Snipe on the increase again
Bird count taken on Jan 8 2013
Two song thrush sing against each other in the hangar overlooking Arundel Wetland Centre. The spring-like weather this morning will be replaced by wintery rains again by the time this column appears in the paper.
In this morning’s sunshine I count 25 teal, a lapwing and six gadwall near the Lapwing hide. I am glad to see the teal feeding here. This new grassland, redeveloped only two years ago, is not yet as nutritionally dense as other areas on the reserve but recent high waters have brought in more seeds, invertebrates and small fish to help feed the wildfowl. A WWT guide spotted a heron carrying a flounder during his shift last Sunday. This flat fish likely came in from the river through our sluice gates when the water levels were high.
I hear the cry of a kingfisher - the long high whistle he gives in flight. Heading outside the hide to look for him I see a pair of little grebes near the reeds. The pair dozes, floating along on the water. Both are pointing their powder puff tails at the sun to pick up its heat.
At the Ramsar hide the low winter sun dances off the water and into my eyes as I try to count the large numbers of birds here today. 300 Black-headed gulls are interspersed with 70 common gulls, dominating the area. Some gulls share the long island with four cormorants who claim their space with their outstretched wings. On the grassland, eighteen lapwings are grouped together. Usually the lapwings are spread out among the small islands between the hides. I also count 28 shelduck, 16 teal and 25 gadwall on the land and water. Thirteen snipe hug the vegetation along the back edge. A grey heron attempts to fish in peace, ignoring all the action. I watch a pair of wigeon preen on the water. The male’s chestnut head and yellow forehead make him stand out while his blander mate resembles a female mallard but instead has rusty plumage. Visitors have been spotting the wigeon pair here for the past two weeks.
Five snipe sit on a little island clump of vegetation to the left of the Scrape hide while another 8 walk the fen cut further along. There are also a few teal, gadwall and shelduck here on the Scrape this morning. When I return to the visitor centre I see 15 pochards and a lone lapwing on the main lake.
