Eastbourne

The local population of feral Canada Geese have started to get very active over the last two Autumns. Each day they take noisily to the wing to complete the 'epic' migration from the levels to the Cuckmere Valley.

Skeins of Canada Geese over Eastbourne.

Canada Geese over Hill Road.

It is still a stirring and very seasonal spectacle, despite its lack of authenticity.

Down at Holywell, at the western end of Eastbourne seafront, there is a colony of Wall Lizards. This species can bask well into October, and there were several individuals enjoying the September sunshine.

Wall Lizards.

Several times this year I have come across Grey Herons hunting along the shore line at low tide. This behaviour was new to me.

Grey Heron on the beach.

I am currently trying to turn my front lawn into a wildflower meadow. I left it unmown through the summer to let the Yellow Rattle set seed. When I cut the grass last week it prompted the lawn to be colonised by what I think are Yellow-legged Mining Bees, Andrena flavipes. This solitary bee has two flight periods, with the second one finishing in September.

Several tunnels made by the bees, each with its own spoil heap of excavated soil.

Yellow-legged Mining Bees.