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

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!

Horticultural highlight of the Week (2014 week 10) - Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

This is one of my favourite and best-loved native wildflowers and sit heads and shoulders above the gaudily coloured 'polyanthus' seen in cultivated beds on many a British roundabout and village green. Here in Sussex the advent of spring is marked by numerous clumps of primroses as much as it is by swathes of daffodils and I was very happy when one decided to self-seed itself in my herb garden.

Primrose (primula vulgaris) caught in March sunshine

That was about four years ago, and after the first year, and my efforts to carefully transplant the tiny flowerless offspring of the initial coloniser, they are now firmly established in the garden. It appears to favour well-drained soil and partial shade where it thrives - the plants that have seeded in the part-shaded gravel areas in the garden seem to be stronger and more upright, as seen here where one has appeared in the gravel surrounding the greenhouse.

Primrose (primula vulgaris)

I've now got tens of plants that appear in shady corners of the garden every spring - one of the first real signs that warmer weather is on its way.

Of course the 2014 editions of 'plant of the week wouldn't be complete without a couple of squidcam macro shots.

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) taken with Squidcam macro lens

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) taken with Squidcam macro lens