Sussex Scrapbook
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Nature walks throughout the year
Thursday 18th March 2010
Pulborough Brooks
An early finish from
work, a perfect spring day, and a brand new tyre on the front of the
bike all
added up to one thing; a fast ride down to PB was required to see what was going on.
Spring was definitely in the air down there today, with birds chasing each other
all over the place and a real estate rush in full progress. One of these
self-builds was being constructed by a pair of very confiding Long-tailed Tits
who have built their spherical house only a metre off the ground right next to
the footpath. They've spent the past three days building it and when I turned up
they were busy lining it with feathers that they seemed to be collecting from
elsewhere on the reserve. Unfortunately they've chosen quite a rough
neighbourhood to raise their kids in as their very close neighbours are all
venomous reptiles. Apparently this pair lost a clutch of eggs to the
adders last year but they don't seem to have learnt their lesson. Adders are
very good at climbing and getting up to this nest and devouring the contents
would be no problem at all. The chances of this pair succeeding in raising a
brood look decidedly dim though, as while I was watching the birds there was an
adder basking either side of the nest. Nature is tough it's true, but it's hard
for the adders too, and although this nest is out on general view, there are
many more about the reserve in more secluded and safer spots.
The nest is made out of sphagnum moss and
lichen and is bound together with hairs and cobwebs.
The neighbours
