Birding Expedition to RSPB Pulborough Brooks

On Saturday I spent the early part of the day at RSPB Pulborough Brooks, my first birding event with the GBC. I don't drive but the reserve is only a ten minute cycle from Pulborough station, and very well signposted.

The reserve itself has a wide variety of habitats, scrub, woodland, wetlands and heathland (which is in the process of being expanded/reclaimed from the coniferous forest). This means there was a good range of diverse species to be spotted all in a relatively small area as well as some amazing vistas of bluebell woods.

Bluebells, fern and oak at RSPB Pulborough Brooks

At the start of our walk we ambled through some open scrub areas with trees, bushes and open grassland as well as small ponds. We were lucky enough to spot a whitethroat in some brambles only a few feet away - affording some great views and superb photo shots from one of our group. Around us we could hear chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackcap, greenfinch, wren, chaffinch. A solitary cuckoo was calling as well. As we headed along the path, we spotted a nightingale on some exposed branches, where it stayed for a few minutes giving us a lengthy rendition of its rich, throaty and complex song. It was the first nightingale I had ever seen or heard, so an experience I definitely won't forget.

As we approached the wetland hides, there were nightingales and other warblers singing all around us. My ability to identify these small birds by song alone is limited, however thanks to the expert members of the group, I've now added a couple to the list that I should now be able to identify.

On the wetlands and flooded meadows, we saw most of the usual suspects - mallard, mute swans canada geese, coots and moorhens as well as a heron, but the highlight was a sedge warbler, which was flitting round a bramble bush, but stayed still long enough for me to get a good look thanks to Malcolms super-powerful telescope - well enough to see its eyebrow stripe clearly. We also saw a linnet fleetingly - another new one for me.

On our way back to the cafe for a lunch break one eagle-eyed member of the group spotted an adder dozing in a sunny spot in the long grass by the footpath - which soon made a hasty exit as the shadows of nine inquisitive birders took away his sunny patch.

At the end of lunch I noticed a couple of the group had moved toward a field with a ploughed area - situated behind the cafe garden. I heard whispers of 'wheatear' and moved across with my binoculars to catch a glimpse of another new species for me - a female wheatear flitting around the ploughed furrows.

After lunch we took a brief stroll into the woodland on the other side of the reserve - the area where some of the forest was being cleared to make way for more heathland. It was a sight to see so many tree stumps in one area in a reserve. We didn't see much here, other than hearing a long-tailed tit and nuthatch.

By that point it was 3:30 and the rain looked like it was on its way. Time for a farewell to my new birding friends, a swift cycle to the station and a pleasant train journey home - one very happy birder indeed.

Species seen:

1. House sparrow
2. Chaffinch
3. Bullfinch
4. Greenfinch
5. Mute swan
6. Mallard
7. Grey heron
8. Canada goose
9. Coot
10. Moorhen
11. House martin
12. Barn swallow

New species seen:

1. Nightingale
2. Whitethroat
3. Gadwall (male)
4. Nuthatch
5. Sedge warbler
6. Linnet
7. Wheatear (female)

Species heard (but not seen):

1. Willow warbler
2. Chiffchaff
3. Blackcap
4. Long-tailed tit
5. Cuckoo
6. Goldfinch
7. Wren

Garden Snapshot - April 2014

I love April, aside from the weather being unpredictable (it can be anything from snow to perpetual showers to glorious sunshine) the last two weeks in April are when the countryside in Sussex really spring to life. Suddenly the trees that were bare for months have fresh vibrant green leaves appearing, blossom appears, and birdsong tumbles out of the trees and from rooftops.

And the same happens in my garden...

Garden snapshot - April 2014

The neighbours' new fence is finally up! It's a closed board fence which seems much more sturdy and resilient that the previous flimsy panelled fence. So my task this weekend will be to re-attach the clematis, blackberries and loganberries to the fence.

The cherry tree is in blossom, hollyhocks are sprouting, the 'Nelly Moser' clematis (currently laying on the ground) is in bud and the tulips are out in full glory. Everything is poised to spring into life!

Horticultural highlight of the week (2014 week 16) - Tulipa 'cummins'

I think I've probably got a bit of a tulip obsession, and of course I love the unusual, whether its in my garden or otherwise.

This tulip is a fantastic colour - an old-fashioned 'mauve' and the fringed tips of the petals catch the sun giving a frilly halo to each bloom.

Tulip 'Cummins' - opened flower

On the unopened flowers this fringing can almost appear like rows of teeth!

Tulip 'Cummins' - unopened flower

And of course these are perfect to capture in close up with my squidcam macro lens...

Tulip 'Cummins' closeup taken with squidcam macro lens for iPhone 5

Tulip 'Cummins' closeup taken with squidcam macro lens for iPhone 5

As with most bulbs I buy, I got these from Avon Bulbs

Horticultural highlight of the week (2014 week 15) - Clematis Alpina 'Frances Rivis'

Already mentioned as 'plant of the week' back in May 2013, this beautiful clematis just keeps getting better every year. It's flowered about a month earlier this year, probably because we had a very mild winter this year. Last year we had a severe winter with some late frosts. Fascinating that this variation can shift the flowering period so dramatically.

I've already described this clematis in some detail - follow this link for the original post. I am going to attempt to take some cuttings of this to bring to the new garden. Watch this space for the results.

Here's a photo of the blooms this year - more impressive than last year.

Clematis Alpina 'Frances Rivis'

Of course, I have added some macro shots of the flowers this time too.

Clematis Alpina 'Frances Rivis' - closeup of stamens - squidcam macro lens

Clematis Alpina 'Frances Rivis' - closeup of flower - squidcam macro lens

Horticultural highlight of the week (2014 week 14) - Mahonia (unknown variety)

The mahonia in our garden was already well-established when we moved here seven years ago, although it was crowded out by a tangle over overgrown roses and a 30ft leylandii (which we had removed immediately - as it was only 10ft from the back of the house.

Since then the mahonia has thrived, although I think it doesn't like shade - it against a north facing fence and grows out away from it as if its stretching for the light.

It's positioned right by the back doors - which means we are able to appreciate the amazing display of colour (and more importantly its heady sweet scent) even when its too cold to amble out into the garden in the morning.

Mahonia (unknown variety) in full bloom

The amazingly intense flowers are very short-lived lasting maybe just one or two weeks before they fade, however the blooms transform into delicate metallic purple-blue berries (probably poisonous) which reach full size by autumn.

The bush itself is a compact 4ft high dense clump of evergreen (but very prickly) leaves. The dead leaves do not break down well as they are thick and waxy like holly leaves, so watch out when clearing up underneath the bush - the leaves have been the cause of some foul language they are that sharp!

Another one I will be repeating in the new garden - I managed to take three successful cuttings last year - it seems to respond well to this. I also sends out shoots underground so small saplings appear all around it.

Of course I have some lovely macro shots of the flower buds taken in February as well as some of the opened flowers taken in early April. Macro shots were taken with my iPhone 5 and squidcam macro lens

Mahonia flower buds (closeup taken with squidcam macro)

Mahonia flower buds (closeup taken with squidcam macro)

Mahonia flowers (closeup taken with squidcam macro)

Horticultural highlight of the week (2014 week 13) - Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)

Another late post - I'm doing my best to catch up, currently about three weeks behind!

I'm always amazed that this is a native wildflower in the UK, as it has the air of a tiny exotic, with its intricate chequerboard pattern (almost like snakeskin). I've never seen one in the wild, I'm guessing its a rarity these days.

Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)

I bought a handful of each of two varieties - the usual purple/white check and pure white. After two years of both flowering, I haven't seen any white ones this year, and only four of the purple ones. I'm not sure if the bulbs have a limited lifespan or if squirrels have been digging them up (there's possible evidence of squirrel activity in the garden in that several baby horse chestnuts have appeared).

I've naturalised them in grass which is where they look best, as their leaves are long and linear like grass. I'll definitely be adding a few clumps of these delicate gems when I get to my our garden (wherever that is) although I probably won't bother with the pure white variety again.

Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) with aphids!

Garden Snapshot - March 2014

A little late but still..

Not much changes from February to March, the neighbour's fence is still not repaired, I ripped what was remaining of the broken panels out - they were flapping around like flags and were about to either take out the cherry tree or fly off into the greenhouse.

Garden Snapshot - March 2014

The rose arch is repaired, the rose pruned back. The clematis (Nelly Moser) is starting to sprout and primroses have appeared in the bed behind the arch.

Horticultural highlight of the week (2014 week 12) - Honesty (Lunaria annua)

The silvery seed pods of honesty remind me of secondary school art lessons - still life drawing in particular. Drape a cloth over some boxes on a table, add one violin, a sheeps skull, some other random objects 'acquired' from the biology room and garnish with some dead stems of honesty. Also known as 'silver dollar' the seed pods are silvery and papery, you probably know them even if you can't put that name to them.

Much as I loved still life drawing, I now prefer honesty flowers and they are now one of the earliest splashes of colour in the garden. They are incredibly good at self-seeding - they now exist in all the places where I didn't originally plant them (including growing out of cracks between the house and paving. If you get enough of them they create an amazing purple mist that attracts bees and butterflies.

Honesty (lunaria annua)

Honesty (Lunaria annua) - self-seeded in a dry patch by the greenhouse

They can start to look a bit scraggy one the flowering is over - which is a matter of weeks. It takes some time for the seed pods to mature - so there's a long period where they don't look their best.

I grew mine from seed, bought from Thompson & Morgan. They are perennial, and don't flower in the first year but they are super-easy to grow and once you have them, you've got them for life.

And here's the gratuitous close-up (of course taken with my squidcam macro lens)...

Honesty (lunaria annua) - close up taken with squidcam macro lens