Ferring Rife

It was a pleasure to get out and about today, albeit for just a couple of hours. The sunshine and clear blue skies made a great change from Sky Sports and endless daytime TV adverts.

Each year I visit the rife specifically to monitor the Southern Marsh and Early Marsh Orchids. Whilst I don't do an actual count, I normally make a fairly objective assessment. I am glad to report that the population appears to be in fine health, not the numbers of 2011 but they seem to be far more widespread, in that smaller specimens can be found as far as the hedgerow boundaries of the lagoons. It is possible that seed has been distributed by the high floods in the past. Also, it is great to note that the spoil heaps of the excavations carried out by the Environment Agency are being colonised.

Early Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza incarnate

 

Southern Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza praetermissa

With last year's flowering stem

A smaller specimen on the edge of the lagoon

Spotted leaves



A profusion of Dactylorhizae

North lagoon

A good sign - colonisation of the spoil heaps

Flag irises always look good

South lagoon

Super size spike



Selsey Bill (II)

Another unproductive sea watch at the Bill, starting at 0600 and finishing at 1000, there was little of note. A flat calm sea and sunny conditions were just right for a sea watch, however, the birds did not agree.Highlights were 5 Eider ducks going east and a solitary Hobby making his way up the channel.

On the beach a dozen Sanderling, just getting their summer plumage, foraged among the large piles of kelp thrown up by the recent high winds.

Entertainment was provided by several gulls squabbling over some discarded by-catch. A dominant 3 Winter Great Black-backed Gull was making sure it got the major share. When I processed the photographs I noticed that one bird was ringed "L60"

I subsequently sent a sighting report to Fabrice Gallien of the Groupe Ornithologie Normand (GONm) and received a prompt reply stating that the bird was ringed by himself at Chausey, Manche, Normandie on the 28th June 2012 and that today's report was the first sighting since then.

On the way back to the car I noticed a small flock of Greenfinches, close and in good light. One male in particular was very actively displaying to some rather distracted females.

Lancing Ring

On my way home from Anchor Bottom I called in at Lancing Ring to record the Early Purple Orchid, Orchis mascula. I suspect that I should have been here at least a week earlier as pristine specimens were few and far between. Also, light was not that good and I had to resort to ring flash which makes some of the shots harsh. Given the amount of attention this site gets from dog walkers it is surprising how well the orchids thrive.

I also noted the "invasion" of Bluebells; all, I suspect, having Spanish genes from Hyacinthoides hispanica . Ah well, short of digging them all up we will have to put up with them - much the same as Canada Geese, Grey Squirrels and that damned New Zealand Pigmyweed, Crassula helmsii!! Truly global flora and fauna.