Over the last five years we have been managing some of our grassland for bumblebees, and every year between May and August we have also been counting the bees to monitor the effects.

At Rye Harbour, there are two quite similar species of ‘autumn colletes’ active at the moment, ivy bee (Colletes hederae) and sea-aster bee (Colletes halophilus), also known as saltmarsh bee

One bird which is typical of autumn passage at Rye Harbour is the whinchat.

Old photographs of the Sussex countryside can sometimes tell a good story. This one from 1947…

Lesser Burdock is a tall plant of the daisy family that has flowers with hooks or burrs.

Perhaps the most exciting wildlife find this month was a southern migrant hawker found on Harbour Farm on the 25th, the first reserve record for this rare migrant dragonfly.

Generous golfers from all over Kent and Sussex raised an astounding £13,000 towards the exciting new Discovery Centre for Rye Harbour Nature Reserve at a golf challenge event

Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) has become a common flower of the grassland and some shingle areas of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

Recent high air pressure has affected our saline wetlands.

… was the 1988 slogan to encourage people to use trains, and 30 years later there is an even greater need to encourage the use of public transport.