Lapwings and oystercatcher pairs
Lapwing males have been nest scraping and at least two females appear to be on nests opposite the Ramsar hide.
One pair of oystercatchers have been flitting between Pelican Cove and Arun Riverlife lagoon - this is likely the pair that has been nestinhg in the Coastal Creek area for the past four years. A second pair was spotted on the islands of the large lagoon between the Ramsar and Sand martin hides, before flying off to the old Tundra Pen. This area is now Waterside Walk and seasonally open to visitors. It will reopen when the pathway is less muddy, but not if the oystercatchers nest there!
A few snipe are still around, at the Scrape hide and from Ramsar hide. A great egret has been in as well.
Leaf buds are opening around the site adding spring green everywhere and blackthorn is flowering. Red dead nettle is in flower along the pathways as well.
Mon 27 Mar
Lapwing hide: 1 lapwing, 5 mallards, 4 Canada geese, 2 greylag geese. 2 coots, 1 pheasant, 2 great tits.
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 4 pochards, 2 oystercatchers
Reedbed boardwalk: 1 water rail
Wetland Discovery: 4 pochard
Rasmar & Sand martin hide: 2 snipe, 3 cackling geese, 8 lapwing, 1 lesser black-backed gull
Scrape hide: 1 great egret, 1 snipe, 1 lapwing
Sun 26 Mar
Arun Riverlife: 1 kingfisher on a perch, 2 oystercatchers, 4 pochard
Wetlands Discovery: 7 mallards, 2 black-headed gulls, 1 coots, 2 carrion crow, 2 shoveler, 5 Canada geese, 2 tufted ducks, 1 grey heron, 3 pochard
Ramsar & Sand Martin hide: 3 cattle egret, 1 great egret, 5 snipe, 2 jack snipe, 1 cackling goose, 2 oystercatcher (on island then on Waterside Walk), 3 pochard, 8 lapwing.
Sat 25 Mar
Arun Riverlife: 17 mallards, 1 kingfisher, 7 pochard, 9 tufted ducks, 2 gadwall, 16 black-headed gulls, 10 Canada geese, 1 shelduck, 1 lapwing, 1 coot
Scrape hide: 3 pochards, 2 lapwing
Ramsar & Sand Martin hide: 3 pochard, 1 cackling goose, 11 lapwing (males mobbing crows, females on nest?), 1 kingfisher checking out nesting holes.
Fri 24 Mar
Woodland loop: Cetti’s warbler, 3 chiff chaff 1 marsh tit, 3 long-tailed tits, 1 moorhen, 3 greenfinch, 10+ chaffinches, 10+ goldfinches.
Thurs 23 Mar
Scrape hide: 7 Canada geese, 6 tufted ducks, 4 shelducks, 4 pochard, 5 mallard
Reedbed: 6 mallards, 3 greylag geese, 2 moorhens
Wood Loop: 1 robin, 6 blue tits, 1 long tit, 1 great spotted woodpecker, 7 goldfinches
Arun Riverlife: 2 oystercatchers, 8 tufted ducks, 2 pochard, 3 greylag geese, 2 Canada geese, and 2 lapwing.
