House martin flocks moving through
Small flocks of 30-100 house martins have been moving through the reserve since last Friday. There may be a few sand martins and swallows mixed in but the flocks are primarily made up of house martins.
Great egrets are still onsite - one seems to be in breeding plummage with a blackish bill and reddish legs. There is one lone little egret and, of course, the cattle egrets. We have discovered more cattle egret nests than the original three spotted last month but we don't how many nest are 'occupied'. Although the nests are blocked from view by the trees you may be able to hear the chicks chattering away, from the ection of the main pathway that runs beside the Wildlife Garden.
We've seen a few green woodpeckers this week as well - look for them on the ground going after insects near the Robin's Gate. Great spotted woodpeckers seen as well.
Tues 1 October
Sand Martin & Ramsar hide large lagoon: 1 great white egret in breeding plumage, 9 cattle egrets ( 7 nests), 1 kingfisher, 3 cormorants, 19 mallards, 5 gadwall, 4 teal, 6 shoveler, 2 moorhens, 1 coot, 4 black-headed gulls, 6 Canada geese, 2 Cetti’s warblers, 1 ater rail, 14 wood pigeoons, 1 marsh harrier, 1 little egret, 1 snipe,
Wetlands Discover and Offham hangar : c50 house martins
Lapwing hide: 5 jays.
Monday 30 September
Lapwing hide: 1 carrion crow, 2 great white egrets, 13 mallards, 1 tufted duck
Ramsr and Sand martin hide: 1 kingfisher, 8 cattle egrets, 1 little egret
Scrape hide: 1 kingfisher, 1 snipe
Sun 29 September
Wet;and Discovery: 3 mallards, 2 mute swans, 1 green woodpecker, 1 chiffchaff
Sand Martin & Ramsar hide large lagoon:2 great white egrets, 2 kingfishers, 5 teal, 1 shoveler
Arun Riverlife: c30 house martins.
Sat 28 September
Scrape hide: 2 teal
Arun Riverlife: 2 shoveler, c100 house martins, 10 mallards, 1 tufted duck, 1 moorhen, 1 Cetti’s warbler
Sand Martin & Ramsar hide large lagoon:1 great white egret, 9 cattle egret, 1 little egret, 2 kingfisher, 1 lapwing
Lakes & Foretst: 1 green woodpecker.
Fri 27 September
Wood Loop: 1 great spotted Woodpecker, 6 blue tits, 3 chaffinches, 1 wren, 4 tufted ducks, 12 mallards
Scrape hide: 1 water rail
Ramsar hide: 1 kingfisher flying past, 3 great white egrets
Arun Riverlife: 1 pochard
Car Park, Offham hangar: c50 house martins the afternoon.
Thur 26 September
Robin gate: 1 water rail, 2 green woodpeckers, 1 pheasant
Sand Martin & Ramsar hide large lagoon:12 cattle egrets, 1 great white egret, 1 shoveler, 1 kingfisher, 3 teal, 6 lapwing
Lapwing hide: 1 great white egret
Scrape hide: 1 teal, 3 shoveler
Reddbed hide: 1 blue tit, 1 great tit, 1 blackbird, ,1 sparrowhawk, 1 blue tit. 1 water rail, 2 mallards
Willow sphere: 1 Cetti’s warbler, 19 mallards, 1 coot.
