Pulborough Brooks

The big wild stock take – coming to a reserve near you!

Sophie May Lewis — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:01:31 GMT

Next week is half-term holidays, and, as ever, we have plenty to keep all ages entertained!

From Monday 27^th May till Sunday 2^nd June we are running a big wild stock take event, where we will be compiling a big list of all the wildlife found on the reserve!

We would love you to come along and help us!

Not only will we have spotting sheets for you to take around the trails, but friendly volunteers to point you in the right direction and help with identifying your sightings back at the visitor centre!
We’ll also be running special activities each day to help collect the longest list!

From the humble daisy to the singing nightingale, furry bumblebees to soaring buzzards, zooming dragonflies to loopy lapwings, there will be lots to find!

Of course, you don’t need to be a child or family to take part; you don’t even need to be a wildlife expert!

Just pop into the visitor centre, explore the nature trails, and let us know what you discover!

Event details

Date: Monday 27^th May – Sunday 2^nd June
Time: drop in between 9.30am - 5pm (no need to book!)
Cost: pay the normal nature trail entry fee (remember, RSPB members are free!)

Additional activities
Cost: £2 per person, or £5 per family (2 adults and up to 4 children)

Monday 27^th May – Pondemonium!
Time: Drop in between 11 am and 1 pm

Tuesday 28^th May – Bees, beetles and butterflies
Time: Guided walk 2 pm – 4 pm

Wednesday 29^th May – Big bug hunt
Time: Drop in between 2 pm and 4 pm

Thursday 30^th May – Ditch dipping, dragons, scorpions and sticklebacks
Time: Drop in between 11 am and 1 pm

Friday 31^st May – Marvellous moths
Time: Drop in between 7.30 am and 9 am

About forty...

Pete Hughes — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:58:00 GMT

...swifts over the north brooks this morning. 2 male wigeon, a few teal, 1 shoveler, about 12 gadwall, 22 shelduck, ca.45 mallard, ca.15 lapwings and a couple of redshank spread around the pools. Passage waders have been thin on the ground the last 2 weeks, but a few ringed plover were present on 20/5 and a common sandpiper was present today.Yesterday morning a marsh harrier, a peregrine and a red kite all present together over/on the south brooks at about 10.00.

Nightjars have been seen/heard on the heath this week from about 21.00 - there are still spaces on our 'springwatch after dark' event on 31st May and 1st June to see/hear these lovely birds.

Nightingales - still singing from various points around the trail, as are garden warblers. Judging by the amount of song, blackbirds and song thrushes are starting second nesting attempts.

In warmish-but-cloudy weather yesterday, there were around 15 broad-bodied chasers around the picnic area near Nettley's hide - recently emerged and stunningly hornet-coloured, some of them allowed really close approach. Also warming up in the shelter of the brambles were a few tiny nymphs of (I think) the dark bush cricket.

Binoculars and bird food - special offers from the shop

Anna Allum — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:38:21 GMT

Our shop manager Trevor has some very special offers for you at the moment - but there's not much time left...

If you're looking for some new binoculars, you've got two days left to get 10% off RSPB binoculars if you buy them here at Pulborough Brooks. If you would like to take advantage of the offer, but can't get here until the weekend, give us a ring today or tomorrow and we'll reserve them for you at the special price.

As one door shuts, another one opens...

From 22 May (this Wednesday) until 04 June if you buy 2 sacks of birdfood (the big 12.75 kg sacks) you get £10 off. If you buy 3 sacks, you'll get £15 off and so on. You can mix and match the different seeds, but the offer doesn't apply to the peanuts. And don't worry we'll help you out to the car with your shopping!

A good Hobby – in more ways than one

Sophie May Lewis — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:49:03 GMT

It is always nice when you can spend at least some of your day at work doing what you love best, even better when it means you can leave the computer and the office behind and head out into glorious sunshine and count butterflies!

Yesterday I did just that. We are doing a butterfly transect on the reserve this summer; a type of survey which runs along a set route and involves recording species and number of butterflies seen along designated sections of the route, at regular intervals such as once a week. Records on the survey yesterday included brimstone and peacock, green veined white and a good number of small white, along with additional sightings of orange tip, many more small whites and a speckled wood, all of which were unfortunately off the transect route!

All the tree species are well into leaf now, the oak being the slowest to burst its buds. Below them, flowers are blossoming; carpets of hazy bluebells, splashes of bright pink campion and constellations of white starry stitchwort.

I was serenaded all around the trails by bird song; blackbirds flute-like notes, song thrush repetitive phrases, blackcaps warble and whitethroat scratchy song. The nightingales were the loudest however, the best two spots for these that I encountered were the entrance to Fattengates Courtyard and along the Pig Run by Little Hanger Hide. (Just ask at the visitor centre if you are unsure where these places are on the reserve). It was a nightingale infact that lead me to my favourite species of the day – a Hobby. This small falcon is a migratory bird of prey and usually arrives here in Southern England in spring, after the swallows, martins and swifts have arrives. These agile expert aerial hunters often add the nimble swift to their menu, but will also catch smaller prey such as dragonflies. This individual was perched in the top of a dead tree at Jupps Viewpoint, near to Nettleys Hide, causing a nearby nightingale and other small birds to shout their high-pitched alarm calls, which attracted our attention.

If you visit the reserve this summer, don’t forget to look up to the sky. You might be lucky enough to spot a Hobby, performing its aerobatics high up against the clouds on sharply angled wings, over the wetland or the heathland.

If birds of prey aren’t your thing and the smaller beauties of life catch your eye, look out for the shimmering dragonflies and damselflies that are emerging from our ponds to zoom over the water, or the dainty butterflies that flutter along the flowers and hedgerows.

May, a bit like April

Pete Hughes — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:05:55 GMT

Cloudless skies, warm sunshine, blackthorn in sensational full whiteout mode, butterflies on the wing, bluebells just blueing-up and the first damselfly of the year...it must be April. Except it is early May. Last year, the blackthorn reached the same stage of flowering exactly a month earlier.

Several hobbies and buzzards overhead at varous points today, greenshank at west mead, lots of song from garden warblers, nightingales, whitethroats, lesser whitethoats, blackcaps, nightingales et al.

Speckled wood, brimstone, orange tip, peacock, red admiral, small white and small tortoiseshell all seen on the reserve today.

Hobby, siskins

Pete Hughes — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:13:21 GMT

Saw my first hobby of the year yesterday, high over the heath. There have been up to 4 seen over the south brooks in the last week, but hopefully the main passage of these brilliant to watch falcons is still to come in the first 10 days of may.

Around the trail, nightingales still singing like mad, and now lesser whitethroats and garden warblers are part of the singing throng, after a bit of a slow start to the spring. Less seasonal is a pair of siskins visiting the feeders in the courtyard - the striking black and yellow-green male can be heard adding his continuous chattering-then-stop-and-buzz song to the hubbub and appears remarkably untroubled by passers-by. The photo below was taken at a range of about 2m!

Bluebells, blackcaps and beetles (oh, and of course the nightingales!)

Anna Allum — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:54:00 GMT

I'm pleased to report that our nightingales are still performing beautifully and delighting visitors from several hot spots around the nature trail - can't wait for this weekend's festival. Over the past 10 days our choir has really grown in voices and volume with blackcaps, willow warblers, chiffchaff, whitethroat and sedge warbler all regulars. The lesser whitethroat has occasionally put in an appearance and this morning a grasshopper warbler was reported reeling behind adder alley. All rather splendid really.

Out on the heathland trail, and especially in black wood, the wildflowers are slowly responding to the warmer weather - a few bluebells are starting to flower, bright sunshine-yellow celandines are adding a welcome splash of colour and there is a stunning display of pretty wood sorrel ( a beautiful delicate white flower with purple veins). A super male blackcap serenaded me from a perch just above the new viewpoint over the South Brooks and my first green tiger beetle of the year scuttled along the pathway.

Whilst nightingales will sing during the daylight hours, there is something magical about being here as dusk approaches when this special songster takes centre stage. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6.30 pm through til 9.30 pm the team here will be on hand to celebrate at our annual nightingale festival. Come along and join us.

Flora and Fauna, and a New Face

Sophie May Lewis — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:51:00 GMT

Hello!

The eagle-eyed amongst you may have already spotted that the name on this blog post is not that of regular Pulborough Brooks Bloggers, Anna or Pete, but a new face! I am Sophie May Lewis, Visitor Services Trainee and started at Pulborough Brooks at the beginning of the month. I will be in the post, a heritage Lottery Funded trainee-ship, for 18 months. I am excited to have this opportunity to work with the RSPB and the great team here at Pulborough Brooks and look forward to some exciting times to come!

We have had lots of sunshine around the trails this week and the combination of a few showers with the milder weather, has given the spring wildlife a much needed reprieve from the long winter. Swallows, house martins and sand martins swoop over the pools and some lapwing have begun to display and nest. A very smart looking wheatear provided good views close to the visitor centre this morning and two yellow wagtails were reported around the pool at West Mead hide today. The hedgerows are filling with blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler and a few whitethroat, with new arrivals every day, whilst the nightingales are getting their vocal cords well tuned. A lack of leaves on the trees means many woodland and hedgerow birds are quite visible at the moment, but spring growth is starting and soon it will be a bit trickier to spot the shy species!

Both Adder and Slow-worm have been seen enjoying the sun in sheltered out-of-the-wind spots.

The spiny stems of blackthorn are starting to be covered with white blossom, confetti like petals blowing in the wind, lady's smock (cuckoo flower) has started flowering and there are masses of primroses on every sun-dappled bank.

So if you are looking for something to do this sunny weekend, why not pop in and visit the reserve. There is so much to see - who knows what you may discover?!

Double deluge

Pete Hughes — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:30:16 GMT

Something of a deluge of spring migrants over the last 3 days, to go with the other deluge (16mm of rain on saturday) - probably 7 nightingales singing from various parts of the site today, plus blackcaps, willow warbler and chiffchaffs. The first whitethroat, sedge warbler, redstart, grasshopper warbler and lesser whitethroat have arrived, and yellow wagtail and wheatear noted yesterday. Swallows, sand martins and house martins now coming through in good numbers.

Still numerous teal and shoveler present on the brooks, but most of the wigeon have now departed north. Little egrets and grey herons appear to be liking the high water levels...

Change over

Pete Hughes — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:30:37 GMT

The first nightingale of the year singing near little hanger hide this morning, a blackcap too, singing in the srub at the hanger and at least 8 chiffchaffs around the trail. A greenshank was at west mead, which presumeably arrived on the same south-westerlies as the nightingale, blackcap and chiffchaffs, but is likely going a lot further north. Small parties of sand martins and swallows were over the north brooks, and an occasional house martin in with them and a yellow wagtail was also seen. Many fewer wigeon present on the brooks than even two days ago, and I only saw one redwing this morning. Incredible what a change in the wind direction can do...

Exclusive offer!

Anna Allum — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:05:14 GMT

Exclusive offer for all readers of this blog.

We can offer a 5% discount off any RSPB or Viking brand binoculars or spotting scopes bought at our Optics Event this weekend (Saturday 13 & Sunday 14). To claim the discount just mention to Stephen that you've read it on the blog when make your purchase.

In wildlife news, 'our' water rail seems to have disappeared. Whilst it's sad not to see him parading any more, I'm happy in the knowledge that he/she is probably the best fed water rail in the country and it will have no trouble migrating to its breeding territory and finding a mate. Instead of the water rail, we're being entertained by the rather ambitious house sparrows who seem to believe they can carry metre long stems of grass up to the roof for nest building - they're making rather a mess! The highland cattle can also be seen from the big window - it is lovely to see them ambling up the field to the pond for a drink.

Infinity and Amberley Wildbrooks

Pete Hughes — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:02:45 GMT

There was a touch of intergalactic Hollywood glamour on Amberley wildbrooks this morning. I'm not sure how long this balloon will take to rot down, but I imagine it will be quite a long time. Possibly a very, very long time. So I picked it up and stuck it in the bin. Sorry Buzz.. Rather better were the 3 swallows that I saw, my first of the year, numerous reed buntings, sklyarks, meadow pipits, teal and a few snipe.

At Pulborough, a little gull, and a few more swallows and sand martins were feeding over the north brooks. Yesterday, 2 spoonbills all too briefly on the south brooks, a spotted redshank at west mead (again, briefly) and peregrine, red kite and buzzard overhead.

At least the lesser spot' thinks its spring...

Pete Hughes — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 08:37:44 GMT

A male lesser spotted woodpecker has been drumming on 'the clump' (the large oaks on the edge of the heath, about 200m south of the car park) over the last few days - you'll have to get here early though, as the last two days it has been showing best from between 07.00 and 08.00. Whilst trying to find the lesser spot' a noisy jay kept me entertained with excellent buzzard, tawny owl and heron mimicry.

A pair of peregrines have been hunting over the site for the last few days, at least 2 little ringed plover remain on the north brooks, and a few dunlin have been showing regularly from west mead hide and 2 med' gulls, a red kite and a marsh harrier were noted yesterday. Redwings and fieldfares are usually rare here in April, and a measure of the persistant cold is provided the large numbers of both still on site - there were over 200 of the former on the edge of the heath this moring (many singing), and about 50 of the latter in one of the high fields.

Adder(s) are still showing between west mead and little hanger hides, if its sunny. We managed to get all 22 members of the Wildlife Explorers group to see one yesterday morning on a guided walk...you need a very compliant (well, chilly) adder and quiet kids to achieve this sort of thing, so it was great to see so many grinning faces at the end of the walk.

Heads down

Pete Hughes — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:29:16 GMT

April has arrived, at least technically, if not in spirit - the bitterly cold easterlies continue.

Good selection of birds on site in recent days - up to 7 garganey arrived on friday on the north brooks, a jack snipe was in front of Winpenny hide on saturday, a lesser spotted woodpecker was seen/heard on the edge of the heath over the weekend and a glossy ibis put in a a couple of appearances yesterday. Ruff, marsh harrier, little ringed plover, and black-tailed godwits were also present.

Today, the glossy ibis failed to reappear but at least 2 garganey were on the south brooks, a few dunlin and ruff were in front of west mead and on the north brooks respectively.

West mead waders

Pete Hughes — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:01:54 GMT

An interesting selection of waders on view from west mead and winpenny hides this morning - at least 14 ruff (a couple with lovely dark brown necks/breasts), 2 ringed plover, 2 little ringed plover, 5 redshank, 1 black-tailed godwit and about 8 dunlin. The little ringed plovers (see below, thanks Graham) were favouring the area to the right of west mead pool. From Winpenny there was also a male wheatear distantly on the riverbank (another wheatear was on the heath yesterday), and a chiffchaff calling from nearby scrub. Yesterday's spoonbill headed off south this morning (per Clive Hope et al), although it may remain in the valley somewhere. The peregrine was in its usual spot in the hanger and the water rail was again outside the visitor centre window.