Mallard ducklings hatching out
The Reserve team spotted 54 ducklings with 7 different female mallards on Sunday.
They are sprinkled around the site. Numbers will dwindle as there are many carrion crows and predatory herring gulls around as well and mallards aren't the most attentive parents.
We are still seeing the pair of marsh harriers around most mornings so we still believe/hope they are nesting in the reedbed.
A pair of oystercatchers have been spending time on the Sand martin hide roof. They may pick that spot for their nests this year - they have done it before.
These sightings are not a comprehensive list of all the wild life onsite. The Reserve Team focuses counts in different areas on different days and adds items of interest.
Mon 7 April
Lapwing hide: 1 mallard male, 2 greylag geese
Wet;and Discovery: 4 pochards
Ramsar and Sand martin hides: 6 lapwing (one female nest sitting), 2 oystercatchers
Scrape hide: 1 lapwing, 35 sand martins
Sun 6 April
Ramsar and Sand martin hides: 2 lesser black-backed gulls, c30 sand martins, 1 Egyptian goose, 3 lapwings, 2 pochards, 1 lapwing, 1 female mallards with 11 ducklings, 1 female mallard with 2 ducklings, 1 great white egret, 2 oystercatchers on Sand martin hide roof, 2 marsh harriers, 2 shelducks.
Scrape hide approach: 1 female mallard with 11 ducklings
Reedbed: 1 female mallard with 11 ducklings
Woodland Loop:female mallard with 8 ducklings
Dragonfly pond: 1 female mallard with 8 ducklings, 1 female mallard with 6 ducklings
Black rabbit triangle: 2 slow worms under tin 11, 2 slow worms under tin 12.
Arun Riverlife: 2 lapwings
Wetland Discovery: 12 mallards, 2 pied wagtails by Outlook In, 2 shoveler, 1 greylag goose, 1 Canada goose, 1 greenfinch, 4 pochards, 1 blackbird, 1 wren, 1 Cetti’s warbler, 2 chiffchaff, 2 chaffinches, 2 robins, 1 dunnock, 1 great tit
Wet grassland: 1 sedge warbler
Offham Hangar: 1 peregrine in the old beech tree
Sat 5 April
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 moorhn, 1 mute swan, 1 shoveler, 18 black-headed gulls, 12 mallards, 1 lapwing, 2 oystercatchers, 20 Canada geese, 6 greylag geese, 6 tufted ducks
Waterside Walk: 2 pochards, 4 shelducks, 2 greater black backed gulls, 2 oystercatchers, c30 sand martins, 6 teal, 3 Egyptian geese, 1 cackling goose, 3 lapwings
Pond opposite wildlife garden: 1 mallard with 12 ducklings, 2 pochards
Scrape hide: 2 pochards, 1 shelduck, 1 lapwing
Friday 4 April
Sand martin hide: 1 spoonbill on island on the right side at 8.25 am, flew off towards the Arun River.
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 4 lapwings mobbing a crow, 1 pochard, 2 greater black-backed gulls, c25 sand martins
Wetland Discovery: 3 pochards,
Scrape hide: 4 pochards
Arun Rverlife: 2 lapwings
Woodland Loop: 2 jackdaws, 1 chiffchaff, 5 great tits, 1 robin, 4 blue tits, 3 wren, 1 firecrest, 3 moorhen, 1 blackbird, 3 goldfinch, 3 chaffinch, 1 greenfinch, 6 mallard.
Scrape hide: 1 marsh harrier circling high.
