Recent Sightings
August 2009
August saw increasing evidence of passage movement as many species made their way south to their wintering grounds. Among the waders, this included up to 20 Common Sandpiper, 17 Green Sandpiper, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, smaller numbers of Little Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, and Greenshank and the occasional Ruff, Snipe and Knot. The highlights, however, were Wood Sandpiper on at least four dates, including two at Castle Water on the 24th. Other signs of the advancing year included flocks of up to 1000 Lapwing at Castle Water, 235 Curlew roosting on Harbour Farm, and the appearance of the first small flocks of Golden Plover (below) on Flat Beach level, while numbers of Oystercatcher roosting here had risen to 270 by the end of the month. At Castle Water the traditional Little Egret roost peaked at 82 on the 8th. Passage passerines included large
numbers of Yellow Wagtail, with 150 on the 29th, up to 24 Wheatear, small numbers of Whinchat (with three on the 17th) and, something of a surprise, a Dartford Warbler near Castle Water Hide on the 9th, the first August record for this species at Rye Harbour. Other notable passerines included a Raven over the shore on the 24th, a Turtle Dove at Castle Water on the 8th, two Corn Bunting over Lime Kiln Cottage on the 16th, and regular Bearded Tit at Castle Water, while hirundines included 40 Swallow on the 4th and 60+ Sand Martin on the 17th. As with July there was little offshore movement during the month, though the remaining Sandwich Tern and Common Tern did attract the occasional Arctic Skua. Raptors during August included up to two three Hobby and two each of Marsh Harrier and Peregrine, while at least two Buzzard, an increasingly common visitor to the area, were present over Castle Water on the 31st.
As expected, numbers of species in the Lime Kiln moth trap dropped off gradually during August, though there was still an interesting selection. Highlights were a few Starry Pearl towards the end of the month, Ethmia bipunctella, Monochroa palustrella and Pediasia aridella, as well as several Great Silver Water Beetle and yet another Lesser Stag Beetle. August can be a very good month for grasshoppers and crickets, and this year was no exception with regular sightings of both Grey and Roesel’s Bush Cricket and Short-winged and Long-winged Conehead (above). Other notable invertebrates during August included several sightings of Bee Wolf, a rare wasp which preys on Honey Bees, and which has not been recorded on the reserve for 10 years, the parasitic fly Mintho rufiventris, and the local Brown-banded Carder Bee. Plants in flower this month included Least Lettuce, Red Hempnettle, Tufted Vetch and Meadow Vetchling.