Great egret, whistling wigeon & a sparrowhawk close encounter
Wildlife Sightings blog by Paul Stevens, Reserve Manager at Arundl Wetland Centre
Last Sunday’s bright sunshine had robins, tits and mistle thrush singing and started a great-spotted woodpecker drumming in the Wood Loop, too. I saw a hawfinch there as well during my morning walk.
The morning only got better when I watched a great egret take off into the air as I approached the edge of Wetland Discovery. It landed quickly on a small island, coming down next to a crouching grey heron. Great egrets are roughly the same size as grey herons, standing up to 1 m tall with a wingspan of 131 to 170 cm. The great egret flew off in the direction of the large lagoon near the Ramsar hide I didn’t see it again. I think it was roosting here overnight. I’m hoping the freezing temperatures we are expecting this week might keep the great egret close to our reserve as other water in the Arun Valley freezes. This could bring the Bewick’s swans in too. I am still waiting to see them this winter.
Also at Wetlands Discovery area on Sunday I spotted a kingfisher resting the handrail of the wooden walkway, a green woodpecker in the grass on an island and four male pochard and one female on the water.
As I approached the Ramsar hide I heard the whistling from a group of wigeon. Eight swan into view from the right of the hide. A water rail flew across the front and began contact calls. I heard a response from the direction he had left, maybe complaining she was left behind? Across from the Ramsar hide I was able to see 5 snipe. At the Lapwing hide with my binoculars I counted another 16 snipe.
Near the Sand Martin hide I spotted a firecrest. Both goldcrest and firecrest are around the pathways now, the firecrest with a telltale eyestripe as the red flash on its crown isn’t always visible. A group of birders visiting from Lincoln were thrilled to see up to three firecrest between our Sand Martin hide and Scrape hide on Saturday.
Our WWT Guide in the Hide David Harper spotted a jack snipe on his stroll of the site on Saturday. The snipe was on the unfenced area we manage opposite the Black Rabbit pub. David also had 3 siskin in a group of goldfinches on the Mil Stream and five lesser redpoll in another flock of goldfinches in the car park.
My wildlife experience of the week came as I watched a disturbed group of pied wagtail taking to the sky after they had come into roost last Thursday. Exiting our wildlife garden I wonder what had distressed them when suddenly a sparrowhawk shot out of the scrub opposite me, clutching an unfortunate pied wagtail for its dinner. It must have perched up to eat after picking one off and I had startled him!
