Gulls moving through and oystercatchers arrive
Big numbers of black-headed gulls continue to move through this week, still a few common gulls, a Med. gull and a greater black-backed gull was in the mix.
An oystercatcher pair have arrived and have been hanging out on the wet grassland of the large lagoon. We usually get two pairs in each spring that nest onsite. Thanks Mike Jerome for this photo above taken last week.
Lapwing have been pairing up and displaying. A great white egret has been spotted on-site, still in breeding plumage. One day last week, we had 41 cattle egrets in!
On Tuesday, a barn owl flew in front of the Lapwing hide then perched on a pole in the Wetland Discovery area. The water rail is still being seen in the Coastal Creek water treatment pond.
Big numbers of black-headed gulls continue to move through this week, still a few common gulls and a greater black-beacked gull was in the mix.
Thurs 6 March
Wetland Discovery: 3 pochards
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide large lagoon: 1 great white egret, 6 lapwings in three pairs with 2 pairs displaying, 1 egret heron, 8 pochards, c185 black-headed gulls, 5 common gulls, 13 herring gullsc185 black-headed gulls, 5 common gulls,
Scrape hide: 2 snipe, 7 Canada geese, 11 greylag geese, 2 mallards, 1 moorhen, 1 coot, 2 male teal, 1 male and 3 females pochards, 16 shovelers – 10 male and 6 female, a pair of shelducks
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 lapwing – waiting for its mate?
Wed 5 March
Thick fog!
Arun Riverlife: 2 shelducks, 6 pochards
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide large lagoon: 2 oystercatchers, 3 wood pigeons, 1 Cetti’s warbler, 5 blue tits, 3 moorhens, 1 coot, 2 mute swans, 2 Canada geese, 24 mallards, 2 long-tailed tits, 2 great tits, a pair of oystercatchers on the island.
Coastal Creek water treatment pond: 2 coots, 1 water rail.
Tues 4 March
By Second gate: great spotted woodpecker
Ramsar and Sand martin hide large lagoon: 41 cattle egrets, 6 cormorants, 35 lapwing, 1 great white egrets, 89 black-headed gulls, 4 shovelers (2 pair), 4 coots, 10 mallards (8 male), 11 Canada geese, 12 greylag geese, 1 pochard, 2 wood pigeons, 2 moorhens, 2 Egyptian geese, 1 grey heron, 3 herring gulls
Wetland Discovery area: 1 female pochard, 1 barn owl flew in front of lapwing hide then perched on pole in Wetland Discovery area
Scrape hide: 2 shelducks (pair)
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 shelduck, 1 lapwing, 1 water rail
Mon 3 Mar
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 1 kingfisher on rapid flyby
Scrape hide: 2 pochards, 1 great white egret still in breeding plumage,
Ramsar and Sand martin hide large lagoon: 2 male pochards, 1 Egyptian goose, 1 great black backed gull, 30 common gull, 2 Med gulls, 4 lapwings
Riverside Walk: 3 Egyptian geese
Wetland Discovery area: 2 pochards (pair)
Sun 2 Mar
Wetland Discovery area: 14 mallards, 6 Candad geese, 8 pochards, 1 carrion crow, 6 tufted ducks, 2 blue tits, 2 greylag geese,
Ramsar and Sand martin hide large lagoon: 76 black-headed gulls, 7 herring gull, 1 greater black-backed gull, 13 lapwings, 10 shelducks, 4 cattle egrets
Scrape hide: 13 shovelers, 3 pochards, 2 shelducks.
Sat 1 Mar
Ramsar and Sand martin hide large lagoon: 15 shelducks, 1 great white egret
Wetland Discover area: 2 pochards, 2 shelducks, 6 pochards, 1 marsh harrier
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 1 pochard, 15 mallards, 2 tufted ducks, 3 coots, 2 lapwing, 7 greylag geese, 20 Canada geese, 1 moorhen, 1 carrion crow, 1 wood pigeon.
