Still mild!
The continuing warm weather has meant a good mixture of sightings last week. The most unseasonal has to be the juvenile Swallow mixing with Pied wagtails as they came into the reedbed to roost. Yesterday also produce our first murmur of Starlings with around 70-80 birds swirling around before going into the reedbed.
Sightings of Fieldfare and Redwing are increasing as are Reed bunting. Water rail are more often heard than seen but a patient wait from one of the hides will be rewarded with a sighting. Snipe numbers are gradually rising with 17 from the Scrape hide this morning. Scan them carefully to check for Jack snipe as well.
Kingfishers remain almost a certainty around much of the reserve and increasingly on Arun riverlife.
The smaller birds include Marsh tit, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and Blackcap amongst the usual's.
Brief drop of sun this morning awoke some late Common darter dragonflies and some thermals for one of the Buzzards. A Mistle thrush was also bursting into song on the hangar.
