Spring displays
This week we have been watching a pair of marsh harriers, seen rising up from the lost reedbed in the mornings. The male has been displaying a bit, then the pair head down the river, the female a bit later then the male. Could they be a pair staying on with an eye on nesting here?
We see a lot of displaying and nest scraping from the remaining lapwings on the Wet Grassland between Sand Martin hide and Sand Martin hide. There seems to be a pair nest scraping on the wet grassland at Arun Riverlife as well. Alec Pelling took this photo of the lapwing buffeted by the strong breezes we had at the start of the week.
Water rail has been showing on the water treatment pond in front of the Coastal Creek Aviary, along with lovely spring marsh marigolds!
Gull numbers have dropped a lot but there are still good numbers of common gulls moving through.
We had a woodcock in Wetlands Discovery area last Sunday and the great white egret was back on the large lagoon.
Plenty of tufted ducks seem to be on Wetlands Discovery – you’re sure to see some when you ride the Boat Safari.
Lots of gorgeous bird song onsite now as well.
Wed 19 March
Scrape hide: 1 lapwing, 16 Canada goose16, 6 greylag geese, 3 black-headed gull, 2 herring gull, 12 shovelers, 1 moorhen, 1 coot, 2 shelducks, 1 carrion crow, 1 Cetti's warbler, 1 chiff chaff, 2 marsh harriers (male came up from reedbed, female circling, displays then both flew off towards the river.
Arun Riverlife:1 lapwing nest scraping
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide lagoon: 6 lapwings ( 1 displaying, 2 nest scraping), 1 female pochard
Wetlands Discovery: 2 pochards (pair)
Tues 18 March
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 lapwing
Wetland Discovery area: 4 pochards
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 6 lapwing displaying and nest scraping, 5 herring gulls, 51 common gulls, 14 black-headed gulls, 10 greylag geese, 20 Canada geese, 2 cacklingXBarnacle geese, 2 cormorants, 1 pochard, 19 shovelers, 3 gadwalls, 19 mallards,8 shelducks, 6 coots, 5 moorhens.
Scrape hide: 3 pochards, 15 shovelers, 2 shelducks
Lakes & Forests exhibit: 1 pochard
Scrape hide (lost reedbed) 2 (pair) marsh harriers 1Male displaying, flew off, then female came up and followed
Sun 16 March
Wetland Discovery: 3 pochards, 9 mallards, 11 wood pigeons, 16 tufted ducks, 10 greylag geese, 1 coot, 2 blue tits, 1 chiff chaff, 1 blackbird, 2 great tits, 1 woodcock
Ramsar hide: 8 lapwing, 1 great white egret.
Arun Riverlife lagoon: a pair of lapwing
Sat 15 March
Woodland Loop: 1 great spotted woodpecker
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide lagoon: 8 lapwings, 8 shelducks, 1 greater black-backed gull
Scrape hide: 2 shelducks
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 11 greylag geese, 19 Canada geese, 17 black-headed gees, 2 lapwing, 1 pochard, 12 mallards, 2 gadwall, 1 shelducks, 1 mute swan, 2 coots, 1 carrion crow
