August 2016: Rye Harbour

Chris Bentley
, 01 September 2016
August 2016: Rye Harbour
Olivier Pichard

August saw the addition of yet another plant species to the reserve list with the discovery of a single plant of common sea lavender near the Mary Stanford lifeboat house on the 25th. Despite its name, this plant is not related to lavender but is a member of the leadwort family which as well as sea-lavenders includes thrift. Both common sea lavender and Rottingdean sea lavender, which grows in abundance near Lime Kiln Cottage, are plants of the upper saltmarsh. However in contrast to its exotic relative (a native of Sicily), common sea lavender is a UK native occurring throughout Britain and Ireland wherever suitable habitat exists, and the scientific name of this plant Limonium vulgare loosely translates as ‘common in wet meadows’ referring to its habitat preferences.

Passage migration really picked up later in the month with a wide range of species recorded on the reserve. Wader highlights were six curlew sandpiper on Flat Beach on the 30th, two little stint on Flat Beach on the 31st, a spotted redshank on Harbour Farm on the 16th and a jack snipe at Ternery Pool on the 11th, while 32 black-tailed godwit over the Beach Reserve on the 21st were also notable. Best of the raptors was an osprey which was seen over the new saltmarsh on the 16th, while notable waterfowl included a spoonbill (above) on Harbour Farm from the 13th to the 16th, and great white egret on several dates on Harbour Farm and at Castle Water. In addition, three black tern were over Harbour Farm on the 11th.Passerines included good numbers of hirundines, with at least 1000 sand martin and 300 swallow, while yellow wagtail and wheatear numbers built up to 90 and 50 respectively late in the month. In addition, at least 35 meadow pipit were recorded on shore ridges on the 16th a whinchat was present at Castle Water on the 23rd, and a firecrest at Ternery Pool on the 8th, while at least 14 bearded tit were present at Castle Water on the 22nd.

Moth trap numbers wound down as August progressed, though there were still some notable species. Highlight was a plumed fan-foot on 22nd, the first reserve record since 2001, while other ‘goodies’ included pale grass eggar, bordered ermel, oblique-striped and rosy-striped knothorn, In addition, a Jersey tiger was present at Lime Kiln on the 17th, while several larvae of five-spot ermel were found at Watch Cottage early in the month. Butterflies included several clouded yellow (above), with records throughout the month, while a holly blue near the Rye Harbour entrance gate on the 12th was the first of the year. Other notable invertebrates included sheep-nostril fly at Watch Cottage on the 5th and 30th, a great silver water beetle at Lime Kiln Cottage on the 29th and the hornet-mimicking hoverfly Volucella zonaria at Castle Water on the 23rd. Plants in flower included least lettuce, marshmallow, autumn lady’s tresses, red hemp-nettle and sea-rocket (below).

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