Kingfishers and Cattle egret chicks
It was an exciting week with our confirmation of cattle egret chicks last weekend. We had watched them carrying sticks into the heavily treed area between Ramsar and Sand Martin hides in August. It was still their breeding season (which stretches to October) and the adults were still in orange breeding plumage. After hearing the chick noises for a week, we went to investigate. From the ground we could spot active chicks in each nest so backed off quickly.
Many visitors are capturing great kingfisher shots from Ramsar and Scrape hides this week - we still see them on Arun Riverlife lagoon as well. Thanks for the great kingfisher diving shot Alec Pelling!
Fewer gadwall in this week but we did have a flock of 34 lapwing in on Saturday morning.
We are also seeing a steady trickle of house martins, sand martins and a few swallows trickle through as they migrate south.
Wed 11 Sept
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 water rail
Pelican Cove: 4 mute swans (pair with cygnets), 2 tufted ducks,
Woodland Loop: 2 black caps, 1 chiffchaff, c10 goldfinches, 1 greenfinch, 2 chaffinches
Reedbed boardwalk: 1 water rail, common darter dragonflies
Reedbed Willow Sphere: 3 gadwall
Scrape hide: 2 Cetti’s warblers, 4 Canada geese, 17 mallards, 2 coots, 13 gadwall, 1 wood pigeon, 1 chiffchaff, 5 shovelers, 2 moorhens, 1 great tit, 1 greenfinch
Sand martin hide: 1 grey heron, 3 cormorants, 2 great egrets, 4 teal, 7 gadwall, 1 kingfisher, 12 swallows, 1 house martin, 6 snad martins
Ramsar hide: 4 cattle egrets, 1 little egret.
Tues 10 September
Ramsar & Sand martin hide lagoon: 1 great egret, 3 cattle egrets, 2 pochards, 1 cormorant, 26 black-headed gulls, 2 herring gulls, 6 Canada geese, 1 teal, 6 mallards, 20 gadwalls, 1 moorhen, 1 kingfisher
Lapwing hide: 1 great egret
Scrape hide: 5 shoveler, 1 kingfisher, 4 teal, 1 great white egret
Mon 9 September
Ramsar & Sand martin hide lagoon: 4 cattle egrets, 6 shovelers, 5 teal, 1 great egret
Lapwing hide: 2 blue tits, 1 carrion crow, 1 reed warbler, 1 robin, 1 chiffchaff
Scrape hide: 1 kingfisher.
Sun 8 September
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 2 pochards
Wetland Discovery: 1 carrion crow, 1 mallard, 1 wood pigeon, 1 chiffchaff
Ramsar & Sand martin hide lagoon: 3 cattle egrets
Scrape hide: 7 shovelers, 1 pochard, 1 water rail.
Sat 7 September
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 27 mallards, 3 coots, 1 Cetti’s warbler
Ramsar & Sand martin hide lagoon: 34 lapwing, 10 cattle egrets, 1 kingfisher, 1 common sandpiper, 1 great egret
Scrape hide: 1 water rail in pond as you approach.
Over the reserve: c80 house martins, c 20 sand martins
Fri 6 September
Ramsar & Sand martin hide lagoon: 21 lapwings, 6 pochards, 3 cattle egrets, 4 teal, 1 common sandpipers
Scrape hide: 1 teal, 1 shoveler
Wetland Discovery: 1 kingfisher
Woodland Loop: 3 blue tits, 2 great tits, 1 greenfinch, 2 moorhens with chicks.
Woodland loop: 5 mallards
Ramsar & Sand martin hide lagoon> c20 sand martins, 1 great egret
Sat 7 September
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 27 mallards, 3 coots, 1 Cetti’s warbler
Ramsar & Sand martin hide lagoon: 34 lapwing, 10 cattle egrets, 1 kingfisher, 1 common sandpiper, 1 great egret
Scrape hide: 1 water rail in pond as you approach.
Over the reserve: c80 house martins, c 20 sand martins
