Fledgling cuckoo, Peregrines and Pochard

6 July 2023

This week’s highlights include a fledgling cuckoo still being fed by an adult reed warbler, along the back of the boat safari channels. A family of (5) bullfinches was heard in the hedges by our gate near the Outlook In building and a (family?) group of 4 peregrines flew over from the hangar on July 2, likely from the pair that nest at the far end.

We spotted a fledged cuckoo chick along the back of the Wetland Discovery area. It was still being fed by the adult reed warbled tricked into thinking it was its mother, like this one photographed at WWT Arundel previously by Paul Stevens. The European common cuckoo is a brood parasite. Adults lay eggs in the nest of other birds, usually reed warblers at WWT Arundel. The cuckoo egg hatched first and the chick instinctively rids the nest of other eggs. The reed warbler adult does not catch on, even when the cuckoo chick soon grows to twice its adopted parents size! Last year boat driver Simon snapped this cuckoo chick dominating the small warbler nest.

The wild ducklings on Pelican Cove are fully feathered and almost fledged. The four tufted ducklings are still in the company of the female adult and their ‘adopted’ mallard mum. The young pochard is also in the vicinity of it mother as well. The oystercatcher on the nest on the Pelican island should be hatching eggs any day now – if this nesting is successful.

There are a couple of mallard females with a few ducklings in tow around the Wood Loop and Reedswamp exhibits.

A one hour butterfly survey on Wednesday included 38 meadow browns and 35 red admirals!

July 5

Butterfly survey, 11 am 2 12 pm: 1 Essex skipper, 4 small skippers, 2 brimstone, 9 large whites, 1 small white, 12 green van white, 2 brown Argus, 35 red Admiral,1 peacock, 2 comma butterflies, 6 gatekeeper butterflies, 38 meadow brown

Arun Riverlife lagoon: 3 tufted duck

Pelican Cove: 5 tufted duck - 1 female, with 4 ducklings

Reedbed: a pair of mandarin ducks, a pair of tufted ducks

Meadow pond: 3 Mallard - 1 female with 2 ducklings

Reedswamp exhibit: 2 Mallard - 1 female with 1 duckling

Willow sphere: 1 female gadwall, 1 male tufted duck, 1 female mandarin.

Scrape hide: 24 mallard -13 male 11 female, 7 tufted duck - 2 male with 5 female, 2 black-headed gull, 2 coots, 4 mandarin, 1 gadwall, 1 male Chiffchaff, 1 moorhen, 12 sand martins, 1 goldfinch, 1 wren, 1 reed, warbler, 1 wood pigeon, 1 great tit, 1 greenfinch

Sand Martin hide: 6 tufted ducks - 3 male, 3 female, 1 female shoveler, 20 sand martins, 3 mallards -1 female 2 ducklings

Waterside, walk: 2 tufted ducks -a pair

Ramsar Hide: 3 oystercatchers -1 pair of adults with almost fully grown chick, 1 little egret, 1 tufted duck

Lapwing Hide: 5 tufted duck - 1 female with 4 ducklings

Outlook in building hedge: 5 bullfinches (sounded like a family group)

July 4

Ramsar and Sand, Martin hide it: 6 tufted duck, 5 male, 1 female, circa 30 Sand martins, 2 mandarin, ducks, 1 greylag, goose, 1 mute, swan, 2 crackling goose

Scrape hide: 1 male reed bunting - perched in the willow in the middle of the lagoon.

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 2 Cormorant, 5 coots, 1 herrin gull, 1 lapwing, 9 gadwall, 1 wood, pigeon, 3 oystercatcher -2 adults with a chick, 58 black headed gulls, 3 mallards

July 3

Ramsar and Sand Martin hides: 2 little egrets, 3 oystercatcher - 2 adults with a fully grown chick.

Pelican Cove: 2 pochard - 1 female and 1 fledgling, 5 tufted ducks - ,1 female with 4 fledglings

July 2

Wetlands discovery: 1 kingfisher, 1 chiffchaff, 4 peregrines flew over and then across the hanger very noisy, 3 meadow brown butterflies, 1 red admiral, 1 large white butterfly

Ramsar and Sand Martin hides: 1 oystercatcher and a chunky chick, 30 Sand martins

Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 oyster catcher.

Wetlands discovery: 9 mallard, 2 greylag geese, 5 goldfinches, 1 black cap, 2 wood pigeon, 2 mute swans

July 1

Arun Riverlife lagoon: 12 mallard, 8 male for female, 4 coots, 3 tufted duck, 7 Canada geese, 15 black headed goals, 1 mute swan with 1 cygnet

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 3 little egrets, 1 lapwing, 2 oystercatchers -a pair with 1 chick

Scrape hide: 1 little egret, 1 teal, 1 gadwall with duckling half grown

Pelican Cove: 2 oystercatchers -1 on nest, 1 female pochard and 1 juvenile, 5 tufted ducks- 1 female with for fully feathered fledglings

June 30

Wood loop: 3 chaffinch, 1 coot, 4 more hands, 9 mallards, 3 tufted duck, 2 chiffchaffs, 1 great, tit, 3 blue tits, 3 Goldfinch, 2 greenfinch, 2 great, spotted woodpeckers, 1 female, and 1 male.

Ramsar hide: 1 cattle egret

Wetlands Discovery near gate 3: saw a juvenile cuckoo fledgling still being fed by reed warbler