Gadwall numbers up

27 September 2023

There have been good numbers of gadwall between Ramsar and Sand martin hides, 56 gadwall on Tuesday. Shoveler numbers are up with too and they are sprinkled around the site.

Cattle egrets and little egrets are around and Sand martin hide and Scrape hide. Kingfisher sightings this week at Scrape hide, Discovery hide on Arun Riverlife lagoon and along the boat channels of Wetland Discovery area.

Cetti's warbler are dotted around the site as well. On sunny days there are plenty of migrant hawker and common darter dragonflies out.

This is not a comprehensive list of current wildlife onsite. Our Reserve team observes different sections of the site on a rotating basis.

Gadwall photo by Andrew Burns

Tues Sept 26

Ramsar & Sand martin hides: 1 cattle egret, 1 kingfisher, 1 cormorant, 6 Canada geese, 56 gadwall, 5 pochard, 3 shoveler, 21 mallards, 4 coots, 1 moorhen, 6 egyptian geese, 128 black-headed gulls, 2 herring gulls, 2 little egrets, 1 grey heron, 1 Cetti’s warbler

Scrape hide: 7 shoveler, 1 little egret, 1 kingfisher, 3 teal.

Mon 25 Sept

Lapwing hide: 1 Cetti’s warbler, 4 blue tits

Sand martin hide & Ramsar hide: 1 little egret, 9 shoveler, 23 gadwall, 1 stone chat

Scrape hide: 7 shoveler, 2 teal

Reedbed boardwalk: 2 moorhens, 4 common darter dragonflies

Long path: 2 migrant hawker dragonflies

Arun Riverlife: 11 gadwall

Sun 24 Sept

Wetland discovery|: 1 kingfisher, 13 mallard, 1 wood pigeon

Ramsar & Sand Martin hide: 1 little egret, 2 shoveler, 34 gadwall

Scrape hide: 27 gadwall, 6 shoveler, 1 kingfisher

Sat 23 Sept

Arun Riverlife: 3 mute swan, 2 Canada geese, 10 black-headed gulls, 4 yifted ducks, 26 coots, 1 gadwall, 2 moorhens, 33 mallards, 1 kingfisher

Ramsar & Sand martin hide: 13 shoveler, 1 kingfisher.

Fri 22 Sept

Wood Loop: 2 great tits, 6 mallards, 4 chaffinches, 3 moorhen, 2 robins, 1 coal tit, 3 chiff chaff

Thurs 21 Sept

Reedbed boardwalk: 2 moorhens

Willow Sphere: 6 gadwall, 8 mallard

Ramsar hide: 22 gadwall, 2 cattle egrets.

Wed 20 Sept

Arun Rverlife: 3 mute swans, 10 tufted ducks, 1 little grebe

Pelican cove: 7 gadwall, 2 moorhen

Willow sphere: 1 teal

Long path: 11 mallards

Scrape hide: 8 gadwall, 2 teal, 3 goldfinches, 43 mallars, 5 wood pigeon, 1 coot, 1 chiff chaff, 6 shoveler

Scrape hide: 1 moorhen, 4 gadwall

Sand martin hide: 2 tufted ducks, 1 cormorant, 16 gadwall

Ramsar hide: 6 tufted ducks, 6 gadwall, 1 common gull

Wetland Discovery: 1 kingfishers

Little egret with black bill on the left a cattle egret with yellow bill on the right.

A little egret with black bill at the Scrape hide Tuesday on the left, and a cattle egret with yellow bill from Sand Martin hide on the right. Photos: Andrew Burns