Chidham and Hambrook Village - everyday

Birds

Spotted Redshank

The Cathedral Peregrines have hatched three out of four eggs. The local pigeon population had better keep their heads down with so many hungry mouths to feed! Other birds well into breeding include Starlings, Moorhens and Mallard . All of these have been seen or heard with chicks. Hopefully the settled weather will continue and we will have a better breeding season, because they really need it.

The seabirds are also busy breeding. Gull species are mostly already nesting and the terns have now arrived, with Little Tern , and lots of Common and Sandwich Terns sighted within the Chichester Harbour nesting colonies.

Most mammals will be now busy breeding. Foxes, Badgers and Stoats are feeding young whilst Brown Hare, Rabbits and Weasels will be on their first of multiple litters of the year. Most of the young mammals will be tucked away safely in burrows, but young fox cubs will soon be venturing out to explore their surroundings.
The use of camera traps (as popularised by various BBC nature programmes) has led to an interesting discovery of a Polecat (photo) at Chidham. This species was lost from much of the UK, but is now recolonising its former range. 
All the bat species will now be active. Keep a look out at dusk for bats emerging, the smaller bats like the Pipistrelle will be doing a great job eating biting insects in your gardens.

Another group of species that would really benefit from a more settled spring and summer are our invertebrates. Declines have been noted in sightings of many butterfly and moth species. As with a lot of things the cold March has delayed emergence, but I have seen, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small White, Green-veined White and Small Tortoiseshell in various locations.

It has also been very slow for moths, however, I did see my first Silver Y (photo) last week which is a migrant species.

All reptile species are now all active. They can be found in most areas of suitable habitat, which for the commoner reptiles (Grass Snake, Slow-worm and Viviparous Lizard) are rough grassland, light scrub and hedge-banks. Walk very slowly in areas of suitable habitat and check open patches or raised areas for basking reptiles.

Ponds are now full of masses of tadpoles, as they get bigger it is easier to identify if they are frogs or toads, frog tadpoles are speckled, while toads are uniformly black (or dark brown).

In grasslands, and in some lucky peoples gardens, the early flowering (but quite rare) Green Winged Orchid (photo) is now flowering. As the spring and early summer continues a succession of orchid species will come into bloom.

Blackthorn is still in flower, but other trees such as Hawthorn (the May Tree) and Horse Chestnut are now only just starting to flower.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Spotted Redshank

This time last year I was commenting on the warm weather, but we have just had the coldest March since 1962. It is thought that birds use different cues to time their migrations. These include increasing day length and also the weather plays a role in the exact timing of departures. The Spotted Redshank that frequents Nore Barn to the West of Emsworth recorded the latest leaving date since it first used the site in 2004.

But the harbour is certainly quieter with the bulk of the winter visitors now departed. Included in those departed birds are three Greenshank that have been fitted with geolocators. This is a tiny device that will record the whereabouts of the birds, so we can learn more about this species.

Away from the harbour it is a different story, with singing and other courtship behaviour occurring in every corner. Male birds will be singing to attract mates and defend territories. The distinctive ‘teacher, teacher' call of the Great Tit and the calls of other resident breeding birds are a backdrop to countryside walks and a useful reminder that Spring is on the way.

Foxes will have given birth to their cubs and as the cubs grow so does their appetite. Vixens increasingly have to hunt in the day to get enough food, and are also more likely to target domestic fowl, so make sure your chickens are secure!!
Bats emerging from hibernation will have been delayed by the cold weather, but will start to be active over the coming weeks.

Not surprisingly given the weather I haven't seen any butterflies and only tiny numbers of moths.
The species that over-winter as adults such as Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Brimstone (photo), will be the first, but Orange Tip a species that over-winters as a pupa and emerges in the Spring shouldn't be far behind.

The cold conditions will have delayed reptiles emerging from hibernation. There are no reports of Slow-Worms, Viviparous (common) Lizards (photo) or Grass snake as of yet but I would expect to see some in the next week or so.
Frog spawn should now be present in ponds and some recent surveys have located some good populations of smooth newts around the harbour.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Gadwall

Recently I have seen Lapwings, having staked a claim for a suitable territory, undertaking their wheeling aerial display to attract a mate. I also saw Skylarks as they were engaging in their spectacular song-flight, ascending high into the sky singing as they go, before ‘parachuting’ back to earth.

Gadwall (photo) numbers seem to be on a meteoric rise. This attractive grey and chestnut duck has recently increased its breeding range and actually bred successfully on Fishbourne Millpond last year. Over-winter numbers have hugely increased over the last few years.

This should be the time when Brown Hares are most visible. The ‘Mad March Hares’, chasing and boxing is actually females fending off the unwanted attention of males. But I haven’t seen any yet this year, which is a worry.

Water Vole activity is stepping up as the new Spring growth increases their available food supply. They will soon be spreading out from their communal winter colony to establish breeding territories.

There have been sightings of butterflies include Red Admiral and the vibrant sulphur yellow Brimstone, both of which hibernate as adults over the winter.
The first ‘new’ butterflies of the year will be Orange Tips (photo), which may start emerging towards the ends of the month. Moths flying will include Clouded Drab and Dotted Border.

Amphibians have come out of hibernation, and are moving to breeding ponds and lakes. Toads in particular will migrate on particular routes often crossing roads, where they can come into conflict with motor vehicles.
As the days get longer and the temperature rises reptiles will also be emerging from hibernation.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Jack Snipe

The cold weather we have been experiencing seems to have brought the birds in. Hopefully it will not get too extreme though as frozen conditions can make life hard, especially waders that have to probe into mud for their food.
We will are now at peak numbers for many species. Currently we have around 10-15,000 Dunlin, this species is the most common small wader you will see in Chichester Harbour. Look for them busily feeding on the mudflats, often closely following the receding tide, or wheeling about in huge flocks flashing white as they turn in unison.

Water Voles are much less active in the winter months. They do not hibernate but spend more time in their burrows feeding on grasses and other vegetation that they stored in Autumn. You may however, see the small ‘lawns’ of close cropped grass they create outside of the burrow.

While not entirely topical, new research has solved the enigma of what happens to Painted Lady butterflies that migrate to the UK. 2009 was a bumper year when 11 million arrived in the UK. It was assumed that the butterflies would attempt to over-winter or perish in the first frosts, as there was no visible reverse migration. It has now been shown that 26 million Painted Ladies made the reverse migration to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco flying at 3,000 feet at speeds up to 30 mph.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Greenshank

It appears as if Dark-bellied Brent Geese have had a very poor breeding year. The flocks that have already arrived in Chichester Harbour have very few young with them. ‘Baby' brents can be identified by white stripes on the wing feathers, these are absent in adult birds. Counting the percentage of juvenile birds enables us to build a picture of what is happening in the remote and inaccessible breeding grounds on the Taimyr Peninsula in arctic Russia.

Most of the other winter visitors including Dunlin, Golden Plover and Wigeon are now here in significant numbers. These will continue to build with peak numbers occurring in December for most species. The Spotted Redshank that has become a regular attraction at Nore Barn has returned for another year, as has the Nutbourne Greenshank (which is colour ringed green/yellow and green/yellow (photo)) for the 10th year running.
There are still a few swallows around, you wonder if they might have left it a bit late to start their migration.

Mammals that hibernate will either be in hibernation or will shortly be entering it. Bats will only be active now on warmer evenings. Now they spend more time in torpor, slowing their systems down to conserve energy, until they go into full hibernation by the end of the month at the latest. Other mammals such as Water Voles and Wood Mice will be busy storing food in caches for the long winter ahead.
A record 23 Harbour Seals (photo) were counted recently, the approaching cold weather will not phase these hardy animals.

A few hardy insects are still on the wing in sunny periods. Look for Red Admirals and Common Darter Dragonflies (photo). Further frosts soon diminish most insect activity. The exception are some species of moth, the variety and number of moths do decrease in the winter months, but a succession of species occur throughout most of the year. Species now appearing include the aptly named November and Autumnal Moths.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Ringed Plover

The first of the dark-bellied Brent Geese will soon arrive back in the harbour. They have been sighted in small numbers coming down the English Channel. The numbers will build to around 10,000 by December, which represents about 5% of the world population.

Onward migrants such as Wheatears, Spotted Flycatchers and Black Redstarts are still moving through the area. Large flocks of Swallows and Martins are waiting for suitable conditions to migrate.

As the nights start to get colder many mammal species will be preparing for winter. Fox and Stoats will be growing a thicker winter coat and Roe Deer (photo) will change from their russet red summer pelage into a grey winter coat. Others such as Water Vole and Grey Squirrel will be stocking up on food to get them through the winter. Bats and Hedgehogs will start preparing to go into hibernation. They have to find a suitable balance between maintaining fat reserves and the length of their hibernation.

While the weather is still fairly warm butterflies such as Speckled Wood, Small White and Peacock (photo) are still flying. Some migrant butterflies are still arriving including Red Admiral and Clouded Yellow. The succession of moth species is continuing with Feather Gothic, Setaceous Hebrew Character and second brood Heart and Dart flying over the last few days.
There also seems to be lots of dragonflies still flying with large numbers of Migrant Hawker and Common Darter seen over the last week.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Black headed Gull

Good numbers of wading birds are now arriving in the Harbour. August is normally the peak month for Redshank, Curlew and Greenshank. These species breed in the North of England and Scotland. Researchers in the Pennines have informed us that conditions were fairly good during the breeding season. Significant numbers of Dunlin and Sanderling, and a Little Stint have also been sighted. Most of these birds will continue to migrate onwards once they have replenished their fat reserves.

Despite the disastrous start with most nests being washed out, chicks of Black-headed Gull (photo), Mediteranean Gull and Common Tern have been sighted.
A number of Ospreys have been sighted around the harbour, including a pair that have been seen repeatedly. Let’s hope they come back and attempt to breed next year.

There have been lots of sightings of seals (probably Harbour Seals), from East Head and Selsey. I’m not sure if it is the seals or the people that are being more active, must be the influence of the Olympics! Bats are very active with this year’s young now out hunting for themselves. It has not been a good year for bats with the poor weather earlier in the year restricting their feeding ability and food supply. The mating season will shortly commence.

Still slow for butterflies, but large numbers of Gatekeeper (photo) are now present especially along grassy hedges, they have emerged significantly later than in previous years. The migrant species such as Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow are also quite poorly represented.

Moth species seen include Riband Wave, Garden Carpet, Flame Shoulder and Drinker.

The variable weather will be having an effect on our reptiles and amphibians. Reptiles rely on the energy of the sun to remain active, so the periods of rain and little sun will not have been good for them. However, the wet conditions will reduce the need for amphibians to hide from the sun to avoid dehydration. The wet conditions are also ideal for slugs (photo), which are a major prey item for both Common Toad and Slow-worm, which is a definite plus.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Mallard Ducklings

Lots of species are now well into their breeding. There are good sized Mute swan cygnets, Mallard ducklings (photo) and Moorhen chicks on a number of sites. Also look out for fledged juvenile birds such as House Sparrow and Starling.
House Martins are again nesting at the Harbour Office. It seems that the harbour mud is not an ideal building material. After seeing nests collapse last year, the Workshop team installed some artificial nests, which are all in use.

The seabird colonies appear to be quite busy this year with Sandwich, Common and Little Tern all apparently nesting. Good numbers of Black-headed Gulls and a few Mediterranean Gulls are sitting on nests.

The young of many of our mammal species are starting to venture out. These include Fox and Badger cubs, Weasel and Stoat (photo) kits and Roe kids. Roe does will have recently given birth to two spotty kids, they leave them laying separately in grass and other vegetation, and return to suckle them. Bats are making best use of the short nights but high numbers of insects. Keep an eye out at dusk for emerging bats, hunting insects around trees and buildings.

It has been a slow Spring for butterflies. Very small numbers of Holly and Common Blue have been seen. Other species spotted include: Small Heath, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and the White’s (Small, Large and Green Veined).
I haven’t seen a great deal of dragon or damsel flies yet this year, just the odd Large Red and Emperor dragonflies.
Moths have just got really active. On the wing are White Ermine (photo), Oak Hook Tip and lots of species of Carpet (Green, Twin-spot Red etc). Also flying are the black and shocking pink Cinnabar Moths which will fly by day. Their yellow and black striped caterpillars feed on ragwort.

As the warmer temperature reduces their reliance on basking to regulate their body heat, reptiles will be more difficult to spot. They are more active in dense vegetation. Early morning and late in the evening when the temperature starts dropping are good times to see them.
Tadpoles now resemble miniatures of their parents. Some froglets (photo) and toadlets will be venturing out of the pond.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Mute Swan Cygnets

The Cathedral Peregrines have hatched all four eggs, the parents are now busy feeding the chicks. And what parents! they are successfully rearing chicks year on year! Other birds well into breeding include Starlings, Mute Swans (photo) and Mallard, all of which have chicks. The recent heavy rain has caused problems for ground nesting birds especially Lapwing, who are suffering flooded nests.
Terns have now arrived, with good numbers of Little Tern, lots of Common Terns, but no Sandwich Terns yet sighted within the nesting colonies.

After a slow start migrant birds such as Swifts, House Martins and Swallows have arrived in numbers. Cuckoo’s have been heard and Osprey, Whimbrel and Curlew Sandpiper have all passed through the harbour.

Baby rabbits seem to have been around for ages now, no doubt helped by the mild winter. However, breeding activity of most of our other mammal species is less visible with the youngsters tucked away in setts, earths and other burrows. Mothers and assisting family, in the case of foxes (photo) often a female from a preceding litter, will be busy feeding hungry mouths.
The persistent rain will be a problem for all of the bat species. It increases the energy costs of flying and reduces the insect life that will be in flight.
There has been an unusual recent sighting of two Atlantic Grey seals, alongside the more regular Harbour Seals.

The wet weather has limited the butterflies on the wing. I have seen Orange Tip, Small White (photo), Green-veined White and Small Tortoiseshell. The rain seems to have slowed the moths as well, with individuals of Muslin Moth and Brimstone the only species I have noted.

Ponds are now full of masses of tadpoles. As they get bigger it is easier to identify if they are frogs or toads. Frog tadpoles are speckled, while toads are uniformly black (or dark brown).

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Yellowhammer

The harbour now seems eerily quiet as the bulk of the winter visitors have departed for their breeding grounds. The background cronking of Brent Geese and whistling of Wigeon, has yet to be replaced by the shrill call of Terns feeding in the harbour.

Away from the water it is a different story, listen for male birds are singing to attract mates and defend territories. Yellowhammers - see photo (now sadly a much rarer sight) will be singing from hedgerows with their ‘little bit of bread and no cheese’ call.

Foxes will have given birth to their cubs (photo) and as the cubs grow so does their appetite. Vixens will have to hunt in the day to get enough food for their families.

Water Voles become increasingly active as they start their breeding cycle. Bats are also emerging from hibernation. This week I saw my first bats of the year, two Pipistrelles zooming around at roof height in the garden.

Despite the warm weather I haven't seen many butterflies, (other observers are having more luck!!). However, I have recorded Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Brimstone , all of which over-winter as adults. There have also been reports of Orange Tip , a species that over-winters as a pupa and emerges in the Spring. Moths recently sighted include Small Quaker, Clouded Drab (photo) and Hebrew Character.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Red Breasted Merganser

Winter has finally caught up with us, with the first consistent periods of sub zero temperatures. Birds should be fine as they will have taken advantage of the mild weather to build up fat reserves.
Despite the weather, signs of Spring are evident, especially amongst the duck species. Ducks tend to pair up on the wintering grounds where courtship rituals can be seen as they make or reinforce a relationship. Look out for Red-breasted Mergansers (photo), their courtship involves lots of rigorous head bobbing and drakes swimming in circles around females.

The Harbour Seals will be not be greatly affected by the drop in temperature, their thick layer of blubber insulates them from the cold. Wood Mice are making good use of the plentiful crop of acorns. Our Rangers found a huge stash hidden under a sheet of tin in Salterns Copse.

Some early butterflies such as Brimstone will appear towards the end of the month. Moths such as Spring Usher, Common Quaker (photo) and Satellite will be flying throughout February.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Red Breasted Merganser

Looking back to my notes from last year, the weather couldn't be more different. Last January we were gripped in some of the coldest conditions for decades. The current weather we are told by meteorologists is near to the average for the time of year, but it does seem incredibly mild.

The mild weather has possibly resulted in some species such as Red-breasted Merganser (left) and Shelduck arriving in smaller numbers. But it has meant that other species may stay on here rather than escape frozen conditions as they did last year.

The mild weather should also made life easier for our non-hibernating mammals such as Water Vole and Roe Deer. However, it could be problematic for hibernating species. Mild spells can cause bat species and hedgehogs (left) to emerge from hibernation. With limited food available they can quickly use up valuable fat reserves.

It is not a completely blank time of year for insects. Look for the Winter Moth (left) which can often be seen on night-time car journeys, attracted toward you car lights. The caterpillars of the Winter Moth are one of the key food sources for Blue Tits feeding chicks in the Spring.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Dunlin

Water voles are much less active in the winter months. They don't hibernate but do spend more time in their burrows feeding on grasses and other vegetation they have stored during the Autumn. You may however, see the small ‘lawns' of close cropped grass they create outside their river bank burrows.

A few hardy butterflies are still on the wing, including three Red Admirals in my garden at the weekend. Common Darter Dragonflies are also still around, but the first frosts will soon diminish most insect activity.
The exceptions are some species of moth. The variety and number of moths do decrease in the winter months, but a succession of species occur throughout most of the year. Species now appearing in my garden include the aptly named November and Autumnal Moths.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Dartford Warbler

Bats will only be active now on warmer evenings, and will be spending more time in torpor slowing their systems down to conserve energy. They will go into full hibernation by the end of the month at the latest.

A few hardy butterflies are still on the wing, including three Red Admirals in my garden at the weekend. Common Darter Dragonflies are also still around, but the first frosts will soon diminish most insect activity.
The exceptions are some species of moth. The variety and number of moths do decrease in the winter months, but a succession of species occur throughout most of the year. Species now appearing in my garden include the aptly named November and Autumnal Moths.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Spoonbill - a rarity

92 Ringed Plover and 103 Sanderling were colour ringed. These birds can now be individually indentified so we can increase our knowledge of their movements.

The un-seasonally warm weather has enabled many butterfly species to extend their flying season. A walk will generally result in sighting Speckled Wood, Small White, Red Admiral, Peacock and perhaps Small Copper. There were also a few migrant Clouded Yellow butterflies seen in the last week. The succession of moth species is continuing with Flounced Rustic, Lunar Underwing and Brindled Green all making an appearance in my garden over the last few days.
Dragonflies are still flying with Migrant Hawker, Common Darter and Emporer seen over the last week.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Cattle Egret

I walked through Salterns Copse first thing this morning and it was alive with birds. There was a mixed group of tits ( Great, Blue and Long-tailed ) and warblers ( Chiffchaff and Willow ) picking their way through and along a pile of brash. The warblers are probably migrants waiting for a break in the weather to move south. Other migrants such as Wheatears and Yellow Wagtails are also congregating in coastal areas, feeding up and awaiting the chance to continue their onward journey. 

Migrating waders such as Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Redshank and small numbers of Spotted Redshank , are also present in the harbour. Some will over-winter in the harbour, but many more will continue further south. The first of the returning Brent Geese are expected towards the end of the month.  
Osprey have been regularly sighted around the harbour and a Cattle Egret has been feeding alongside cattle at Eames Farm (a first for the site).

Fox and Badger cubs, will be fending for themselves, while Roe kids will remain at their mothers side sometimes right until the following Spring. Female Hedgehogs will still have their family in tow. Later in the Autumn, the mother will find an area with plenty of food and then essentially abandon the young to feed up and find a suitable hibernation site on their own.
This is one of the most active months for bats. They are busily feeding to build up fat reserves for a long winter of hibernation and also attempting to attract mates.

The stormy conditions that we have seen at the start of September, have significantly affected our efforts at insect watching. In sheltered spots you can still find Common Blue, Comma, Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies. But on a walk around a nice woodland site, I only saw a single, rather battered looking Speckled Wood. On a less windy day I spotted a single Clouded Yellow, my first of the year. This species is a migrant, originating in North Africa and Southern Europe.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

It is a quiet time of year for birds. A few migrant birds are passing through. Other species have finished breeding and keep their heads down while they moult. Juvenile birds of many species can be seen around the harbour, including Lapwing (photo ), Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher . Some species such as the terns; Common, Sandwich and Little seem to still be sitting on eggs. Terns usually only attempt to produce one brood per year. However, if a nest is lost early in the season they may try again. Other species such as Robin and Skylark raise multiple broods.

The short spells of rain have freshened up the grassy vegetation. This benefits grassland butterflies such as Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Marbled White and Large, Small and Essex Skippers (photo), all of which are on the wing now. With the warmer nights most of us are leaving windows open and you may find moths attracted to your lights. Contrary to their reputation of being drab and brown some are so colourful they put our butterflies to shame.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds

Roe deer are now in there rust red summer pelage (coat). The doe will usually give birth to two spotty kids which they leave laying separately in grass (photo) and other vegetation, and return regularly to suckle them. If you happen to find an ‘abandoned' kid leave it be, the doe will not be far away and will return once you have gone.
Young animals including Fox and Badger cubs will start to venture away from their birth place and if you are very lucky you may see a family group of weasels being taught how to hunt by their mother.

It has been a good Spring so far for our butterfly species. Recently I have sighted Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Speckled Wood (photo), Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Small White . I haven't seen a great deal of dragon or damsel flies yet this year, just the odd Large Red and Emperor dragonflies.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds
This month look out for Blue Tits (photo) busily collecting materials such as feather and wool to line their nests. House Sparrows can be seen carrying grass and straw whereas House Martins will have beakfuls of mud for constructing nests.

Ponds are now full of masses of tadpoles. As they get bigger you can distinguish the frog tadpoles which are speckled, while toads are uniformly black (or dark brown).

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds
The harbour now seems somewhat empty as the bulk of the winter visitors have departed to their breeding areas. Brent geese colour-ringed on Hayling Island this winter, were recorded doing the jump from Chichester Harbour to Holland overnight.

Water Voles will be becoming more active as they also start their breeding cycle.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds
Most of the resident garden birds like Blue and Great Tits, Robins and Wrens are busy looking for places to nest. Many of them will use nest boxes if you have installed one in your garden. If you are quick there is still a chance to put one up, but don’t be disappointed if they don’t use it in the first year. I have recently seen Rooks carrying nesting material back to nests and a Black Swan (a pair of these introduced Australasian species reside around the harbour) has reportedly already started laying eggs.

The Conservancy Rangers spotted some mad march Hares boxing on farmland at Bosham. Brown Hare boxing is actually females fending off unwanted males, rather than the males fighting as had been previously thought.

Water vole activity is stepping up with some sightings at Brook Meadow and ample signs of their presence located at Fishbourne Meadows.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds
With the warming weather, spells of sunshine and lengthening days, we are all thinking ahead to the Spring. For our bird life this is especially true, with evidence of birds getting on with the breeding cycle everywhere you look.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Birds
The cold weather marking the end of 2010 had an effect on the bird life around the harbour. The frozen conditions make life hard for most bird species particularly those that feed on soft mud or in shallow water. This results in birds either staying put and relying on depleting fat reserves (which if the weather continues may lead to death) or attempting to move to an area where they can feed, typically further south. This movement resulted in some species such as the Lttle Egret all but abandoning the harbour, but also in some interesting new arrivals in the area. With the milder weather that we are now experiencing we can now enjoy them with a clearer conscience.

Please report any interesting sightings to the Harbour Office, particularly of breeding birds and water voles. Tel: 01243 512301
harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

COBNER BUZZARDS TAKING FLIGHT.

LONGMERE September 2008

Up above, the majestic parents leading by example [Oh, that is an example for many earth-bound folk], showing where, finding the way through streams of air, higher and higher, were followed by the two brave young devoted children, never wavering on and up, exulting maybe in the newly found glory of freedom, before away, away to new life. Bred, reared and fledged - another success.

This force of nature lifted me too, my spirit soared after days of dismal drip and howling windy rain. I smiled, laughed and had to share the precious moment,

“ Penny! Come and see!”,
“I am seeing, there are three.”
“ No four.”
“ Oh yes, four!”

Four spirits ascending - is this an illusion? If so does that matter?

The great poet wrote of the ‘Blythe Spirit' singing with joy; in reality territorial rage and outcry. So this is just internal impressionistic folly, but from such a misperception, such an outcome! Words immortal, and illusions that inspire us on through our imperfect knowledge - through a glass darkly- maybe to heroic deeds, protected from grim reality.

Do avian creatures have special effect upon us earthbound humans? Yes, I think they do.
Has this always been so? Well, there is not much evidence in the cave paintings, but then those artefacts were, we think, all about essential hunting for food, for life and life was desperate, on the edge. Maybe our ancestors had no time for indulgences and luxuries of leisure or contemplation, much like the majority of society through the ages. Did they stop to think about the Why of existence? Evidence indicates they were no less intelligent than modern man, but just lacked the accumulated experience from whence some of us derive wisdom. Sometime, somewhere they found their Gods and they probably had customs, superstitions and beliefs. Maybe today's spectacle would have had great significance. It certainly stirred atavistic feelings in me which energised and made me feel restless.

What should I do? Have another drink - having opened a particularly good bottle of red wine. Better, probably, than going out to hunt and kill something, or be killed. Was this then a siren call? Are such calls bad or just a challenge for us to make a decision?

Is that not what we are here for - to make decisions?

The View From Upon High

Somewhat predictably, the first thing most people comment upon in my presence is my height. I am, especially to those of mature years, considered a “tall” fellow, standing at approximately six feet and four inches high. But, this is midget-esque when compared to the real giants of our environment, the majestic beauties of coniferous and deciduous varieties, the leafed wonders of monstrous fortitude and charisma, the Trees.

Some of these titans scar the sky at heights of 370 or so feet, though these are not to be seen in West Sussex for fear of being converted into a magnificent carved hull. Instead, I had to make do with local varieties of notable height. Standing at somewhere around the 60-80 foot mark (I couldn't be entirely sure without a theodylite), I was confident I could climb the mightiest trees without fear of Instant Death Syndrome affecting me on my journey down. Climbing barefoot with only a pair of shorts and a tee shirt with no safety equipment or helmets, my safety was less than assured. My biggest worry was that the past two years of partial muscle atrophy had not had too significant an impact on my previous rugby physique, otherwise the task would have been nigh-on impossible. Luckily (if luck had anything to do with it), I had enough reserve in my fibres to scale the trees with relative ease, my elongated limbs proving more than sufficient to grapple, shimmy, leap and grasp at passing branches as I progressed up the trees.

The first tree climbed was a colossal oak at the edge of the caravan fields adjacent to Cobnor House – an ideal starting point as it provided many challenges and beautiful vistas. Rather like Italy , I suppose. The beginning was easy, the next bit ridiculously bloody difficult and rest of it, like a jungle gym at a playground: far too easy. But the views at the top were simply magnificent; the undulating downs in the far distance, the young sailors out on the water in their distinct yellow sails and a view of the entire peninsula only obscured by other, also beautiful, trees. A view of the House never before seen was presented to me. The smells of fresh, pure oak was rich in the air, undimmed by the usual air of decaying leaves we encounter at the base of such a tree. My hair, arms and even my pockets were catchment areas for the debris of climbing. My shorts, a dull khaki, were stained a deep, forest green from the gnarled bark I rubbed against on my journey up. Several small birds circled nearby, flittering with themselves between my tree and the one opposite, their territory marked with their black and white omelettes on the trees branches. As I sat in a three-pronged fork near the very peak, I muttered to myself, “…Et In Arcadia Ego,” for this was, to us Great Apes, a most natural and desirable habitat, and one of true serenity.

Unlike most things in wildlife, it is the dead who truly provide the worst enemy. Relying on them at the wrong moment, or even at all, could put one up against the Forces of Gravity for a very quick, one sided battle with a clear winner at the end. Agility and stability are one's greatest allies as even the strongest of people could fail miserably if they cannot balance themselves on the higher branches, with one hand trying to take photos and the other holding on to a flimsy branch. Vertigo and other natural mechanisms to prevent such potentially fatal acts as tree-climbing must be suppressed in favour of ballsy acts of reckless courage to reach the tree's zenith. All of these things only helped to make the experience more enjoyable.

The shorefront oaks were the next targets in my Dicotyledon Crusade.

At the intersection of Sea Wall and Wood, these may not be very tall, in fact they are positively miniature, but they have true character. Resembling craggy old men wizened and battered by the coarse, salty sea breeze and hunched against the elements in their perennial struggle, they do say a considerable amount about the nobility of trees. Exposed and assaulted from a multitude of directions, only helped out by their bigger, muscled brothers in the rear, they stand resolute and dignified as they make a powerful case for their right to exist. Where human efforts to plant around them have more often failed, these fellows have twisted and grotesque shapes as they dare to defy their merciless enemies. The Kingdom they hold is a just one, and with no shortage of exceptional vistas, they shade and comfort many who pass and pause to absorb the sights from beneath their boughs. As one views the world from their tops, a panorama taking in all from Ichenor to the Isle of Wight to Hayling Island is framed by their dense, opaque leaves. The climb is an easy one: they are tightly packed, mostly horizontal limbs and have been nudged to the east by years of opposing forces so as to provide a rough, tentacle-like incline in the trunk and its extensions. Recently, little saplings have sprung up in the grass behind them. Whether they'll do as well as their forebears lies with whoever governs the merciless elements who will surely start their campaign soon.

In real terms, the horizon (or visible distance available) and one's height from the ground are intricately and quantifiably linked. At the average human eye level, roughly 5ft 7in, the horizon appears at about 2.9 miles on flat ground. This puts me at a slight advantage over other people in general and was one of the reasons I undertook this endeavour. At over 6ft 4inches, I could see, theoretically, to a distance of around three miles and bit. However, this is usually not the case as I am hindered by mild myopia and thus cannot utilise this trait to its full potential. By climbing the tallest structures of Cobnor, I can. I can peek above the canopy and stretch to limbs beyond the reach of the average human and attempt to squint at objects in the distance and try to compute just what those blurry blobs really are. How I love being short-sighted. But, at 100ft, a height I was close to on occasion but didn't quite reach on my quest, one's horizon travels a full eight miles to around 12.25 miles, opening up the majesty of the surroundings and slapping one with a sense of the intricacies of nature and its complex, wild and fascinating flora and fauna. Nature truly is the magnum opus of evolution.

The final tree of my brief journey was a towering Monterey Pine, the tallest of the trees I climbed and also the most physically demanding. Not because of its height, or its girth or even its nexus of needles and short, sharp failed branches poking into my pink flesh. No, this was the most the most challenging because of the swirling tempest the Gods had thrown my way. In the early stages, its effects were negligible to the climb (but wonderfully audible through the rustling leaves), but in the latter parts of the climb, the true benevolent fury of the wind become very clear. With each gust, as I was literally and figuratively out on a limb, the tree would sway with considerable distance, causing me to obey those exhortations within and hold on to the trunk screaming for divine intervention. Fearing for my own mortality in a most basic sense, I bravely ploughed on up the Pine, managing to pause and inhale enough intoxicating fresh pine scents and catch my breath at the same time. The exhilarating climb getting my pulse up, the loud wailing of the wind and ominous creaking of the branches playing into all my primal instincts of “this is a bad idea, me, what in the name of all that is rational are you doing?” thoughts of which were quickly suppressed by the thrill-seeking part of my mind. It paid itself in visual profits at the very end as I could gander and peruse the distant lands, thanking air for its transparency as I shook off ideas of it being visible (it was quite at the forefront of mind, you see). Here, in the midst of three of the four elements as it began to drizzle (Earth being the element I was second most worried about, as I hoped I would get to see it later at my chosen velocity), I was being annexed on all sides by the elements and felt fundamentally elemental myself – earth, bark and green stained my arms, legs, feet and shorts; the wind moved me and my host tree like we were hairs on a head; droplets of water plummeting thousands of feet just to dampen my temperament in this awesome moment.

I have always had a great affinity for trees. Our house in Ireland is named “Na Fuinseoga,” Irish for “The Ash Trees,” due to the many of them that surround our dwelling. Climbing and playing in trees formed a large chunk of my childhood, making me nostalgic for those halcyon days of yesteryear. To top it all off, due to a combination of my height, long limbs, trunk-like legs and fresh crop of unkempt facial hair in my late teens, my team-mates, in good sporting nicknaming tradition, often referred to me as “Treebeard,” or simply, “Tree.”

A moniker I was actually quite proud to hold.