Firecrests, pochard and wigeon

29 January 2025

Goldcrests and firecrests are still onsite this past week.

Goldcrests and firecrests have been spotted onsite this past week. Visitor Alec Pelling photographed this stunning firecrest last Saturday. Pochards are still appearing on the lagoons and numbers are up a but to six on Tuesday. A few wigeon are still showing on the large lagoon between Ramsar and Sand Martin hides. A kingfisher has been showing in several places, including the Bewick's swans exhibit pen.

Twenty-five to fifty lapwings are in most mornings on the large lagoon. Shelducks and shoveler are around with a handful of teal and a little grebe showing up.

Harder to spot snipe are there with our Wardens seeing seven on Wednesday morning.

Wed 29 Jan.

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide Large lagoon: 7 snipe, 2 pochard, 2 Egyptian Geese, 21 shelducks, 30 lapwings, 1 little grebe, 1 kingfisher

Scrape hide: 6 teal, 21 shovelers, 2 pochards, 11 mallards, 2 coots, 1 moorhen, 4 greylag geese, 2 Canada geese.

Tues 28 Jan

Wetland Discovery area: 1 pochard

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide Large lagoon: 36 Canada geese, 25 mallards, 6 pochards, 15 teal, 18 gadwall, 2 wigeon, 23 shovelers, 1 kingfisher, 6 coots, 4 moorhens, 11 black-headed gulls, 28 lapwings, 2 shelducks, 1 cormorant, 1 water rail

Scrape hide: 6 pochards, 2 shelducks

Mon 27 Jan

Lapwing hide: 2 Canada geese, 1 carrion crow

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide Large lagoon: 6 pochards, 1 little grebe, 25 lapwing, 19 shelducks, 7 teal

Bewick’s swan exhibit: 1 kingfisher

Scrap hide: 1 kingfisher, 2 shelducks

Sun 26 Jan

Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 pochard

Wetlands Discovery area: 9 mallards, 10 tufted ducks, 1 moorhen, 1 kingfisher, 3 pochards, 6 Canada geese, 1 coot, 1 blackbird

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide Large lagoon: 5 pochards, 2 wigeons, 40 lapwings, 7 cormorants, 80 common gulls, 1 little grebe.

Sat 25 Jan

Arun Riverlife lagoon: 21 mallards, 10 Canada geese, 2 gadwall, 3 black-headed gulls, 3 coots

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide Large lagoon: 4 wigeons, 19 shelducks, 38 lapwings, 1 common gull, 3 pochards, 2 Egyptian geese.

Fri 24 Jan

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide Large lagoon: 8 pochards, 17 lapwings, 2 wigeon

Scrape hide: 16 shovelers

Woodland Loop: 7 great tits, 14 blue tits, 5 chaffinches, 2 blackbirds, 1 robin, 2 goldfinches, 1 goldcrest, 1 great spotted woodpecker, 1 moorhen, 3 wood pigeons, 1 crow