Latest sightings

Osprey on the hangar this morning

A buzzard (left) chases off the juvenile osprey at Arundel on Tuesday. Photo: Russell Tofts After showing well around the reserve yesterday, including low passes over Wetlands Discovery area, the osprey was seen above

14 September 2016

Heat & sun brings out the dragonflies

Mostly migrant hawkers out today but there are a few southern hawkers around, too. Paul Stevens photographed this southern hawker last weekend at Arundel. Gorgeous sunny day - lots of migrant hawker dragonflies about

13 September 2016

Green woodpecker in reedswamp exhibit

Green woodpeckers feed on the ground, dining on ants and other insects. Other sightings this morning Lapwing hide: Snipe, tufted duck, teal, Cetti's warbler, Canada geese, pheasant Ramsar & SandMartin hides: mute

12 September 2016

Yes the osprey is around - so are kingfishers!

Kingfisher near the boat jetty on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Nicky MacQueen On Monday & Tuesday the osprey hadn't been seen onsite and we were starting to think he may have moved on. However on Sunday aft

9 September 2016

Monday & Tuesday sightings

Mon 5 Sept Sightings Lapwing hide: teal, Canada geese, pheasants, mallards Ramsar and Sand Martin hides: shoveller ducks, gadwall, mandarin duck, grey heron, mallard. Scrape Hide: grey heron, kingfisher, gadwall, teal, Cetti's warbler. Arun Riverlife lago

6 September 2016

Osprey still showing

Common darters in a mating wheel This morning onsite we spotted: Lapwing hide: grey heron, reed warbler, Canada geese, pheasant Ramsar & Sand Martin Hide: cormorant, common sandpiper, kingfisher, gadwall, teal Scr

30 August 2016

Osprey appearance

A juvenile osprey was sighted fishing at the deep scrape at Arundel Wetland Centre on Sunday. Juvenile ospreys have darker, less distinct head markings and pale edge to their wings. The bird spent the day making low and high passes giving the visitors

22 August 2016

Weekly sightings 22nd July

After some really warm weather the insects have made a noticeable appearance. Star of the show is probably the amount of Red admirals. Other butterflies currently on the wing include Brimstone, Meadow brown, Gatekeeper and Ringlet. Brown hawkers have jo

22 July 2016

Wildlife sightings weekly summary

Birds of prey showing well at the moment with a Buzzard carrying prey to a nest site and a juvenile Peregrine Falcon being very vocal, flying around its parents, begging for a feed over the hanger. Chiffchaff singing through the reedbed boardwalk and Sedg

3 July 2016

Wildlife day walks revealed grass snakes and warblers

This is WWT Arundel Grounds Manager Paul Stevens' weekly column from the Observer series of weekly newspaper from June 22 edition. WE CELEBRATED Sussex Day last Thursday with a series of wildlife walks and talks at Arundel Wetland Centre. I took 14 visito

25 June 2016

June 13 wildife sightings

Toadlets were hatching out of the front pond over the weekend. Around the reserve: Sedge, reed and Cetti’s warblers, reed bunting, great tits, chiff chaff, wren, goldfinch, swallow, bullfinch, green finch, pied wagt

13 June 2016

May 26 Wildlife sightings

Black-headed gull chicks are hatching in the small colony opposite the Sand Martin hide. Photo by Rob Collins Around the grounds: kingfisher, chaffinches, sedge warbler, reed warbler, Cetti's warbler, shelduck, shove

27 May 2016

Hairy dragonflies, busy mason bees & lapwing chicks

Grass snake checks to see if I am friend or foe. This is the May 26 edition of the Wildlife Sightings column by Paul Stevens for the Observer Series of newspapers. A HAIRY dragonfly appeared in our Meadow Maze on Sund