Snipe at Ramsar hide & Gulls moving through
We've seen big numbers of black-headed gulls (240) and common gulls (110) on the reserve, moving through, most on their way north after wintering in warmer climates. Some of the black-headed gulls do stay and form a colony on the islands near the Sand Martin hide.
Good numbers of snipe have been showing in the fen cut in front of the Ramsar hide this past week (finally).
We've also had the great white egret in breeding plumage return to our site this week as well.
There is still a good variety of ducks about: wigeon, teal, shelducks, shoveller, gadwall, pochard, tufties and mallards.
Thurs 20 Feb
Reedbed Willow Sphere: 4 Canada geese, 2 greylag geese
Reedbed boardwalk: 1 water rail, 2 mallards
Wetland Discovery: 1 pochard
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 lapwing, 4 pochards
Ramsar and Sand martin hide lagoon: 22 snipe (at Ramsar hide) 1 lapwing, 240 black-headed gulls, 110 common gulls, 4 herring gulls, 1 Egyptian geese, 47 lapwing, 7 gadwall, 16 shoveller, 18 shelducks.
Wed 19 Feb
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide lagoon : 10 snipe (in front of Ramsar), 1 lapwing, 2 little grebes, 1 great heron, 35 shovellers, 19 shelducks , 51 lapwing, 219 black-headed gulls, 81 common gulls, 4 cormorants, 2 pochards, 4 wigeon, 4 teal, 2 gadwall
Scrape hide: 2 pochard, 4 greylag geese, 3 Canada geese, 2 shelducks, 6 shovellers, 3 coots, 7 mallards, 2 water rail.
Tues 18 Feb
Approach to Scrape hide: 2 pochards
Scrape hide: 2 shelducks
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 shelduck, 1 pochard
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide lagoon: 154 black-headed gulls, 1 great white egret, 22 snipe, 19 Canada geese, 28 lapwing, 2 common gulls, 2 tufted ducks, 3 gadwall, 8 teal, 21 mallards, 1 moorhen, 5 coots, 20 shelducks, 2 wood pigeon, 3 cormorants, 5 carrion crow,
Mon 17 Feb
Gate near Outlook In: 1 green woodpecker
Lapwing hide: 2 water rails
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide lagoon: 1 great white egret, 21 shovellers, 21 shelducks, 68 lapwing, 2 gadwall, 2 wigeon, 1 greater black-backed gull, 1 little grebe, 19 snipe (in front on Ramsar hide)
Scrape Hide: 3 pochards, 4 teal, 3 shovellers, 2 shelducks, 1 water rail.
Reedbed: 2 pochards
