Latest sightings

Bean and gone

Bean and gone

Whilst checking the hides this morning two grey lag geese flew in to join the other 19. At a second glance the two new arrivals turned out to be Bean geese. This was a first for myself and likely for the reserve as well. 6 Snipe flushed up out of the reed

24 February 2013

Secretive snipe

Secretive snipe

Whilst carring out the bird counts on the reserve this morning there seemed to be a distinct lack of Snipe. I counted two from the sand martin hide and four from the scrape hide. When I had returned to the centre, checking the Arun riverlife lake, two flo

21 February 2013

Sunny Sunday

Sunny Sunday

The Oyster catchers are back and showing well from the sand martin hide, amongst 17 Lapwing. Good numbers of Snipe, Gadwall, Tufted duck, Pochard, Shelduck & Teal are visible from most of the hides and can be seen from the cafe windows on swan lake

17 February 2013

Saturday 16th February

Saturday 16th February

From the hides; 35 tufted duck, 28 Pochard, 22 Teal, 6 Snipe, 19 Common Shelduck, 24 Gadwall, 13 Lapwing, 5 Cormorant, 8 Grey lag geese, 13 Canadian geese. Around the reserve; Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Reed bunting, Bullfinch, Tree Creeper, Nuthatch,

16 February 2013

Sunshine at last!

Sunshine at last!

Species seen around the reserve today include; Nuthatch, Longtailed tit, Blue tit, Coal tit, Great tit, Robin, Songthrush, Blackbird, Green finch, Reed bunting, Chaffinch, Water rail, Wood pigeon, Magpies, Jackdaws, Herring gulls, Black headed gulls, Com

14 February 2013

Bittern sightings

Bittern sightings

Two more sightings of the Bittern yesterday, both from the Reedbed hide. The first was around 2pm when it was briefly seen flying from the reeds to the rear far left and landing quickly into the main reedbed. The second was at 4.30pm when it was flushed f

12 February 2013

Snipe and Bittern

Snipe and Bittern

Yesterday reports of the Bittern from the scrape hide and the reedbed hide, confirming he is still around and doing a great job at keeping hidden for most of the time! Good numbers of Snipe this morning with 34 from the Sand Martin Hide and 28 from the sc

10 February 2013

Saturdays sightings

Saturdays sightings

RESERVE; Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Green finch, Goldfinch, Coal tit, Blue tit, Long tailed tit, Great tit, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Great spotted woodpecker, Water rail. LAPWING HIDE; 9 teal, 7 Gadwall, 2 Shelduck. SAND MARTIN & RAMSAR HIDE; 4 Lapwing,

9 February 2013

Beautiful Kites!

Beautiful Kites!

With the exception of high winds, the reserve is bathed in glorious sunshine and we were treated to 4 Red Kites flying low over the reserve this morning. The woodland lodge and stag beetle feed areas were busy this morning. Blue tits, Great tits, Longta

6 February 2013

A Bar Headed Goose!

A Bar Headed Goose!

LAPWING HIDE; 4 Common Shelduck, 4 Lapwing, 3 Teal, 2 Canadian Geese, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen. RAMSAR & SANDMARTIN HIDES; 20 Teal, 2 Cormorant, 19 Lapwing, 17 Common Shelduck, 32 Gadwall, 15 Snipe, 1 Eygptian goose, 1 Bar Headed goose, 21 Greylag geese

4 February 2013

Todays morning sightings

Todays morning sightings

LAPWING HIDE; 11 Lapwing, 2 Gadwall, 6 Teal, 9 Mute swans. RAMSAR & SANDMARTIN HIDES; 1 Grey heron, 11 Greylag geese, 3 Cormorants, 24 Canadian geese, 18 Gadwall, 37 Tufted duck, 12 Pochard, 14 Common Shelduck, 9 Lapwing, 16 Teal, 43 Snipe, Black head

1 February 2013

Bittern...... again!

Bittern...... again!

The kingfishers are particuarly busy at the moment, wizzing around the world wetlands enclosure, by the long path and from the sand martin hide. As water levels continue to rise around the reserve, good numbers of tufted duck, pochard, common shelduck, co

31 January 2013

Late bittern

Late bittern

The Bittern was spotted again at last light yesterday, drifting low across the reedbed from left to right. Come and see if you can spot him!

29 January 2013

Sunday Sun!

Sunday Sun!

The usual suspects out in the glorious winter sunshine; Ramsar and Sandmartin hides 9 Snipe, 4 lapwing, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Tufted Duck, 7 Teal, 20 Gadwall, 3 Cormorants, 6 Shelduck, 2 Egyptian geese, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Pochard Scrape Hide 12 Tea

27 January 2013

Bittern

Bittern

After not seeing a Bittern for a week, Mike Dilger spotted one late yesterday afternoon. We had just arrived at the Scrape hide and the bird took off from the far back  edge, where visitors had been spotted it previously. The bird flew across the reed

26 January 2013