Latest sightings
Easter weekend
I am putting this on late Friday evening, but the birds listed have been seen throughout the week, so happy Easter and have fun spotting these fabulous species! LAPWING HIDE; Lapwing, Gadwall, Teal, Canadian geese, Common Shelduck. RAMSAR & SAND MAR
29 March 2013
Redshanks and grebe
Yesterday was very cold, but warming up in spirit were three Redshank that made a visit in the morning and a lovely Great crested Grebe in the afternoon. The Grebe is still present this morning showing off its full courtship feathery finery from the Ramsa
26 March 2013
Fridays sightings
RAMSAR & SANDMARTIN HIDES; 2Pochard, 5 Lapwing, 23 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Tufted duck, 4 Cormorant, 12 Canadian geese, 2 Gadwall. LAPWING HIDE; 2 Shelduck, 2 Lapwing, 2 Cormorants, 2 Greylag. SCRAPE HIDE; 2 Pochard, 4 Shelduck. RESERVE; Tufted d
22 March 2013
Sundays sightings
RESERVE; Buzzard, Peregrine, Mute swan, Mallard, Tufted duck, Grey lag geese, Moorhen, Coot, Water rail, Snipe, Jackdaws, Magpie, Wood pigeon, Pheasant, Song Thrush, Robin, Blue/ Great/ Long Tailed tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Black headed, Herring & Co
17 March 2013
Sunshine birds
Walking round the reserve at the end of the day yesterday resulted in some stunning views of several species in glorious late afternoon sunshine. First was a close encounter with one of the local Red Kites which circled low over the reedbed showing its pl
14 March 2013
Snow... in March!
It has been snowing hard here, but hide and reserve access is good. RESERVE; Pochard, Tufted duck, Moorhen, Coot, Shelduck, Mallard, Water rail, Mute swan, Cormorant, Pheasant, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Wren, Reed bunting, Thrush, Blackbird, Blue/Great/ Coal/
12 March 2013
Avocet!
Wow what a morning. An Avocet from the ramsar hide this morning, only seen here once before back in 1989! Loads of gulls this morning from the Ramsar and Sand Martin hides with around 460 Black headed, 100 Common gulls, 1 Lesser black backed and 2 Mediter
10 March 2013
Todays sightings
LAPWING HIDE; 6 Lapwing, 7 Grey lag and 4 Canadian geese, 2 Common Shelduck, 14 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 1 Kestrel. RAMSAR & SANDMARTIN HIDES; 6 Shoveler (10 seen yesterday), 5 Canadian and 2 Egyptian geese, 16 Common Shelduck, 4 Pochard, 5 Cormorants, Blac
9 March 2013
Cetti's singing
The centre looks truly beautiful in the sun today. I have seen a Kingfisher with fish in it's beak from the Scrape hide, where a pair of Shoveler have been seen the last 2 days and aerial displays from the lapwing. I have also seen a water vole at the top
5 March 2013
Frogs croaking
The last thing I expected to here yesterday was a male Common Frog croaking in the reedbed, especially after all the cold weather of late. A Jack Snipe was spotted feeding in front of the Scrape hide towards the end of yesterday. 5 Wigeon were a pleasant
4 March 2013
Todays sightings
Today I have seen the following species around the reserve; Pochard, Tufted duck, Gadwall, Teal, Common shelduck, Canadian, Grey-lag and Egyptian geese, Cormorants, Kingfisher, Grey heron, Lapwing, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Mute swans. Reed bunting, Gold fi
28 February 2013
Aerial displays
41 lapwing have been showing well on the back islands, easily viewed from the Ramsar and Sand martin hides and often supplying us with beautiful aerial displays. The oyster catcher seems to come and go with this flock and you can hear him shouting from
26 February 2013
Bean and gone
Whilst checking the hides this morning two grey lag geese flew in to join the other 19. At a second glance the two new arrivals turned out to be Bean geese. This was a first for myself and likely for the reserve as well. 6 Snipe flushed up out of the reed
24 February 2013
Secretive snipe
Whilst carring out the bird counts on the reserve this morning there seemed to be a distinct lack of Snipe. I counted two from the sand martin hide and four from the scrape hide. When I had returned to the centre, checking the Arun riverlife lake, two flo
21 February 2013
Sunny Sunday
The Oyster catchers are back and showing well from the sand martin hide, amongst 17 Lapwing. Good numbers of Snipe, Gadwall, Tufted duck, Pochard, Shelduck & Teal are visible from most of the hides and can be seen from the cafe windows on swan lake
17 February 2013