Sand pipers and Lapwing Chicks
One of the most exciting days so far this spring was 1st May when we saw a Wood Sandpiper and three Lapwing chicks from the Ramsar hide, an Osprey fly over the reserve, and the first sound of a Cuckoo. The wood sand piper sighting from the Ramsar hide was from Leigh Marshall, WWT's Head of Reserve Management, who was spending a few days with us at Arundel last week.
A common sand piper was seen on Friday 2 May and Saturday 3 May from Ramsar hide as well.
We had our first cuckcoo of the year, calling this week from somewhere on the Offham hangar or from our car park on Thirsday and Sunday.
There are plenty of greylag gosling and Canada geese families around - one family of Canada geese hade 11 goslings. Plenty of views of sand martins in and around the Sand martin hide as well.
Sun 4 May
Scrape hide: 4 pochard ducklings seen on dawn chorus walk, c20 sand martins, 1 pochard,
Wetland Discovery are: 5 mallards, 3 sedge warblers, 3 reed warblers, 2 greenfinches, 4 Canada geese, 1 blue tit, 1 Cetti’s warblers, 1 chiffchaff, 1 wren
Ramsar and Sand martin hide: 2 shelducks, c 30 sand martins, 3 lapwings
Offham Hangar or front car park: 1 cuckoo heard.
Sat 3 May
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 mute swan 18 Canada geese, 4 greylag geese, 10 tufted ducks, 1 gadwall, 1 lapwing, 34 black-headed gulls
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 1 common sand piper, 1 pochard, 3 shelducks, 3 Egyptian geese, 5 lapwings 1 oystercatcher on middle island, c30 sand martins
Scrape hide: 2 pochards, 1 shelducks, 1 lapwing, 1 Egyptian geese, 15 sand martins, 1 nightingale heard at back of the Lost reedbed, 1 marsh harrier male flew off
Reedbed: 2 reed buntings ( a pair)
Picnic area near the boat jetty: 1 painted lady butterfly
Fri 2 May
Woodland Loop: 7 chaffinches, 3 blue tits, 2 blackbirds, 2 jackdaws, 2 wrens, 2 wrens, 14 mallards, 2 mandarin, 2 moorhens
Scrape hide: 1 marsh harrier male
Reed swamp: 1 common sand piper feeding for an hour in the exhibit, then in Arun Riverlife lagoon, then at the Sand Martin hide.
Lost Reedbed: 1nightingale singing.
Thurs 1 May
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 2 lesser black-backed gulls, 1 reed bunting, 2 oystercatchers, 50-60 sand martins
Scrape hide: 1 marsh harrier up and down in reeds in multiple areas in early morning, 1 lapwing male, 1 great white egret, 3 pochards
Reedbed Boardwalk: 2 sedge warblers, 3 Cetti’s warblers, 1 reed warbler, 3 wrens, 13 mallards, 1 wood pigeon, 1 Canada goose, 2 song thrush, 1 robin
Willow Screen: 1 snipe, 3 Canada geese, 1 greylag goose, 16 mallards with 3 ducklings, 16 black-headed gulls, 1 coot, 2 moorhens
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 pochard
Wed 30 April
Arun Rverlife lagoon: 5 tufted ducks,1 lapwing
Pelican Cove: 1 oystercatcher
Lakes and Forest exhibit: 1 pochard
Woodland Loop: 1 mandarin
Meadow Maze: 2 gadwall
Willow Sphere: 1 gadwall
Scrape hide: 1 great white egret, c 20 sand martins, 3 wood pigeons, 2 reed warblers, 1 greenfinch, 4 pochards, 13 gadwalls, 1 tufted ducks, 1 mandarain, 9 Canada geese, 2 shovelers, 16 mallards, 1 chiffchaff, 3 greylag geese, 2 Cetti’s warblers, 1 sedge warbler
Sand martin hide: c80 sand martins, 3 tufted ducks, 3 gadwall, 4 shelducks
Bewick’s swan exhibit: 2 gadwall
Ramsar hide: 1 wood sandpiper, 3 Egyptian geese, 1 cormorant, 1 little egret, 2 oystercatchers, 5 lapwings, 8 tufted ducks, 6 gadwall, 2 teal, 2 swift, 3 lapwing chicks with a female still sitting.
Wetland Discovery: 1 pochard
Entrance Pond: 8 large red damselfly, 2 azure damselfly, blue-tailed damselfly, 10 St. Mark’s fly
Lapwing hide: 2 tufted ducks, 2 reed buntings, 1 whitethroat, 1 Lesser whitethroat.
