It’s summer, a time of halcyon days. Skylarks pour out their songs like a musical cascade from far above, swallows skim low over the fields catching insects, chattering as they go and terns dive into the harbour’s languid waters for small fish. Above the ponds dragonflies zip around patrolling their territories and fighting off trespassers with a clash of wings, while daintier damselflies seem to float through the air rather than fly.
On the water’s surface whirligig beetles whizz around at mesmerising speed, making crazy patterns and predatory pond skaters glide across looking to grab anything unfortunate enough to fall in and get trapped. Beneath them water boatmen scull lazily, water beetles scurry about and newts drift up to breathe before sinking out of sight again. Lurking at the bottom of the pond is where we find the true monsters of the deep… dragonfly larvae. These are stealth hunters and voracious predators. They have a hinged lower jaw that shoots out to grab its prey, drawing it back to its mouth in less than 20 milliseconds. If threatened they have jet propulsion – they squirt water out of their bottoms, causing them to shoot away from danger. I must confess to having a passion for pond dipping and it is a fascinating world for anyone to immerse themselves in.
Peacocks, red admirals, comma and tortoiseshell butterflies sup nectar from thistle and teasel flowers swaying in the breeze, competing with bumblebees for space. Amorous soldier beetles cover umbellifers. The larvae of red soldier beetles eat slugs and snails, while the adults feed on aphids making them very much the gardener’s friend. They also feed on pollen making them important pollinators like the thick-kneed beetles that glint emerald green on daisies.
On the warm rocks lizards soak up the sun’s rays, and all the while grasshoppers and crickets chirrup from the grasslands adding to the natural rhythm of the season.
This is obviously a fabulous time to wander through the countryside of our Pagham Harbour and Medmerry reserves. For families with keen bug hunters and crafty kiddies we have a whole range of activities throughout the summer holidays to keep their busy minds occupied.
For walkers we have miles of paths to explore our beautiful landscapes and stretch your legs. A wealth of habitats gives rise to an abundance of flora and fauna which should keep any naturalist happy pouring through identification books. However, our reserves are big and spacious enough if you just want a quiet spot to yourself to relax, read a book, have picnic or simply snooze in the shade.
Pagham Harbour and Medmerry are unspoilt jewels in the West Sussex coastline, easily accessible south of Chichester on the Manhood Peninsula. Come and spend some time relaxing in our countryside, whether with the family, friends or loved ones, or some time just for you. For more information you can pop into our Visitor Centre on the B2145 between Chichester and Selsey, or check out our website www.rspb.org.uk/paghamharbour.
