Brown long-eared bats hibernate in a hide
Survey of wintering bat population on Sunday showed four brown long-eared bats using the Sand Martin hide, along with other wildlife.
We did a hibernacula (winter hibernation) count on Sunday. In the Sand Martin hide we found four brown long-eared bats the highest count here since bats started using a hide in 2016.
Last winter only two bats were using the space.Along with the bats we found butterflies and moths hibernating in the relatively cool, humid environment. Roosting wrens and blue tits have been sheltering in the empty sand martin burrows and voles and mice nest inside too.
Recent sightings by wardens around the reserve:
Mon 27 Jan
Arun Riverlife: 3 pochard, 1 little grebe.
Lapwing hide: 13 greylag geee, 20 mallard, 4 teal, 2 gadwall, 3 shoveller, 1 lapwing.
Ramsar hide: 42 snipe, 2 lapwing, pochard 8, 1 kingfsher, 2 Egyptian geese.
Hedgerows near visitor centre: firecrest
Sun 26 Jan
Sand Martin hide: 4 brown long-eared bats (inside) 8 pochard.
Arn Riverlife: 3 pochard
Sat 25 Jan
Arun Riverlife: kingfisher in willows to the left, 6 pochards.
Reedbed: kesterel
Trumpeter pen: water rail, firecrest, goldcrest
Woodland Loop: nuthatch
Hedgerows near visitor centre: bullfinches
Ramsar hide: 8 snipe
Fri 24 Jan
Arun Riverlife: 2 pochard
Lapwing hide: 2 lapwing
Ramsar hide: 2 lapwing, 9 snipe, 5 pochard
Trumpeter pen: 1 little egret, firecrest, goldcrests
Woodland Loop: great spotted woodpecker, 14 blue tits, 6 great ttits, 6 long-tailed tits, 5 chaffinches, 1 goldfinch.
Thurs 23 Jan
Arun Riverlife: 6 pochards, 1 kingfisher
Wetlands Discovery Boat Safari: kingfisher
Ramsar hide: 6 snipe, 1 lapwing, 1 ochard, 1 Egytian goose
Lapwing hide: 14 teal
Reedbed: little egret, 2 mandarin ducks, 4 long tailed tits, 4 blue tits, 1 great ttit
Tues 21 Jan
Arun Riverlife: 2 little grebes, 4 cormorants, 5 teal, 1 kingfisher
Ramsar hide: 7 coromorants, 7 little egrets, 3 grey herons, 1 Egytian goose, 13 shelducks, 9 snipe, 17 greylag geese, 6 tufted ducks, 8 gadwall, 2 lapwing, 13 shoveler, 21 teal, 102 black-headed gulls.
