Flycatchers & sand martins moving through
Sand martins have been moving through the reserve migrating south to winter in Africa. Over one hundreds sand martins were spotted Monday.
Also on their autumn passage are 5 spotted flycatchers spotted on the islands of Wetland Discovery area over the past few days. (see photo above)
Teal and gadwall numbers have been on the increase as well.
Recent Wildlife sightings
Tues 31 Aug
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 1 grey heron, 52 black-headed gulls, 3 herring gulls, 12 mallards, 1 shoveler, 2 coots, 2 moorhens, 30+ sand martins.
Scrape hide: 8 teal, 5 shoveler.
Mon 30 Aug
100+ sand martins in the sky over the site in the car park, Arun Riverlife lagoon, Sand Martin hide and reedbeds.
Sun 29 Aug
Wetlands Discovery: 2 spotted flycatchers on dead tree on the small island, 8 mallards, 2 reed warblers, 1 kingfisher
Scrape hide: 1 kingfisher
Pelican Cove reeds: 1 sedge warbler, 8 gadwall.
Ramsar hide: 1 little egret, 1 pochard, 6 shoveler, 4 gadwall, 2 teal.
Long path: 3 Cetti’s warbler, 2 common darter dragonflies, 1 southern hawker dragonfly
Reedbed: 1 chiff chaff
Arun Riverlife: 1 little grebe, 2 black caps
Reptile Survey:
- 1 juvenile grass snake, Tin 8
- 1 adult grass snake, tin 22
Dragonfly count:
- Wetland Discovery: 2 Blue tailed damselflies, 4 brown hawkers, 6 common darters, 1 southern hawker, 1 migrant hawker.
- Black Rabbit triangle: 1 brown hawker, 4 common darter
- Long path: 1 southern hawker, 1 black tailed skimmer, 2 common darters
- Arun Riverlife: 2 common darters
- Pelican Cove & reedbed: 1 brown hawker 7 common daters, 10 red-eyed damselflies, 6 azure damselflies.
Butterfly count:
- Pelican Cove & reedbed: 1 meadow brown, 1 small white, 1 red admiral,
- Tranquil trail: 1 privet hawkmoth caterpillar
- Black Rabbit triangle: 1 common carpet moth, 1 large white, 4 red admirals, 1 peacock
- Wet grassland: 1 small white
- Wildlife garden: 1 large white
- Wet meadow: 1 speckled wood, 2 small white
Sat 28 Aug
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 17 Black-headed gulls, 14 mallards, 11 Canada geese, 1 little grebe 4 sand martins
Fri 27 Aug
Wetland Discovery: c30 sand martins, 1 kingfisher
Ramsar hide: c50 sand martins
Scrape hide: 14 shoveler, 4 teal, 12 gadwall, and 10 sand martins
Wood Loop: 4 blue tits, 4 moorhens, and 2 mallards
Thurs 26 Aug
Reedbed boardwalk: 3 chaffinches, 2 chiff chaff, 7 reed warblers, 1 water rail, 1 sedge warbler, 1 reedbed hide.
Wed 25 Aug
Arun Riverlife: 1 buzzard, 3 little grebe, 1 tufted ducks
Pelican Cove: 6 gadwall, 6 tufted ducks, 1 mute swan, 1 grey heron
Lakes & Forest: pied flycatcher,
Wood Loop: 1 marsh tit, 1 black cap, 1 great spotted woodpecker,
Reedbed: 1 marsh harrier
Scrape hide: 1 black cap, 1 chiff chaff, 11 mallards, 1 reed warblers, 7 teal, 1 shoveler, 1 kingfisher, 2 coots, 1 moorhen, 1 gadwall, 1 green woodpecker, 1 grey wagtail, 1 blue tit, 1 little grebe, 2 Egyptian geese.
Sand martin hide: 6 sand martins, 2 house martins, 2 little egrets, 1 willow warbler
