Big freeze hits the Arun Valley
Recent highlights:
- Increase in shoveler onsite as Arun Valley freezes up
- 2 pairs of oystercatchers seen onsite and fields nearby
- 2 pairs of great spotted wodpeckers drumming in Woodland Loop
- Green woodpecker calling from Offham hangar
- Firecrest and goldcrests still onsite
- Skylark singing across Arun River
- 150+ flock lapwing overflying with some landing Saturday
- Snipe moving into reedbed as mud along lagoons and ponds freezes
- Spring behaviours with lapwing displaying and teal, gadwall and tufted duck in pairs.
Along the paths
- bullfinch
- kingfishers (less frequent)
- goldcrest
- firecrest
- water rail
- long-tailed tits (nest building on Traquil Trail)
Woodland Loop
- great spotted woodpecker (2 pairs, drumming)
- goldfinch
- blue tits
- coal tits
- great tits
- chaffinch
Lost Reedbed
- marsh harrier
Reedbeds
- Water rail
- Reed bunting
- gadwall ducks
- great tit
- wren
- sparrowhawk
Lagoons
Ramsar, Sand Martin & Scrape
- goldcrest
- bullfinch
- teal
- shoveler ducks
- snipe
- tufted ducks
- shelducks
- little grebe
- kestrel (above)
- little egret
Wetlands Discovery
- pochard ducks
- tufted ducks
- goldcrest
- bullfinch
- kingfisher
- buzzard
- barn owl at boxes (sighted after hours)
Arun Riverlife
- kingfisher (less frequent)
- tufted ducks
- pochard
- teal
- water rail
Wet Grasslands
from Lapwing & Ramsar hides
- snipe
- teal
- lapwing (breeding pairs displaying on warmer days)
