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Reports by Andy Horton
unless credited to other observers 
Blenny WILDLIFE REPORTS 31
March 2004 I saw my first Small White Butterfly of
the year,
south-east of the
Toll Bridge, in the sunshine by the
eroded chalk riverbank and my first bright yellow Brimstone Butterfly at
Cuckoo's
Corner. The Small Tortoiseshells were more a deep orange today by the Toll Bridge and one
at Cuckoo's Corner. Over fifty lizards skittered up the extensive crumbling flint walls of the Old Fort (Shoreham Beach) (TQ 234 046) with dexterity, very quickly (too quickly to photograph) after basking in the warmth of the morning sun.
I think the lizards seen at the Old Fort are the Common (or Viviparous) Lizard, Zootoca vivipara. Postscript: these lizards have now been definitely identified as the Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis. Identifications by Chris Davis (Herpetological Conservation Trust) Local Lizard Comparison Photographs It appears that
they area different species of lizard that inhabits the flint walls south-east
of the Toll Bridge at Old Shoreham. Postscript: these lizards have now been definitely identified as the Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis. Identifications by Chris Davis (Herpetological Conservation Trust Local Lizard Comparison Photographs
Quite the most magnificent bird I have ever seen in the Adur area, a pale fawnish-brown Barn Owl flew majestically in a straight line above the Ricardo test track opposite the Sussex Pad Hotel (at the southern end of the Coombes Road) and then veered into the cover of the trees. The bird flew at 4:45 pm in bright sunshine so the view was far from fleeting. I was struck by the size of this bird as it appeared much bigger than expected, especially its head which was looking in my direction. January Report Adur Levels 2004 24 March 2004 At least three Great Crested Grebes were diving in the calm sea off the coast of Shoreham, Lancing and later around midday off Worthing. Two of these diving birds came close in to the shore and their white necks and the beginnings of a rudimentary crest could be seen. This grebe is a regular winter visitor but this is the first time I have positively observed them. Marine Life (Sussex) 2004 23 March 2004 A Red Fox was caught in my bicycle lights (its eyes reflected the beam of light) as it ventured into the middle of Gordon Road, Shoreham (north of the railway station) at 11:25 pm. It looked like a young Fox and under the street lamps in appeared a light golden colour rather than the usual dark appearance, as it decided to reverse in its tracks and run down the twitten between the terraced houses on the north side of the road from where it had appeared. A different Fox had seen before in exactly the same area in 2002. Town & Gardens 2004 22 March 2004 A Brimstone Butterfly flew past my head near Lancing Station in the morning. (TQ 182 043) and on the Adur Biodiversity Smart
Group
Adur Butterflies
19-20 March 2004 An
unexpected bird visitor to my south Lancing
garden (TQ 186
044) in the morning was a Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus
collybita. It came within 1.5 metres of the kitchen
window during a quick reconnaissance of the garden. The resemblance
to a Willow Warbler gives me a small
reservation over its identity. I would give it a 90% certainty value.
Two pairs of Great
Spotted Woodpeckers chased their partners around the tree tops opposite
Cuckoo's Corner on the Coombes road. They made a tremendous commotion
as they performed their antics, with a rattling trill-like call
that was repeated at regular intervals. At times it seemed if two
males were competing over one female and at another time, it seemed
that there were two separate pairs. Report by Richard
Fairbank (Shoreham Beach) on the Sussex Birds Yahoo
Group
15 March 2004 14 March 2004 Report by Ray Hamblett
on Lancing
Nature Notes 13 March 2004 12 March 2004
10 March 2004 The industrious Magpies have built an upright doughnut shaped
structure about 50 cm (18 inches) diameter in the
Hawthorn tree at the bottom of my south Lancing
garden (TQ 186
044). A clap of
thunder and lightning was followed by
hail and it left Drove Crescent in Portslade covered in hailstones like a
dusting of snow.
6 March 2004In the foliage and soil
a few creatures were active in my south Lancing
garden (TQ 186
044), the most colourful was a 22 spot Ladybird,
Psyllobora 22-punctata, a mere 4 mm long.
Lancing
Beetles5 March 2004 A single Long-tailed Tit, Aegithalos caudatus, called from the branches
of the Hawthorn
early in the afternoon in my south Lancing
garden (TQ 186
044).
4 March 2004 A female Blackcap, Sylvia
atricapilla, with
her light brown head was seen in my south Lancing
garden (TQ 186
044) in the
morning. This follows the recent sighting on
29 February 2004 of a male.
Lancing
Nature Pages (by Ray Hamblett)2 March 2004 I turned toward the wheelbarrow and nudged
it slightly, from under the front a Painted Lady Butterfly fluttered
away in my south Lancing
garden (TQ 186
044). It was tantalisingly
quick but long enough to see the colouring.
Lancing
Butterflies (New Web Site by Ray Hamblett)
Adur Butterflies Report by Stanley Allen on
Sussex Ornithological Society
News
1 March 2004 The Peregrine Falcon has just landed on the Shoreham Harbour Power Station chimney, near the nest box, at 3:54 pm. Report by Peter Talbot-Elsden (Southwick)
A Common
Buzzard was identified flying over the eastern ridge (Thundersbarrow) as viewed from Mill Hill, with 140 Lapwings flying
around as well as a flock of 33 Fieldfares, and these thrushes were about fifty in total. A Peregrine Falcon was seen
chasing Stock Doves
near Truleigh Hill.
Three Water Rails, Rallus aquaticus, were clearly seen
as they ran across a duckweed covered stream at the Cokeham Reed Beds, west Lancing. They appeared to
be two male birds competing for the affections of a female. These shy secretive
birds are rarely seen, more often their presence is deduced from their unusual
calls.
Report
by Roy & June Bratton via Ray Hamblett
(Lancing Nature)
on A diminutive Goldcrest, Regulus regulus,
flitted through the Viburnum bodnantense shrub in my south Lancing
garden (TQ 186
044) before disappearing
over the fence. I first saw the movement of the
small bird and assumed it to be a Wren, but it is a faster moving bird.
Once a good look was obtained the distinctive yellow flash
on the head confirmed it as the female of the species.
Mill
Hill 2004 (with new map)
EMail Address for sending in wildlife reports from the lower Adur valley Only a selection will be included and only reports with the name of the reporter The old wildlife reports according to
habitat will be archived.
The Shoreham-by-Sea web site started on 1 January 1997.
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