Twelve gathered at the Earnley car park for a walk around Medmerry, on what turned out to be a pleasant autumn morning.  As we gathered in the car park three Jays flew over and there were a flock of House Sparrows in the bushes.  As we walked down the track towards the beach there were more sparrows with a few Skylarks giving a weak song.  A Speckled Wood sunning itself was the first butterfly of the day, then a Cetti’s Warbler gave its explosive song from the bushes right beside the group, but true to form it could not be seen.  As we approached the beach David spotted a white butterfly sunning itself which turned out to be a Small White.  Walking along the shingle sea defence we were unable to identify a succulent growing in the shingle, but did much better when a Wheatear obligingly perched on a rock long enough for all to see it well.  All the while there were small numbers of Swallows flying around, but we could not find any Martins.  Looking towards the Stilt Pools we could see there were no birds, apart from a bold Grey Heron, as an RSPB work party were busy cutting and raking vegetation; however bramble thickets nearer us held a pair of Stonechats and several ‘female-type’ Reed Buntings.  As we approached the Stilt Pools a military plane flew over low disturbing a Little Egret, a flock of Teal and a few Lapwing from the reserve.  As we walked along the embankment a Red Admiral flew past and a Peacock was sunning itself.  Looking back to the pools there were 2 Linnets on the fence and a Meadow Pipit bathing in a puddle.  As we continued along the embankment there were a number of Stonechats along the fenceline, and on the brambles and gorse, and a Dartford Warbler briefly perched on top of a gorse bush giving limited views to some.  We descended to the lower track where there were a coupled pair of Darters (possibly Common) and a Hawker (possibly Migrant) in the area used for the dragonfly survey.  The return walk produced a charm of Goldfinches from the ditch, a number of Black-headed Gulls presumably hawking flying insects and a few more White butterflies.

A pleasant morning’s wildlife walk, finding by my count 33 species of bird, with most being seen or heard quite well.  I am sure we would have seen more had the RSPB not been at work.  There were also 4 butterfly and 2 dragonfly species.

Robert Watson