Good winter for lapwing

13 February 2025

We are already starting to see the males giving display flights on warmer days.

Lapwing numbers have been quite good this winter. We are still seeing 20+ between the Ramsar and Sand martin hides. We are already starting to see the males giving display flights on warmer days. We usually have up to eight pairs nesting on site in spring on the wet grassland. Last spring the grasslands remained very wet and the birds gave up early, not even trying for second broods. Hopefully the lapwings will fare better this breeding season. Thanks Gillian Fowler for the lovely lapwing shots this week.

Highlights: First oystercatcher in on Feb 8. Great white egret was around - still in breeding plumage! Good numbers of shoveler and shelducks still around. Visitors still capturing shots of the firecrests and gold crests on Tranquil Trail and the approach to Sand Martin hide.

Wed 12 Feb

Arun Riverlife lagoon: 6 pochards

Ramsar and Sand martin hides: 30 shoveler, 1 great white egret (still in breeding plumage!), 1 little egret, 32 lapwing

Scrape hide: 2 shelducks, 2 gadwall, 5 pochards, 7 Canada geese, 20 shoveler, 1 tufted duck, 10 mallards, 4 coots, 1 wood pigeon.

Tues 11 Feb

Arun Riverlife: 1 great white egret, 2 pochards

Wetland Discovery: 5 pochard

Ramsar and Sand martin hide: 49 Canada geese, 1 Canada X Barnacle goose, 5 greylag geese, 2 Egyptian geese, 9 wood pigeons

Mon 10 Feb

Lapwing hide/Wet grassland: 1 carrion crow, 1 pheasant

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 19 shoveler, 9 shelducks

Wetland Discovery: 2 pochards

Scrape hide: 1 shelduck, 1 pochard.

Sun 9 Feb

Arun Riverlife lagoon: 7 pochards

Wetland Discovery: 6 Canada geese, 7 greylag geese, 9 tufted ducks, 6 pochards, 7 mallards, 2 shoveler, 2 teal, 1 robin, 1 wren, 4 blue tits, 1 dunnock, 1 song thrush, 1 great tit, 6 long-tailed tits, 2 blackbirds, 2 wood pigeons

Sand martin hide: 54 lapwing, 2 wigeon, 12 Egyptian geese

Sat 8 Feb

Arun Riverlife: 10 Canada Geese, 3 mute swans, 4 pochards, 18 mallards, 2 coots

Wetland Discovery: 2 pochard

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 22 lapwing, 20 shelducks.

Friday 7 Feb

Arun Riverlife lagoon: 5 pochard, 2 snipe, 62 lapwing, 18 shelducks, 10 common gulls

Woodland Loop: 6 wood pigeons, 4 blackbirds, 2 moorhens, 2 long-tailed tits, 1 carrion crow, 3 robins, 18 blue tits, 6 goldfinches, 2 chaffinches, 6 mallard, 2 coal tit.