26 June 2002
Dragonflies
A Scarce Chaser Dragonfly, Libellula fulva, was present on the River Adur near Shermanbury (TQ 219 190).  According to Sussex Biodiversity it has been recorded on two occasions in June in 1995 and 1998 on the River Adur at Shermanbury. Nationally, this is a scarce species.

Allen Pollard's Then & Now web pages (Bugs 3)

They are definitely Scarce Chasers: they are more common the Broad-bodied Chasers in the upper Adur area and another good place to see them is Bines Bridge. The White-legged Damselfly is a rare British species but is typical of the habitat in the upper Adur area.

About 20 blue damselflies hover around the stream at the Cokeham reed beds site. They were identified as Azure Blue Damselflies, Coenagrion puella, some in tandem with females. Another similar species, the Common Blue Damselfly, Enallagma cyathigerum, may also have been present. Four individuals of the  Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula,  were also seen.

25 June 2002

I inadvertently flushed a Grey Partridge near New Erringham Farm, which flew strongly away in a straight low level flight above the field of grass and poppies. On the bridlepath from Slonk Hill to New Erringham, there were scores of hirundines, including at least one Swallow, although all of them could have been these birds swooping for insects. Butterflies on the route included 12 Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies and 4 Painted Lady Butterflies. Some of the Painted Ladies at Mossy Bottom were badly faded and had lost their bright colours. 
Mill Hill Report

23 June 2002
Banded Demioselles mating in appreciable numbers on the River Adur near Shermanbury. A Scarce Chaser Dragonfly (pic) was also identified and Mayflies. Several enthusiasts confirmed the not completely clear photograph as a Scarce Chaser Dragonfly. 
Allen Pollard's Then & Now web pages (Bugs 3)

22 June 2002
The revisions to the proposed boundaries of the South Downs National Park have been announced.
In the Adur Valley the following proposals have been accepted:
12.  Inclusion of Steyning and Bramber
13.  Inclusion of bits of the Lower Adur valley near Steyning and Bramber, but excluding some of the water meadows
43.  Inclusion of the area west of Hoe Court Farm, Lancing, including McIntyres Field
The following are amongst those rejected:
14:  Exclusion of Upper Beeding and Horton Hall.
Countryside Agency
National Park Designation Team

21 June 2002
Summer Solstice  2:11 pm.

19 June 2002
On a pleasant sunny day after a generally inclement spring, it was nearly the solstice before I made my first eventful trip to Mill Hill. Most noticeable was the field of Common Poppies grazed by a dozen or so cows between Mill Hill and Buckingham Barn, and also bright red fields to the north-east and on the ridges, highest points of the downs.
Opium Poppies (escaped cultivated ones) were common in the disturbed land for the widened road in the north-west corner of Shoreham Airport. 
Butterfly Report
Adur Levels Report

17 June 2002
An Emperor Dragonfly flies over the reeds at Lancing Ring dewpond (TQ 181 065).

16 June 2002
My Lancing garden nature pond (TQ 186 044) was visited by a male Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans. This is a common local species and common throughout England. A Painted Lady Butterfly settled. 

13 June 2002
The stream that ran through Sompting Water Meadows (Lower Cokeham reedbed and ditches, Lancing) produced an interesting selection of freshwater animals. Amongst the reeds (Common Reed, Phragmites australis) and in the areas of heavy vegetation and heavy pigmented water (it looked like weak tea, stained with dissolved organic matter) the small fish called the Ten-spined Stickleback, Pungitius pungitius, was discovered in the dip net, together with some very small beetles. The local name is 10-spined although the book name is usually 9-spined and the large specimens had at least ten spines. My knowledge and experience in this field is limited but my tentative first identifications were as follows:
black diving beetle, Agabus sp. 
Lesser Water Boatman, Corixa sp.
A Pond Skater, Gerris sp., quickly skated across the surface film of almost still water. A dip amongst the lily pads produced a Common Froglet with four developed legs (pic) and almost ready to leave the water, although it still had its complete tail. Snails were numerous including the Great Pond Snail and the attractive Ramshorn Snail. The Water Louse, Asellus, was a common species in the water weeds. 
The largest and most distinctive animal was the Diving Beetle, Dytiscus semisulcatus, which is a large beetle capable of attacking and killing small fish. This species was identified from the photograph above by Phil Wilkins. This is one of five species of Dytiscus beetle found in England. 
Cokeham Reed Beds (Sompting)
Freshwater Habitats of the Lower Adur Valley
Freshwater Life of North-western Europe Smart Group

On Widewater Lagoon, a pair of Mute Swans to the west of the small bridge were accompanied by ten cygnets. The lagoon was in flood after the recent heavy rain. 

13 June 2002

A Basking Shark was spotted off Brighton Marina by the Fisheries Protection Vessel "Sea Harrier" (Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee).

11 June 2002
The presence of Spiny Spider Crabs, Maja squinado, underneath the wooden groynes on Shoreham beach (TQ 216 047), south of Weald Dyke (road), is a notable aspect of the wildlife fauna of Shoreham and little known. Although it is the smaller crabs that are found at low tide, these are still the biggest animals found between the tides. Berried (ovigerous) Shore Crabs were also present.
Seashore (Shoreham Beach)
British Marine Life Study Society
BMLSS Rockpooling

8 June 2002
In a rainwater drainage ditch (TQ 185 049) close to our Lancing home we have discovered a habitat of the Horse Leech, Haemopsis sanguisuga. (Pic.) 
These drain ditches are linked to a freshwater brook in Lancing, which meets the sea at a number of outlets including the River Adur at Shoreham. Normally at this time of the year this ditch has dried up but due to the high rainfall remains wet.
Further Information on the Horse Leech

5 - 14 June 2002
The Adur Valley Biodiversity Network 2002 Exhibition commences in the Adur Civic Centre foyer.

Static display of biodiversity (wildlife) information for the Adur District and lower valley, including the wildlife of Lancing from the "Friends of Lancing Ring" and marine wildlife from the "British Marine Life Study Society" and photographs from the Adur Valley Eforum Smart Group. 
The display will include David Wood's selection of wildlife photographs of the shingle plants of Shoreham beach including a photograph of the Tree Mallow. 

A late addition is the wonderfully interesting work of the young children of St. Nicolas and St. Mary school on Whales and Dolphins.

5 June 2002
The Greater Spotted Woodpecker continues to pay regular more than once a day visits to my Shermanbury garden. One of the parents brought their offspring over to feed. They are quite shy birds but one tried to fly in the house via the patio door.

3 June 2002
The number of Little Egrets between Cuckoo's Corner and the A27 Flyover recorded at four. This seems to be the number regularly on the lower Adur, but they are rarely seen altogether in one place. At least one seems to be a permanent resident egret at Widewater, so the number may be greater than this.

Common Spotted Orchids are coming into flower on Beeding Hill (TQ 208 096).

1 June 2002
A huge one metre in diameter jellyfish with a humped appearance was discovered washed up on Shoreham beach due of south of Coronation Green. This is the species known by several common names: Barrel Jellyfish, Football Jellyfish, Root-mouthed Jellyfish, and with the scientific name of Rhizostoma pulmo. This is an unusual sighting off the Sussex coast, but this year tens of thousands have been seen off the coast of Cornwall, with many more washed up on the coast of Devon and Dorset. 

Adur was one of the leaders in the United Kingdom when it presented an Exhibition celebrating the official World Oceans Day. The event took place on Saturday 1 June 2002 in Shoreham-by-Sea, on Coronation Green (TQ 216050), adjacent to the footbridge over the River Adur, with the start of the Adur Festival.
 
 

CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Adur World Oceans Day Picture Portfolio 2002 (by Ray Hamblett)
Adur World Oceans Day 2002   Programme of Events

Adur World Oceans Day 2001 Report
Adur World Oceans Day Picture Portfolio
World Oceans Day Smart Group

A Roe Deer was seen trotting along the margins of Adur Recreation Ground only the span of the Norfolk Bridge away from Shoreham town centre.

27 May 2002
A pod of dolphins, probably Bottle-nosed Dolphins, were seen off Lancing beach. They appeared dark in colour, described as black rather than the grey of the life-sized artificial dolphin on display at Adur World Oceans Day 2002.

26 May 2002
A pair of Kingfishers are nesting near Cuckoo's Corner, by the Adur inlet south of Coombes.

A Sting Winkle, Ocenebra erinacea, was discovered feeding on a mussel on Kingston beach, Shoreham-by-Sea. This is an unusual find on the shore, and I have never discovered a live specimen before on this particular beach in thousands of visits over 20 years. 
BMLSS Molluscs
BMLSS Rockpooling

21 May 2002
A Cuckoo is seen and heard at Passie's Pond, north of Coombes, between Cuckoo's Corner and Botolphs (see the report below) with a Little Grebe, diving for small fish.
The day is noted for rain, squalls and brief claps of thunder.

An unseasonal Red Admiral Butterfly flutters around the shrubbery by the Co-op store near Lancing station (TQ 182 043).

20 May 2002
I was walking in the Chalk Pit at Lancing Ring and an Orange Tip Butterfly passed by (TQ 186 062).

20 May 2002
My first Red Admiral Butterfly of this year, north of Partridge Green away from houses.

17 May 2002
The shade temperature reaches 24.6° C at 3:42 pm. 

16 May 2002
A sudden mini heat wave saw the temperature soar rapidly to a high of 21.8°C. Small White and Holly Blue Butterflies were widespread and numerous.
Shoreham Beach Weather Records
Beaufort Scale (BMLSS)

15 May 2002
A Cuckoo was seen flying and heard calling in the early evening at Botolphs. Botolphs is two miles north of Cuckoo's Corner, a known area for Cuckoos.

c. 12 May 2002
A male Cuckoo Wrasse, Labrus bimaculatus, caught by a boat angler at a mark known as the Waldrons off Littlehampton, one of the few places off Sussex where this fish is regularly found. The fish was kept alive and returned to the sea at Shoreham Harbour.

9 May 2002
The small blue damselflies were climbing out of the ponds at Woods Mill (Sussex Wildlife Trust, Small Dole). They had not coloured up so it is difficult to identify the species. 
It could be the Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans.
British Dragonfly Society
Dragonfly Flight Periods in Ireland
Dragonflies of Surrey
Odonata Emergence in Surrey
Freshwater Life of North-western Europe Smart Group

8 May 2002
A handful of 7-spot Ladybirds crawling over the mussels and barnacles on Old Fort beach (Adur estuary side) were an incongruous sight. Maybe, it is a prelude to a mass invasion that occurred during the summer in the mid to late 1970s. The very small fish in the sandy pools were Common Gobies, and where the new concrete harbour walls had replaced the rotting wooden structures, the new high level pools created, draped with Enteromorpha (green seaweed) and Channelled Wrack, Pelvetia, provided a low neap tide niche for young Blennies. 

4 May 2002
Orange Tip Butterfly seen on McIntyres field, near Lancing Ring. There was also a Fox stalking Rabbits on Barton's Farm field.

1 May 2002
The wind had died down to a steady breeze and there were brief spells of sunshine. On the east bank of the River Adur opposite Cuckoo's Corner, a light-bellied Brent Goose took off, the bird standing out through its sheer size, quickly joined by another goose. A Meadow Pipit shot up rapidly from the meadow very close to the saltings at high tide. Shoals of hundreds of 3-spined Stickleback fry (identity not confirmed) and adult fish were easily see in the brown unattractive streams that ran across the water meadow, where Mallards took to the air, when disturbed. A tractor was spreading seed (probably) over the grassy water meadow, presumably clover etc. to enrich the pasture for cows later on in the year.  Peacock Butterflies were common with the occasional Small Tortoiseshell. 
There were several hundred empty discarded shells (exoskeleton) of the Shore Crab on the strandline all along the riverbank.
Ecdysis of Crustacea
Adur Levels

29 April 2002
In a water cistern on Lancing Manor allotments Backswimmers (Greater Water Boatman), Notonecta sp., swim upside down as normal.

28 April 2002
Common Terns, with their distinctive forked tails, were swept inshore by the unseasonal gales, and seen buffeted about over the River Adur estuary, opposite the houseboats in the centre of Shoreham town.

25 April 2002
The distinctive white underside of at least four immigrant Wheatears were unmistakable on the seaward side of Widewater, perching on the wooden posts (that comprise part of the sea defences running parallel with the sea) before the bird flew rapidly around, before embarking on their destination flights inland to the downs.

A clump of Squid eggs were washed ashore on Lancing beach.
But otherwise the rockpooling fauna was disappointing compared to the excellent discoveries of the previous month. Hairy Crabs were frequently discovered (25 +) under the flint rocks and the underside of rocks were encrusted with sessile colonial bryozoans.
Adur Valley Wildlife Database
British Marine Life Study Society

24 April 2002
A Painted Lady Butterfly was spotted just north of the monastery off the A281 a mile north of Shermanbury.
Immigration of Lepidoptera
In my garden at Shermanbury several small damselflies make an early appearance. They were very dainty, only about 33 mm long with red abdomens and green heads, appearing like ghosts. The description does not seem to fit exactly, but I am tempted to think this can only be the Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula. 
Photograph of this species (Link)
British Dragonfly Society Species Checklist
Dragonflies of Ireland
Adur Damselflies & Dragonflies
My garden also hosts regular visits from a Greater Spotted Woodpecker and daily visits of Nuthatches feeding on wild bird food and Dunnocks. Bats chase flies at dusk.

22 April 2002
Just after midday, traffic stopped on the main A27 Dual Carriageway at Lancing Manor to allow a Duck and six ducklings to cross four lanes of traffic.

21 April 2002
A varied melody of bird song was exceptional by the waterworks north of Old Shoreham, including the prolonged call of a Skylark.
The edge of the sluggish stream near the Steyning Road (TQ 209 068) appeared as a continuous black mass of  tadpoles (Common Frog) thinning out towards middle. No legs had yet appeared on the tadpoles.
Freshwater Life of North-western Europe Smart Group

20 April 2002
The exceptional flash of colour was a Jay flying from the railway embankment to a garden at the southern end of Ravens Road in Shoreham (TQ 217 053).The Jay is found locally where thereare large gardens and heavily vegetated parks and waste ground but it is not seen very often and could disappear in some areas if development is allowed. Ravens Road is an old country lane known as Green Lane in the 18th century. 

Cowslips are in flower beside the cycle path from Old Shoreham to Beeding (TQ 198 084) just before the Cement Works.

19 April 2002
The medium-sized, quite pretty, and undoubtedly a very common yellow moth with brown spots on the edges of its wings came inside my Shoreham flat (TQ 224 053), attracted by the aquarium lights. I have identified this moth as the Brimstone Moth, Opisthograptis luteolata, with a caterpillar that feeds on Hawthorn. 

17 April 2002
A Holly Blue Butterfly was spotted laying eggs in the flower buds of a Holly bush in my south Lancing garden (TQ 186 044). 

Lancing Nature Nature Newsletter (April 2002)

A Song Thrush was out of place on Coronation Green by the River Adur estuary, but it is a short flight from St, Mary's churchyard, Shoreham.

16 April 2002
Small White Butterflies are in flight in town gardens everywhere.
On the shingle bank of Widewater a Ringed Plover flew rapidly towards the seashore. This is a potential breeding are for these small wading birds if they are not disturbed by Crows or dogs. 

15 April 2002
Adders are reported from the pathways and margins of Lancing Ring including a melanistic (black) snake in woodland.

14 April 2002
After no rain for almost a month, an adult Common Frog is found in a Shoreham garden pond (TQ  219 063), probably returning to water to get moist as they have been known to do in large numbers (hundreds in a small pond) during dry periods.
Tadpoles

11 April 2002
It was their calls that first attracted by attention, but in the distance, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls nuzzled each other on Kingston beach, which looked to me like a mating ritual, although they are not known to breed in this part of Sussex. I later saw a pair of the same gull species, (possibly the same pair) on the roof of a wharf warehouse to the east of the Hamm, Shoreham.
(NB: Subsequent observations indicate that this pair could be Herring Gulls.)

11 April 2002
The Little Egret on Widewater Lagoon has been an almost permanent resident for at least six months and an regular visitor before that. Every time I cycle past, I expect to see this attractive white bird with a long black beak feeding in the shallows. On this occasion the egret was feeding avidly and I could see the flash of the the silver flanks of the 3-spined Sticklebacks as they were gulped down, at a rate of one very five seconds for several minutes. 
 

8 April 2002
Common Newts, Triturus vulgaris, have returned to an ornamental pond in a garden on the edge of the (SNCI) Sompting water meadows, where Blue Tits were using a box to build a nest. The garden is a blend of wild and tamed, with trees and bramble and butterflies, including the Holly Blue Butterfly in the photograph. 

6 April 2002
A brown hawk took off from the scrub ground in the north-east corner of Shoreham Airport, near to where Honeyman's Hole is being filled in to construct a Telecommunications Mast. I immediately thought of a female Kestrel as this is by far the most numerous of the hawks locally, but as it soared away in the near gale force winds, it did not pause to hover, and its size made me think that perhaps some of the smaller hawks I have seen in autumn on the estuary margins were Merlins and not young male Kestrels. (One of these small birds of prey were photographed and found to be a Kestrel.) This one could have been a Sparrowhawk because of its lack of hovering, but the strong buffeting winds could be responsible for this lack.

4 April 2002
On the warmest day of the year, I spotted my first white butterfly of the year flying in off the shingle foreshore by the beach huts south of Beach Green, Shoreham Beach. It was probably a Small White, that could have been feeding as a caterpillar on the Sea Kale. Later more white butterflies were seen in one and twos in the town gardens of Lancing. By midday, it was shirtsleeves weather  (19º C) and on the northern part of Monk's Farm between the the weighbridge and the stroud (TQ 193 056) there were numerous butterfly flights. When they settled they were revealed as Peacock (6+), Small Tortoiseshell (4+) and Comma Butterflies (1), all nettle feeders at the caterpillar stage. At the butterfly copse, Old Shoreham, (TQ 209 063), at least one Holly Blue fluttered by the path to Mill Hill, which provided a settling place for another Small Tortoiseshell in the horse field. 

Lots of butterflies on my walk from Shermanbury to Ashurst via the River Adur, including Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells, and a Speckled Wood north of Ashurst church. However, the biggest surprise was the early Orange Tip Butterflies, not expected until June.

3 April 2002
North of Lock Bridge (on the River Adur near Partridge Green), a Grass Snake slithered away as I approached. There were herds of  a greyish deer, adults and young.

Three Peacocks Butterflies, at least two Brimstones and a couple of Commas on a walk around the Lancing Ring meadows including McIntyre's Field.

2 April 2002
A single Speckled Wood Butterfly was spotted in a coniferous wooded garden near to Lancing Ring.