News

Busy Woodloop feeders a sign of spring

Busy Woodloop feeders a sign of spring

The bird feeders in the Woodland Loop have been getting busier as more songbirds arrive. The pair of kingfishers are still on the nesting bank on the Arun Riverlife lagoon. Lapwing sightings are increasing on the wet grassland -this photo from volunteer A

16 March 2022

Kingfishers on Arun Riverlife delight visitors

Kingfishers on Arun Riverlife delight visitors

The kingfisher pair continue to show well on the perches near their nesting bank on Arun Riverlife. At least one has been showing on the perch each day. Last Thursday both kingfishers were visible and a pair of oyster catchers were on the lagoon as well.

10 March 2022

Kingfisher pair back at the nesting bank

Kingfisher pair back at the nesting bank

Pick up our Wildlife Observation cards to help us keep an eye on the kingfisher pair who have made the Arun Riverlife lagoon their territory. The pair were sitting on the far right perch in front on the nesting bank on Wednesday morning around 11 for q

3 March 2022

Jack snipe at Ramsar & kingfishers courting

Jack snipe at Ramsar & kingfishers courting

A pair of kingfishers have been very active on Arun Riverlife lagoon this week. They have been investigating holes on the nesting bank, perching in front of it and in the trees around the lagoon and on the roof of the visitor centre. The pair have been ca

17 February 2022

Teal & lapwing back on Arun lagoon as project finishes

Teal & lapwing back on Arun lagoon as project finishes

The Arun Lagoon Project is almost complete. Water has been allowed to slowly flow back into the lagoon since Fri 4 Feb and already birds are moving in. Good numbers of Lapwing have returned (110), eight Mediterranean Gulls are also present amongst other g

10 February 2022

Flock of lapwing & a flush of snipe

Flock of lapwing & a flush of snipe

Our wardens spotted the glossy ibis back at the Scrape hide on Monday morning at 8 am. That was the last recorded sighting of it here onsite. Monday’s warm sun also brought a red admiral butterfly out of hibernation along the reedbed boardwalk among the

3 February 2022

Glossy ibis drops in for a long visit

Glossy ibis drops in for a long visit

A glossy ibis dropped into the fen at the left hand side of the Scrape hide last Sunday morning and has been spotted there off and on this week. We are seeing the ibis in the mornings and late afternoons to roost and it seems to be ranging about during th

26 January 2022

Shelduck and teal numbers up

Shelduck and teal numbers up

There is still an abundance of stonechats on and around the wet grassland, redwing and goldfinch amongst the hedgerows and egrets (both little and cattle) roosting in trees from dusk onwards. The odd wigeon is making an appearance from the Scrape Hide

19 January 2022

Water rail at three spots onsite

Water rail at three spots onsite

Our Media volunteer Andrew Burns spotted water rail at three places yesterday (Wed 12 Jan). There were two water rail in the old Trumpeter Pen on the approach to the Scrape hide, one to the left of the Lapwing hide and the water rail that frequents the Wo

13 January 2022

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Swans and ducks took last week's spring-like weather to heart and engaged in territory battles and mating behaviours. The cold weather this week has cooled things down a bit with birds back focused on feeding and staying warm. Listed here are recent sight

5 January 2022

Great egret & cattle egrets around

Great egret & cattle egrets around

Lots of sighting of the great egret this week and some were cattle egret seen at the Scrape hide as well. This photo of a great egret perched in a tree was taken by Debra Flynn Ducks are pairing up with more teal around over the past week. Works continue

29 December 2021

Bewick's swans in the valley

Bewick's swans in the valley

On our WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) this week on Mon 20 Dec volunteer Andrew saw two Bewick's swan on the Burpham loop. Shelducks were showing on Arun Riverlife, Scrape and Ramsar hides. Andrew also record 6 snipe at the Scrape hide. Tufties, gadwall and po

22 December 2021

Redwings, fieldfare and woodpeckers

Redwings, fieldfare and woodpeckers

There is a good mix of small birds on site currently in the hedgerows of the Tranquil trail with handfuls of field fare, redwings and some siskin spotted this week. The feeders at the Wood loop are also busy with chaffinch, nuthatches tits and more redwin

16 December 2021

Goosander, stonechats and barn owls

Goosander, stonechats and barn owls

The Arun lagoon project will be completed in the coming weeks and the Reserve team are cutting the Wet Grassland at the same time, with the aim of completing all works at that end of the reserve together. Coordinating these works should allow wintering wi

6 December 2021

Kestrel and Great white egret still around

Kestrel and Great white egret still around

Our favourite peregrine was posing nicely today one of our car park light poles today. Also still around site is the great white egret who has been popping up around different hides through the day. A black swan is still hanging around the site as well.

27 November 2021