Hi All
Summer is drawing to a close, the swifts are gone! I had 2 circling over the visitor center Thursday as i locked up, will they be the last of the year?
However there are still plenty of warblers about, as we saw this morning from our wonderful warblers event in-conjunction with the (RMRG) Rye Meads Ringing Group. We had great views of lesser whitethroat, willow warbler, sedge warbler whitethroat and blackcap. If you were unable to join us for this event we have another booked for September, autumn migrants, so do come along. www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/events/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-420731
The draper scrape has been the site for a bit of late summer migration as we have a dunlin that has been hanging around since 28 July, 3 garganey that have been around since mid July and the number of green sandpiper has hit double figures. Other sightings on the scrape include increasing numbers of lapwing, 3 little egret, tufted duck and little grebe with young, moulting shoveler and rising numbers of gadwall.  A spotted flycatcher was reported yesterday at kingfisher hide along with water vole, which have proven quite elusive on site this summer.
A jersey tiger moth was photographed by visitors on 3 August only the second record for the site! so an excellent spot! Butterflies have been doing well in the last few weeks with max counts from just outside the visitor center of 4 red admiral, 5 large  white, 2 gate keeper, peacock, comma, ringlet and hummingbird hawk moth.
The kingfishers are incubating their third clutch this year, so we are waiting for the first fish to be taken in so we can confirm hatching (which according to my estimation will be about a week to 10 days).