October 2015: Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Sightings

October saw the first records of short-eared owl of the autumn at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. In Britain this species breeds on uplands in the north and west, but in our part of the south-east it is mainly an autumn and winter visitor, with birds originating from either northern Britain, particularly Scotland, or Scandinavia. One of the most active British owls during the daytime, short-eared owls rely largely on short-tailed voles for their food, though they will feed on other small rodents(including rats) and even small birds. At Rye Harbour they are most often seen hunting over the Beach Reserve or Harbour Farm, their presence often betrayed by groups of mobbing crows. The scientific name of this species is Asio flammeus, which literally means ‘flame coloured owl’ referring to the species bright plumage.

The bulk of wader numbers were again provided by lapwing (300) and golden plover (2000), while at least 280 curlew were recorded on Harbour Farm on the 23^rd. Notable records included three jack snipe on Harbour Farm on 20th, a spotted redshank here on 29th and 22 ruff at Ternery Pool on the 1st, with the highlight being a stone-curlew on Flat Beach on the 10^th. Waterfowl numbers began to increase with the advancing year, with some high counts of ducks during the month. On the 18^th for instance, peak counts included 333 teal, 140 shoveler, and 847 wigeon, the latter a record count for October here. Notable records included several sightings of great white egret at Castle Water and on Harbour Farm, including three on the 1^st, bittern at Castle Water on the 18^th and 20^th, a Slavonian grebe at Castle Water on the 24^th and an immature spoonbill on Harbour Farm and the Beach Reserve from the 1^st to the 4^th and 26^th. Raptors during October included regular marsh harrier and merlin, with a common buzzard at Castle Water on the 22nd and an immature peregrine over the Beach Reserve on the 29^th. In addition there were several sightings of short-eared owl over the Beach Reserve and Harbour Farm and the occasional barn owl on Harbour Farm and little owl both here and at Watch Cottage. A good selection of migrant passerines included up to 500 swallow and 50 house martin early in the month, good numbers of redpoll and siskin and still a few wheatear. Best of the bunch were three ring ouzel at Watch Cottage on the 21^st, a redstart near the caravan park on the 2nd and a spotted flycatcher at Castle Water Hide on the 10^th. In addition, up to 12 bearded tit were present at Castle Water on the 24^th and a raven flew over Harbour Farm on the 20^th.

A Nathusius bat caught at Castle water on 10^th October had been previously ringed 905 miles away in Latvia on 20^th August 2015.

Relatively few invertebrate sightings during the month, though still some butterflies, including red admiral and small tortoiseshell, and small numbers of dragonflies, all either common darter or migrant hawker. In addition several Roesel’s bush-cricket were seen at Lime Kiln Cottage early in the month. Plants in flower included apple-of-Peru (below), viper’s bugloss, yarrow and red valerian.