2 December
2012
Two
Goosanders
were present briefly from 8:00 am
on the River Adur
opposite Shoreham Airport.
29
November 2012
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4 November
2012
Winter
seems to have arrived with rain leaving standing water and the winds gusting
at Gale force blowing the remaining leaves off
the trees. In the fading light of the late afternoon, eleven waders with
red legs were active on the small amount of exposed River
Adur mud between the Cord
Grass patches and the south-east side
of the Toll Bridge. Most of these
were Redshanks.
23
October 2012
At
mid-tide in the afternoon
with enough mud showing for at least a few gulls
but there was very few birds, notably
a couple of Oystercatchers
on the opposite mud from Shoreham
Airport, (nearer the Railway
Viaduct than the Toll
Bridge).
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17 October 2012 A Storm Surge put extra height on an exceptionally high tide of 6.8 metres at 12:56 pm, just beginning to flood Coronation Green. The
forecast surge height was 0.33 metres above the normal tide forecast
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12
October 2012
A
flock of about seventy Lapwings
wheeled around, looking for a place to land, at the time of extreme low
neap tide in the afternoon (low
tide at 1.02 metres,
Shoreham Harbour, WXTide).
10
October 2012
The
Lapwings
are back for Winter: I saw two trotting the River
Adur estuary tideline on the low neaps
around midday.
There was unprecedented was a school of 16 young Redshanks
on
the edge of the mud on the river opposite
Shoreham
Airport. The yellow
legs of the juvenile bird identified them
through my binoculars. The red-legged
adults are solitary and noisily territorial. They were accompanied by a
few Grey Plovers.
As I watched them probing the mud a flock of about 40 of the much smaller
Ringed
Plovers landed in unison. Butterflies
were still fluttering around, but mostly Red
Admirals prior to hibernation.
Full
Butterfly Report
9
October 2012
A
most unusual visit was made by half a dozen European
Spoonbills,
Platalea
leucorodia, to the River
Adur estuary about 2:00 pm,
at low tide, opposite the Airport.
Spoonbills
are
a Very
Scarce Passage Migrant in Sussex, occasionally recorded in ones or
twos, very rarely four or five, and six together is unprecedented.
SOS
Records (Spreadsheet)
7
October 2012
I
cycled the very muddy western towpath of the River
Adur for
the first time this year, noting a Wheatear
flying amongst the seeding Sea Aster. Two
Little
Egrets trotted on the mud on the eastern
bank, one of them repeatedly feeding and consumed over a dozen small fish
(probably Bass
fry) in five minutes. The red Haws
were looking fine and Large White
and Red Admiral Butterflies
were occasionally seen, but it was not very interesting to justify the
difficult cycle ride (through sticky mud and standing water, and over two
stiles) to Botolphs, where I was surprised to see a very large* bird
of prey rising from a pasture next to
the river. The large white and heavily speckled brown bird was being aggressively
mobbed by a Crow which
seemed miniature in comparison. Alas, I only saw the bird flying for twenty
seconds before its leisurely gull-like flight took the raptor quickly over
another pasture and away before I could get my binoculars out. (*larger
than a Buzzard
and
Herring
Gull.) My conclusion was this was my first
sighting of the Osprey
that
has been visiting nearby Passie Ponds in the last week. The Osprey
was seen was about 1:57 pm
and it was a middle neap tide (3.9
metres at Shoreham Harbour). The
Osprey
is classified as a Scarce Passage Migrant by the Sussex
Ornithological Society.
Report
on SOS Sightings (Link)
27
September 2012
After
three days of heavy rain, I would not have
been surprised if there were no butterflies
around in Old Shoreham by the river. However, there
was an occasional Buddleia
still in flower and frequent Red
Admirals, occasional Large
Whites and two metres north of the Toll
Bridge I definitely identified a Green-Veined
White. On the hedge-like verges (adorned
with the red berries of Dog Rose
and Hawthorn,
and the occasional black berries of Privet)
of the cyclepath between the Toll Bridge and the Buffer Stop a Southern
Hawker
dragonfly
hawked to a fro without settling.
10
September 2012
The
identifying white rump of a Wheatear was
spotted on the edge of the mud flats at low
tide
just south of the Toll Bridge, Old
Shoreham.
| 9
September 2012
A new plant was added to my personal local tally: Blue Water Speedwell Veronica anagallis-aquatica was identified from a stream next to the Cyclepath north of Old Shoreham. Flora of Shoreham-by-Sea |
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After some ruthless gardening the view changed to the second frame in the picture above.
4 September
2012
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About
thirty Red Admiral Butterflies
congregated around a single Buddleia
bush
by the buffer stop (north of the Riverbank Industrial Estate) west Shoreham.
Butterfly
& Moth List 2012
31
August 2012
Large
White Butterflies flew around the
Sea Kale by the Old
Fort at the eastern end of Shoreham
Beach. But the white
butterflies
on Adur Recreation Ground were a mating pair of Green-Veined
Whites. A red vanessid
that landed on the Adur
towpath adjacent to Shoreham
Airport (the Toll
Bridge end) was a Small
Tortoiseshell.
12
August 2012
Cycling
back from the Flyover Car Boot Sale on a busy Coastal-Downs
Link Cyclepath and I noted occasional
butterflies:
Meadow
Browns
and
Large
Whites, a few Gatekeepers
and
one faded and intact Peacock Butterfly
on
Hemp
Agrimony.
Honey
Bees were attracted to the Chicory
in flower on the verges of
the Steyning Road north of the junction to Old Erringham. I have seen more
Honey
Bees in the wild this year than for a whole
decade before.
11
August 2012
On
the River Adur,
I would estimate in excess of thirty Mute
Swans at low tide
by the Cement Works. I could not count them as my view from the cyclepath
was obscured. In the warm sunshine at
least eight Southern Hawkers
(dragonfly) were active. Butterflies
were courting, notably Large Whites
and Speckled Woods
of the eight species seen
on the Adur
Levels. The large hoverfly
Volucella zonaria was seen for the
first time this year.
Full
Butterfly Report
| 30
July 2012
It was still breezy with a steady Force 5 throughout the day making conditions inimical to photography. One interesting picture was a family of a drake Mallard and her eight chicks in the drainage ditch on the northern border of the New Monks Farm spoil dumping area, east Lancing (west of the Withy Gap). The ditch has been recently constructed and filled with water after the recent rain. It has always been an area that flooded regularly in winter. |
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24 July 2012
Adur
Levels
&
Estuary
2012
1
July 2012
14
June 2012
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31
May 2012
My
first Common
Blue Damselfly, Enallagma
cyathigerum, of the year put in an
appearance over the verges of the Waterworks
Road, Old Shoreham. On a breezy day, I noted
a few more wild plants in flower for
the first time this year.
13
May 2012
An
Osprey
was spotted flying over Shoreham Airport and the identification was confirmed
by a photograph.
11
May 2012
Too
cool (13.9 °C)
for butterflies
and too breezy (Force
4 from the north) to photograph flowers
close-up, the rain of the past few days had nevertheless stopped in a white
fluffy Cumulus
blue and white sky. Nevertheless a Small
White fluttered
over the cyclepath just south of the Cement Works, a Peacock
Butterfly fluttered
over Anchor Bottom, the first male Orange-tip
of the day fluttered around the back of the gardens of the houses in Dacre
Gardens (Upper Beeding), and a tattered Small
Tortoiseshell was
spotted over the Wild Carrot and
Stinging Nettles between the South Downs Way Bridge and Botolphs.
Near the end of the afternoon, the weak sun shined
and a few more butterflies
made an appearance notably a Large White
at Botolphs and another one the junction to Applesham Farm on the Coombes
Road, and two male Orange-tips
and a Speckled Wood
over the east verge of the Coombes Road by Ladywells. Three Whitebeam
saplings had been planted next to the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath just
north of the first layby north of Old Shoreham. A female Pheasant
took
flight near Botolphs.
Adur
Butterfly List 2012
2 May
2012
A
male Hen Harrier,
Circus
cyaneus, made an impressive display when it visited the open space
over New Monks Farm, Lancing.
Hen Harrier
(Click
on the image to view the video)
"It
stayed for about an hour, constantly diving down, presumably after mice
or other small animals. It attracted quite a large flock of gulls
and crows that
were trying to mob it, although it didn't seem too concerned."
The
display was captured on a video
film. This bird of prey is a scarce
(winter visitor and passage migrant) visitor to Sussex.
27
April 2012
A
turquoise-blue sky appeared as the clouds blew away in the afternoon and
the sun and butterflies came out on an unpromising
day. On the outskirts of Shoreham I recorded
four Orange-tips
(including one female), at
least six Speckled Woods,
at least three Brimstone Butterflies,
at least six Peacock
Butterflies, two Small
Whites, one Green-veined
White, my first Large
White of the year and my first Holly
Blue of the year. Eight
species of butterfly (the most in a single day so far) were spotted without
visiting the downs.
Adur
Butterflies: First Dates
Adur
Butterfly List 2012
A Short-eared Owl was mobbed by gulls early in the morning (8.30 am) in the field on the east side of the River Adur immediately north of the flyover. Three Whimbrel were on the adjoining river too.
24
April 2012
Hawthorn
was now beginning to flower (notably
at Cuckoo's Corner). Blackthorn
was still in flower along the Coombes Road but on Mill
Hill (viewed from the Adur Levels)
the flowers had diminished.
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Blackthorn
has
flowers before leaves. Hawthorn
has leaves before flowers.
What's
the difference between Blackthorn and Hawthorn?.
Other flowers of note for the first time this year on verges of the Coombes Road (from Ladywell's Stream and south) were Garlic Mustard, Red Campion and Ransoms. Next to the cyclepath in Old Shoreham, Cowslips and Wild Strawberry were added to the list. Lesser Celandine, Field Speedwell, Bluebells, Ground Ivy, Red Deadnettle and White Deadnettle were commonly in flower. Wild Carrot was budding and the first flowers had appeared.
28
March 2012
A
Small
White Butterfly flew over Frampton Lane
in Old Shoreham. On cue, a male Orange
Tip Butterfly flew along the Waterworks
Road and made a few visits to the Sweet
VIolets. Except, although half expected it
was early, the first time I have seen this
attractive butterfly
in March.
A few minutes later as I waited for the Orange
Tip to briefly settle from its endless wandering
up and now the lane, I spotted my first Small
Tortoiseshell of the year, with its wings
closed (an then opening briefly), on a patch of Ground
Ivy. A Peacock
Butterfly landed on the same Ground
Ivy and the Small
Tortoiseshell flew off. Then along came the
most magnificent large Brimstone Butterfly
I had ever seen cruised by without stopping. A worn Comma
Butterfly fluttered by and then landed
on the road. My first Green-veined White
Butterfly of the year courted the Orange-tip
and I could see it was twice the size of its erroneous partner. This
was another first for March.
Common
Bee-Flies,
Bombylius
major, were frequently seen.
Adur
Butterfly List 2012
Adur
Butterfly Flight Times
Adur
Butterflies: First Dates
Adur
Violets
22
March 2012
Blackthorn
was in flower in Old Shoreham. Spring
had started to bloom.
21
March 2012
Coltsfoot
was flowering on the cyclepath near
the Cement Works. A Peacock Butterfly
fluttered over the path further to the south.
Adur
Butterfly List 2012
9 March
2012
My
first bumblebee of the year, a Queen Buff-tailed
Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris,
flew just above the cyclepath south of the Toll
Bridge, Old Shoreham. Otherwise, there was very little to note on a
grey day. The first Daffodils
in the wild were noted and many of the Black-headed
Gulls sported a fine brown crown (=head)
as they waded on the mud on a mid equinoctial Spring tide
on the River Adur.
| The open access land known as Spring Dyke juxta Miller's Stream (north of Old Shoreham) has now been fenced off. This has been open access land for over 60 years, owned by the Water Authority for as long as I can remember. There is now no local stretch of freshwater with access in the Shoreham area, unless you count the small stretch of Ladywell's Stream north of Cuckoo's Corner adjacent to the road. There also drainage ditches surrounding the fields on the levels on the western side of the river. Annington Sewer (uncovered) is probably the nearest stream now that supports dragonflies. |
20
February 2012
There
was very little on interest except for a single Little
Grebe diving under water at low tide
in the main part of the river just south of Cuckoo's Corner (on the Coombes
Road). A Crow
feeding on the tideline south of the Toll
Bridge, had a handful of white tail feathers. Two
Dandelion
heads
were the only two wild flowers seen
on a grey day. On
the cyclepath between Old Shoreham and the Cement Works there were just
frequent of the common birds of the species in order of prevalence: Blackbirds,
Robin
Redbreasts,
Wrens, a few Blue
Tits, one Great
Tit and a single Jay.
There were no flocks of any winter thrushes
seen
in the fields, pastures or hedgerows.
5 February
2012
The
nearly low neap tide (2.1 metres) on the River
Adur was still like a mill pond with the
bridges
reflected in the still grey water. It was good Dunlin
watching conditions with hundreds of the small waders actively feeding
in the mud nearer the eastern bank (opposite the Airport)
than normal. Nearby in semi-wild conditions,
I noted my first Snowdrops
of the year just beginning to flower.
19
January 2012
"Immediately,
from two feet in front of my nose, something flapped and flopped away,
awkwardly, like an albatross trying to fly in a shed. It was a small Sparrowhawk,
carrying prey a little bigger than it could handle, Blackbird
maybe. It was getting pretty dark by now, and I could only just make it
out, having flopped and flapped a couple of trees away, sitting on a low
branch with its prize, wings held out at half mast, dismantling its prey."
| 10
January 2012
On the new wildlife verge of the the cyclepath by the Adur Riverside Industrial Park (disused) north of Ropetackle and the Railway Viaduct, one of the colonising plants seen in flower amongst the dead vegetation was the Mediterranean species known as Sweet Alyssum, Lobularia maritima, not recorded before on these Nature Notes. |
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6 January
2012
A
Redshank
probed by the tideline at the west end of the houseboats on the River
Adur at low tide.
It was foraging on the mud a bit like a Grey
Plover, but it had a longer beak and preened
itself occasionally. This is a common occurrence only made notable because
I thought at first it was a Purple Sandpiper.
Upper Beeding Brooks has been a regular location to spot Short-eared Owls quartering fields in the early afternoon, with Fieldfare, Heron, Kingfisher and Kestrel.
4
January 2012
An
Iceland
Gull, Larus
glaucoides, was seen by other birdwatchers
on several occasions and photographed
over the River Adur.
On
a dull grey day, there was nothing newsworthy on a trek to Cuckoo's Corner
on the Coombes Road. At mid-tide the expected thousands of Common
Gulls rested on the available mud north
of the A27 Flyover,
Several hundred Lapwings
flew over Shoreham Airport, and Herring
Gulls clamoured
in the air over Old Shoreham.
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(next to the A27 opposite New Monks Farm) |
On the Ladywell's Stream (north of Cuckoo's Corner) a Moorhen swam jerkily into cover of the reeds.
2 January
2012
Five
adult Bewick's Swans
were seen grazing on the fields below Wyckham
Farm, north of Steyning. They were viewable from the embankment of
the River Adur.
