Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Wildlife Sightings: June 2025

David Bentley

Volunteer and Trustee of the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

June saw yet another month of above average temperatures and below average rainfall. Consequently, the water levels at Castle Water have finally dropped, revealing new islands and shorelines, much to the liking of wading birds. 

12 Black-tailed Godwit were seen on the 1^st, 12 Avocet on the 3^rd (rising to 16 on 20^th), four Little Ringed Plover on the 4^th and two Green Sandpiper - the first of the 'autumn' - on the 20^th.  Also at Castle Water, Pochards with ducklings were seen on the 3^rd and there was a spectacular show of hundreds of Swifts feeding over the water on the 8^th.

Four male Cuckoos were seen and heard from the Castle Water viewpoint at the same time on 1^st. Two Little Owls were around Camber Castle on 15^th.

The first pair of Yellow Wagtails to have bred on the nature reserve in recent years, was confirmed near Castle Farm this month.

Focusing again on waders, a Greenshank was at Salt Pool on the 17^th, a summer plumage Grey Plover was at Flat Beach on the 27^th, two Bar-tailed Godwit were at Flat Beach on the 29^th and a Common Sandpiper at Ternery Pool on the 29^th. 10 Cattle Egret were seen from Parkes Hide on the 18^th.

Sandwich Tern numbers peaked at a staggering count of around 500 birds at one point during the month. Singles of the very scarce Roseate Tern were seen on the 12^th, 18^th and 29^th all around Flat Beach and Ternery Pool. There were nine Little Terns at Flat Beach on the 29^th.

Over 80 Mediterranean Gulls were loafing on Flat Beach on the 19^th, rising to over 200 on the 21^st; these were failed or non-breeding birds, presumably.

Bird of the month was undoubtedly a spectacular Caspian Tern seen and photographed and present for just a few hours at Salt Pool on the 22^nd. This is the first of the species to be seen on the nature reserve since 1996. It is the world's largest tern, has a huge red bill and shaggy black cap. It is an annual but very scarce visitor to the UK.

Some interesting avian behaviour was noted in June when on two occasions a Kestrel was spotted taking a Common Lizard close to the Discovery Centre.

There was a modest influx of migratory Painted Lady butterflies at the start of the month. Marbled Whites were seen in flight from the middle of the month and were numerous by the end of June; look for them in flowery grassland around the nature reserve.

There was a Red-veined Darter by Gasson's Ruin on the 16^th and a Norfolk Hawker and four Downy Emeralds over the pond by the warehouses on Rye Harbour Road on the 17^th. There were two more Norfolk Hawkers the next day, nearby at Barn Field and another four by Carter's Pit.

The nationally uncommon leaf-cutter bees Megachile leachella were filmed along sandy banks south of the Denny Hide on 28^th. A Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle, Agapanthia villosoviridescens, was seen and photographed at Castle Water on the 29^th.

A Lizard Orchid was found flowering this month, the first ever record for the nature reserve of this extraordinary plant. Also flowering this month were Pyramidal and Bee Orchid, Yellow Horned-poppy, Biting Stonecrop and Bird’s-foot Trefoil.

Thanks go to all the visitors whose observations contribute to the monthly sighting reports. If you have spotted something interesting on the reserve, please do make a record via https://irecord.org.uk/, and if you think it is particularly significant, please let us know at [email protected].