Rye Harbour Nature Reserve sightings - August 2022

Chris Bentley
, 01 September 2022
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve sightings - August 2022
Lesser Emperor. Image: Alan Martin

Wildlife highlight month was probably the discovery of both male and female Lesser Emperor dragonfly at the northern end of Castle Water on the 4th of the month by Alan Martin. This impressive species, closely related to the common Emperor Dragonfly, is an annual migrant to the UK, with the first records in 1996, though it has bred, utilising small ponds and lakes and even using brackish waters on occasion.

Common Sandpiper

Obvious migrant waders during August included regular Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwit and small numbers of Ruff, Whimbrel and Knot. Highlights were several sightings of Wood Sandpiper at Castle Water between the 1st and the 6th, Little Stint on Flat Beach Level on the 21st and a Spotted Redshank here on the 24th. Some of the summer visitors were reaching the end of their time with us this month, though there were still small numbers of Avocet (with a peak count of 21 on the 28th) and Little Ringed Plover along with small numbers of juveniles. On Ternery Pool and the Quarry the Common Tern colony had reached the last few fledged young by the end of the month and overall they seem to have a good year, fledging at least 50 young.

Common Tern

Notable waterfowl during August included the long-staying Black-necked Grebe, Spoonbill on Harbour Farm on the 21st and at Castle Water on the 23rd and 27th, and a Bittern over Narrow Pit on the 29th. There were also several sightings of White Stork during the month (ringed and part of the Knepp introduction project), with at least 20 present on the 17th.Raptors this month included several sightings of both Peregrine and Hobby (with two of the former on the 17th) and Buzzard at Castle Water on the 9th.Passerines included good numbers of Wheatear with at least 10 on the 14th, up to 50+ Yellow Wagtail on the 28th, and several sightings of Whinchat with two or three at Castle Water on the 17th while a range of Warblers included regular Willow Warbler, the occasional Lesser Whitethroat and a Garden Warbler in the Wood on the 21st. In addition a Nightingale was heard at Castle Water on the 21st with a Grey Wagtail here on the 6th.

Saltmarsh Bee

Still good numbers of moths early in the month, though this dropped off to more autumnal levels later in the month. Best of the bunch were several Pale Grass Eggar and a Twin-spot Honey on the 3rd, while best of the rest were Starry Pearl, Sulphur Pearl, Oblique-striped, Twin-spotted Wainscot, Brown Wainscot and Webb’s Wainscot. Dragonfly highlight was male and female Lesser Emperor at Castle Water on the 4th, while at least four Large Conehead were heard ‘singing’ on Harbour Farm on the 19th, the first of the year’s Saltmarsh Bee were seen on the 29th and several Great Silver Water Beetle turned up in the moth trap. Plants in flower included Sea Aster, Yellow-horned Poppy, Marshmallow, Rosebay Willowherb, Fleabane, Tufted Vetch and Rottingdean Sea-lavender.

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