My World Of Wildlife

Today I went to Lancing Beach in West Sussex, which I normally visit every year. I don't normally look along the beach for nature but today I decided to.  The first thing I saw was this. Cuttlebone  This is in fact a Cuttlebone, also known as a Cuttlefish bone. Here is a few facts about Cuttlefish: The Cuttlebone is it's internal shell. Despite their name they are molluscs not fish. When they are alive they have the ability to change pattern for different purposes.  From www.allthesea.com The second thing I found was this. These are egg cases or otherwise know as mermaids purses. This is where the embryo grows and exits into the ocean. There are different types and can come from sharks, skate and rays. These I think are from a Spotted Ray. (Please tell me If I am wrong!)  The last thing I found was this. I am really not sure what this is. All I know is that it looks and feels like a bone. Please l et me know if...

Although it was raining, today I visited Warnham Local Nature Reserve in Horsham. Every year a pair of Common Terms breed at Warnham and normally produce about 3 young. Today I saw that there was 3 young being fed by the adults and you can see that there adult plumage is coming through.  You can just about see the three chicks to the left of the photo When I was just about to leave the hide a Kingfisher whizzed past. In the Woodpecker Hide, which has feeding stations, most of the birds I saw where juvenile Blue Tits and Great Tits as well as the occasional Chaffinch. In the last hide that looks over the lake, one of the terns sat on a perch.    Two swans were chasing after another all around the lake, it was quite funny to watch because the swan that was getting chased wouldn't go away. After a while of being chased all around the lake it left. 

Yesterday I started my volunteer work at RSPB Pulborough Brooks. It consists of mostly practical work which benefits the habitats of the reserve which is what I wanted to do. I got there at 9:30 and was took around the visitor centre (most of it I had seen before!) including upstairs were the public can't go. Another good thing about doing volunteering is that I get to work in areas of the reserve that normally you wouldn't be able to go. A group of 9 of us went down the road and stopped next to a river. This was were the invasive Himalayan Balsam was growing in a enormous amount. We had to pull and cut as much as we could of it. It took us nearly 5 hours to make a dent in the amount that was growing there. Hopefully this will decrease the amount of it there as hopefully we got it just before it was going to seed. During the time I saw a Green Woodpecker, Cinnabar Moth, a group of Swifts, 1 House Martin, a Kestrel and a Buzzard. We heard a Chiffchaff, Blackcap and as we wo...

Today I visited RSPB Pulborough Brooks to sign up to become a volunteer and I am starting next Sunday. :) While I was there I took a walk around the reserve.  There was lots of butterflies as well the song of the Chiffchaff constantly being sung. One appeared in the trees in front of me. Chiffchaff A group of Goldfinches where chattering high up in the trees. Another song I heard was of the Greenfinch, a Male was perched on a branch singing his heart out. In the first hide, on the lake was 3 Mute Swans (a pair and a juvenile) and Shelduck. Carrying on until we reached the viewing point that looks over all the reserve, I could see many Lapwing, Canada and Greylag Geese, Mallard and a Grey Heron. A Little Egret was also hunting for fish and a group of Starling were flying in and out of the reeds. Among the Hedgerow I saw 2 Linnets with their beautiful red chests and a Whitethroat. Apparently a Hobby had been seen twice hunting in the distance but unfortunately I didn't...

Yesterday, I visited Woods Mill Nature Reserve in Henfield... As I walked into the reserve all you could hear was birds, Blackcaps singing, young Blue Tits begging for food, the alarming call of the Blackbird as it flew as fast as lightning in front of me and the twittering of a group of Goldfinches. Towards the reeds you could hear the bubbling call of the Reed Warbler. A male Blackcap sung very loudly as it perched in the trees behind me. Male Blackcap Walking towards the furthest point of the reserve there was lots of butterflies and damselflies like these ones, that I eventually managed to take a photo of whilst they were keeping still! Small Skipper Azure Damselfly  Azure Damselfly  As I walked across the bridge I was surprised to see the blue and orange flash of the Kingfisher as it flew past me and up the river. At the small lake there was a Little Grebe and lots of Coots with their chicks. As we sat down for lunch in front of the lake, a ...

Today I went bird ringing for the first time. I have always wanted to do bird ringing but I never knew how I could. So the other week I went on the BTO website and found out where I could find a trainer. Luckily I found one only 20 minutes away from me in Horsham.  So I arrived there at 8:30 this morning. Although I am only 12 I can still learn how to do it and I can train for a 'C' permit when I am 14. Firstly me, my mum and my trainer went round all the nets and found a Blackbird, a group of Long-Tailed Tits including juveniles and a young robin. After this we went back to take the details of the birds and ring them if they didn't have a ring on them already. Unfortunately, It started to rain and we had to check and take down the nets. We found a young Wren which I was allowed to hold and let go of. As there is a river there we heard Kingfishers call twice as well as young Blue Tits and a Garden Warbler. We also saw a group of House Martins flying around in the sky.  ...

Today I went to RSPB Pulborough Brooks. On the way there I saw a Red Kite, It flew directly above my car. Its great to see Red Kites in the South East now, as when I was younger you never saw them at all.  On the way to the hides I saw and heard lots of Swifts screaming in the sky, a real sign of summer for me. In the first hide were a lot of Lapwing acrobatically flying and Shelduck with young. As I was walking to the next hide a Chiffchaff appeared in a tree in front of me. Next I went to see what a couple of people where looking at in the bracken (I had an idea what it was going to be) and I was right, they told me it was a female Adder. This was the first time I had seen one in the wild. It lay curled up in front of me, basking in the sun. In the next hide was 2 Little Egret and a Moorhen. Following this I went to look at the viewing area that looks over almost all of the reserve. There was at least 10 Mute Swan in the distance. Then a Green ...