Latest sightings

First firecrest & cold temps bring in the ducks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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