WildHastings Sightings

Migrant hawker

Dave — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:17:00 GMT

This handsome insect is in our Bexhill Road hedge as I type, looking a little subdued and tatty. Its wings carry some blemishes and seem a bit dog-eared. I think it's a scarce hawker, Aeshna mixta, possibly a migrant but I gather they do breed in the south (and I don't think they're that scarce, either). There are more pictures if anyone feels like confirming the ID for me.

Seabirds off Rock-a-Nore

Alan Parker — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:17:00 GMT

A 1.75 hour watch during heavy rain and a stiff westerly this morning produced good numbers of seabirds moving west. Totals were 3 Arctic Skuas, 83 Gannets, 4 Common Scoter, 1 Teal, 4 Kittiwakes, 30 Sandwich Terns and 48 Common Terns.

Fairlight to Hastings

Alan Parker — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 12:13:00 GMT

An early morning walk in search of migrants took me past the splendid display of sunflowers beside Barley Lane. 5 Yellow Wagtails were with the highland cows, a Wheatear by the coastguards cottages, a Tree Pipit near Barn Pond, where there were 6 more Yellow wagtails with the cows,and another Wheatear, while 2 Crossbills flew along the cliffs. about 50 Swallows were over Ecclesbourne Glen; 38 Great Black Backs were on the beach at Rock-a-Nore

Birds around Barley Lane

Andrew Grace — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:09:00 GMT

a fresh NW breeze and only 9oC this morning - I recorded some autumn passage birds at Hastings Country Park in the Barley Lane and Covehurst area. 4 Wheatears, 5 Spotted flycatchers, 3 Tree pipits and a couple of Yellow wagtails. Nice to see three young Kestrels hunting on the wing there too.

St Leonards Moths

Andy Phillips — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:05:00 GMT

Opened my roof terrace moth trap this morning to the soundtrack of crossbills and yellow wagtails flying overhead. Not many moths as it was a cold clear night but did have a couple of migrants, a diamond-back moth and a scarce bordered straw. Also had two new pyralids for the roof terrace - Agriphila inquinatella and Pyrausta cespitalis.