Sunshine and heat
The whole reserve is literally buzzing with life.
Scores of Canada and greylag geese goslings, Mute swan cygnets, Mallard, Gadwall, Shelduck and Tufted duck ducklings and Black headed gull chicks abound. Swallows are feeding young at two nests in our hides and a Reed warbler is feeding four chicks on the front entrance pond.
Lapwing and Oystercatcher chicks have been visible from the Lapwing hide and the two oystercatcher chicks hatched on Arun riverlife have made it onto the world wetlands exhibit!
Baby water voles have been showing well all around the reserve but particularly on the front entrance pond.
Species of dragonfly out at the moment include Black tailed skimmer, Broad bodied chaser, Hairy dragonfly, Banded demoiselle, Blue tailed and Azure damselflies.
Flowering plants out at the moment include Bee, Pyramidal, Southern marsh and Common spotted orchids, Meadow rue, Meadowsweet, Hedge and Marsh woundwort.
Sad news this week was the loss of the male Common tern which unfortunately meant that the female has had to abandon incubating her eggs on the sand martin hide roof so that she could feed.
