The first Devil's Fingers (Clathrus archeri) are pushing up from the underworld beneath Rye, East Sussex. And, yes, they really are that colour.
#fungi
#fungifriends
#UKwildlife
#Sussexwildlife
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Flat Beach, Rye Harbour NR in lovely light and no wind this morning. 4 Spoonbill, 2 Greenshank, 48 Ringed Plover, 85 Golden Plover, 25 Grey Plover + loadsa other waders, 25 Pintail, 2 Kingfisher, Wheatear, 100s of hirundines etc
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#birds
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

6 sp of bird of prey in 10 minutes near Pett - Kestrel, Buzzard, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier & Peregrine! Of those, only the first was regular when I was a kid. But, oddly, it doesn't indicate a healthier environment with many other bird sp much reduced.
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#Sussexwildlife
#birds

A large chunk of the world's population of Sea Aster Bee, Colletes halophilus, is found on the east and south-east coast of England. It's on the upper saltmarsh of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve now. An autumn ace!
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#insects
#bees
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The Hedge 20
28/9
I'll keep looking at The Hedge, but reduce the no. of posts. 52 species so far - list attached. Lacked nos of Spotted Flycatchers of previous years and no Redstart, but fledged Hobbies and Wryneck more than make up for that.
#Sussexwildlife
#UKwildlife
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Bee-wolf on Marram Grass at Camber Sands this morning. Always special to see this spectacular solitary wasp.
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#insects
#wasps
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Boom! My first European Paper Wasp, Polistes dominula. Very distinctive in flight, with back legs left dangling. Another very recent arrival set to spread fast. This was just outside the main entrance to Rye Harbour NR.
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#insects
#wasps
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The Hedge 19
23/9
I was considering whether the hum of far-off industry was ruining my visit, when I realised it was in fact masses of Ivy Bees! Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler. What's the collective noun for loadsa Chiffchaffs?
52 bird sp.
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#UKwildlife
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Twist-winged Parasite Flies, Ectophasia crassipennis, were on the last flowering umbellifers by the River Rother, near Rye, this morning.
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#insects
#flies
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The Woodland Grasshopper, Omocestus rufipes, here at @sussexwildlife.bsky.social Flatropers Wood Nature Reserve, near Rye, is Nationally Scarce. This one is a classy charcoal-black and fiery-orange. 🖤🧡
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#insects
#orthoptera

The Hedge 18
20/9
I stood with the Sussex Red cattle watching Spotted Flycatchers and Chiffchaffs. We smelled the first wisps of autumn decay. Raucous Jays jarred against the mellow mood.
52 bird sp.
#Sussexwildlife
#UKwildlife
#farming
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The Hedge 17
13-16/9
Daily visits have seen strong movement of Swallows, some movement of Wood Pigeons and an influx of Jays. Common warblers and the odd Spotted Flycatcher add interest.
Sussex Red cattle have become friends.
52 bird sp.
#Sussexwildlife
#UKwildlife
#birds
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

I don't often see Toadflax around here, but there's a clump by the road to Camber. I imagine it goes largely unnoticed. Some call it 'butter and eggs', but not many, these days, I suspect...
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#wildflowers
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

A bit of rain has led to a bit of an increase in hoverfly numbers. I like this Migrant Aphideater, Eupeodes corallae.
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##Sussexwildlife
#insects
#hoverflies
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The Hedge 16
12/9
Almost nothing happening - it was a Dead Hedge. BUT back at home 2 Spotted Flycatcher 'out back' were joined by a Pied Flycatcher! And then a party of 21 Mistle Thrush fed on the horse paddocks. Excellent!
51 bird sp.
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#UKwildlife
#birds
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The Hedge 15
9 & 10/9

'He's stopped staring at the bushes, but now he's staring at a cowpat. It's not normal, Jim!'

I was looking at this Twin-spot Centurion soldierfly.

51 bird sp. (Linnet new).
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#UKwildlife
#insects
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Walking north of Rye the hedgerows are full of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat, plus a few Willow Warbler. Also my first Redstart of the autumn (at last!), Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail and 3 Spotted Flycatcher. Less hirundines than last few days.
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#Sussexwildlife
#birds

I spend hours watching Spotted Flycatchers in the autumn. Erect, on guard, beady-eyed, long and slim, pale and interesting. Then they gracefully twist and swoop to feed, before standing to attention again, with tail and wing flicked salutes. 🩶
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#Sussexwildlife
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Hundreds of Ivy Bees have emerged in our neighbour's garden. Maybe my favourite bee, with vibrant, warm colours, like embers in an autumn fireplace.💛🧡🖤
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#bees
#insects
@sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The Hedge 11
3/9
...but The Hedge has qualities:
*wide range of tree species
*lots of standing & fallen dead wood
*next to organic & lightly farmed land
*'catches' birds moving along old cliff line, up a valley & coming in off the marsh
47sp. (Marsh Harrier new)
#UKbirds
#UKwildlife
#Sussexwildlife