Snipe, kingfishers and cormorants

25 September 2022

Regular snipe sightings especially from the Scrape hide now.

There's at least one cormorant and one grey heron between Sand Martin & Ramsar hides. Regular kingfisher sightings continue including at the Lapwing hide.

We have been seeing a good array of dragons and damsels this year, including several willow emerald damselflies – a fairly recent colonist of UK shores. This species was only recorded in any number in 2009 with breeding confirmed by 2012. Look out for these beautiful animals especially around alder trees – they are a bit bigger than most damselflies and their flight period can last through to November.

Snipe photo by visitor Romney Turner.

Below is not a list of all wildlife onsite. It is the recorded wildlife sightings by WWT staff noted on the morning walk around, with different areas recorded on different days.

Sun 25 September

Arun Riverlife: 1 kingfisher

Wetland Discovery: 2 Canada geese, 5 coots, 7 mallards, 2 tufted ducks, 1 pochard, 1 black-headed gull

Scrape hide: 2 snipe

Sat 24 September

Arun Riverlife: 1 little grebe, 3 tufted ducks, 1 kingfisher, 15 coots, 14 black-headed gulls, 1 moorhen, 16 mallards.

Ramsar & Sand martin hides: 14 tufted ducks, 1 shoveler, 1 teal, and 1 kingfisher

Scrape hide: 4 snipe, 6 shoveler

Fri 23 September

Sand Martin hide: 2 cormorants, 1 grey heron, 5 mallards, 5 great tits, 4 blue tits, 2 chaffinches

Thurs 22 September

Scrape hide: 1 kingfisher, 5 snipe, and 1 little egret

Reedbed: 2 Cetti’s warblers, 1 robin, 1 great tit, 1 wood pigeon, 1 long-tailed tit, 2 blue tits, 9 mallards, 1 moorhen.

Arun Riverlife: 10 tufted ducks

Wetland Discovery: 1 pochard

Ransar and Sand Martin hide: 1 little egret, 1 grey heron, 1 cormorant

Lapwing hide: 1 snipe, 1 little egret

Wed 21 September

Scrape hide: 2 teal, 1 kingfisher, 2 carrion crow, 1 buzzard

Sand Martin hide: 5 little egrets, 1 grey heron, 2 cormorants, 2 gadwall

Ramsar hide: 1 kingfisher

Wetland Discovery: 1 pochard, 2 tufted ducks, 1 kingfisher

Lapwing hide: 4 stonechats, 1 kingfisher, 1 spotted flycatcher

Arun Riverlife: 2 gadwall, 7 tufted ducks, 1 shoveler

Coastal creek pond: 1 gadwall

Wood loop: 2 mandarin ducks, 1 black cap

Sussex screen: 1 teal, 1 kingfisher

Long path ditch: 1 water rail

Wildlife garden: 1 green woodpecker

Scrape hide: 15 mallards, 2 Cetti’s warblers, 8 shoveler, 1 great tit, 2 gadwall, 3 coots, 2 magpies, 2 snipe, 5 pied wagtails, 3 moorhens, 1 chaffinch, and 1 wren.

Tues 20 September

Ramsar & Sand martin hide: 1 mandarin, 4 mallards, 1 little egret, 4 coots, 2 moorhens, 1 black-headed gulls, 8 Canada geese, 1 greylag, 1 cormorant, 1 grey heron, 2 wood pigeons, 2 carrion crows

Wetland Discovery: 1 pochard, 1 kingfisher

Lapwing hide: 1 kingfisher, 2 snipe, 1 little egret

Scrape hide: 2 snipe