anything but a lesser spotted woodpecker

In the afternoon of Friday 3 December I overheard a radio conversation about a lesser spotted woodpecker seen clearly at the Pipe Pond. Now in 35 years of birding the lesser spotted woodpecker feels like a mythical creature for me. I have looked for them on several occasions without success…

Photo: Robin by Graham Osborne

If you're planning to visit us over the festive period, here are the details you'll need on when our facilities will be open.

• 23 December:  Visitor centre, shop, café and toilets open, 10 am-4pm. The car park and nature reserve will close at 4 pm when the access gates will be locked.
• Christmas Eve: car park, nature reserve, visitor centre, shop, café and toilets cl…

We're sorry that we won't be able to open our cafe tomorrow due to staff illness.

Please be aware that there may be further closures later in the week as a result.

Welcome, shop, toilets and trails open as usual.

A very uncommon crane - volunteer Phil recounts a day with an unusual but welcome addition to his sightings list.

On Friday 12 November I arrived on a damp and dismal morning and, with a strong south westerly blowing, and resolved to seek shelter from the rain and wind in Nettley’s Hide until the weather faired up. First however I dropped by the Hanger for a brief check on the presence of a peregrine in the willow tree…