Latest sightings
First firecrest & cold temps bring in the ducks
Cooler temperature this past week have driven duck numbers up. Lots of lapwing have been dropping in as well. Birds of prey are active - in after the smaller birds that are feeding more in the cold weather. We had our first firecrest sighting on Sunday
6 December 2020
Great egret, wigeon and pintails
I spotted a great egret last Sunday from the Scrape hide. This heron-sized egret is much larger than the little egret and has a yellow bill, like the smaller cattle egrets. Members of the Collection Team and our Reserve Team have spotted the great egret a
25 November 2020
Evening roost of harriers, egrets and wagtails
Heavy rains and high winds were lashing last Sunday when Warden Suzi Lanaway attempted the monthly Harrier Survey. Hoping for better results I watched the reedbeds this Monday. While waiting for the marsh harriers to come in I saw 100+ pied wagtails gathe
18 November 2020
Jack snipe, sparrow hawk & cheeky shrews
While working on cutting and clearing what the cattle didn’t eat this summer on the Wet Grassland between Lapwing hide and the Sand Martin hide I watched a pair of stonechats perching up then swooping down to pick up insects from our fresh cutting. We a
14 November 2020
Little grebes, soprano pips & stonechats
Despite some colder temps his week we haven’t had a real cold snap required to drive big numbers of teal and shelduck onto the site. This mild weather has helped the insects stay active which has kept bats in our boxes – a quick check of two of the mo
4 November 2020
Kestrel and kingfishers
A female kestrel has taken up residence in our newest owl box on Wetlands Discovery. She can be spotted hovering above the islands hunting the abundant bank and field voles. She has also been spotted in car park perching on the wooden lighting pole near
17 October 2020
Sand Martins start moving through
Monday morning I was greeted by the spectacle of approximately 400 house and sand martins swirling around a dark, moody sky, a truly fantastic sight. These fabulous aerobats are starting to gather before their epic migration to sub-Saharan Africa for the
4 September 2020
Emerald damselfly during dormouse survey
During this month’s dormouse survey, we spotted a brilliant emerald damselfly, which rather obligingly stayed still long enough for a quick photo shoot! We don’t get many of that species, so was really lovely to see. Sadly, no dormice were found
26 July 2020
Butterflies, reptiles and bird surveys
The numbers of greenfinch onite has been dropping in recent years but our recent Breeding Bird Survey has good greenfinch news. This April through June we have recorded greenfinches singing from the treetops around the reserve. Now we are seeing juvenile
13 July 2020
Fabulous wildflowers and Marsh Harrier update
Wildflowers Weeks of hot sun followed by a bit of rain here and there has produced a botanical bounty all around the reserve! Our wildlife hides are now open (except for the Sand Martin hide) and the views are spectacular. Oxe-eye daises are just going o
7 July 2020
Windy Sunday
Warden Suzi reports strong gusty winds and hail was putting off most of the birds except the gulls! The lapwing were hunkered down, still on nests on wet grasslands. Ramsar/Sand martin hide: around 750+ black-headed gull, 42 common gull, 2 lesser blac
30 March 2020
Pochards pairing up
Warden Suzi Lanaway sent in these sightings from the past few days. Suzi is one of the dedicated team that are still working onsite for wildlife and managing the fragile wetland habitats. In the photo above Reserve Manager Paul Stevens photographed these
28 March 2020
Bee flies & grass snakes
On Wednesday 25 March Warden Suzi Lanaway reports lots of brimstone and red admiral butterflies and a couple of beeflies (pic above) in the sensory (herb) garden.There was also a pair of oystercatchers in the Bewick's Swan enclosure and grass snakes show
26 March 2020
Moorhen chicks a sign of spring
On the wet grassland we now have 5 pairs of lapwing sitting on eggs. Other signs of spring include the newly hatched nest of moorhens on the Lakes & Forest exhibit. A pair of greylag geese have hatched 5 goslings along the channels of the Wetland Discover
25 March 2020
Kingfishers are checking out the nesting bank
Lapwings and oystercatchers getting ready to nest and kingfisher have been spotted at the Arun Riverlife nesting bank .
23 March 2020