Common tern, cattle egret & a lesser black-backed gull
We've had some interesting sightings between the Sand martin hide and Ramsar hide this week.
A cattle egret in breeding plumage was grooming on the island opposite Sand martin hide Tuesday morning (photographed by WWT volunteer Andrew Burns). Our wardens also spotted a common tern there too! On Monday a lesser black-backed gull was among the black headed gull colony along with two Egyptian geese. There is still a swirl of sand martins around the nesting banks in the Snad martin hide daily. The oystercatcher juvenile feathers are almost fully coloured up to match his parents as photographed by volunteer James King.
Also Monday the cuckoo juvenile was again spotted being fed by a reed warbler by driver Simon on the Wetlands Discovery Boat Safari.
Butterflies seem to be bursting out now - so many red admirals about plus peacocks and meadow browns. Its been an amazing season for meadowsweet flowers and the air along the pathways has a lovely vanilla-ish scent. Just starting flower this week is bright yellow fleabane and tansy. Purple loosestrife and yellow loostrife are still going strong, the latter especially near the Wetland Secrets plant house.
July 12
Scrape hide: 8 sand martins, 1 Kingfisher
Sand Martin hide: 20 sand martins, 2 Egyptian geese, 1 teal, 1 tufted duck.
Ramsar hide: 1 common tern, 3 oystercatcher, 1 cattle egret, 3 little egret, 2 Cormorant
Lapwing Hide: 1 tufted duck, a female with 2 ducklings,
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 3 mute swans, 1 pair with 1 cygnet
Pelican Cove: 2 pochards, 4 tufted duck, 2 oystercatcher
Lakes and forests exhibit: 10 mallards, 1 mandarin
Woodland loop: 1 robin, 1 greenfinch, 1 wagtail
Willow sphere: 1 mandarin duck, 1 gadwall duck
Scrape hide: 1 Chiffchaff, 2 wren, 1 moorhen, 19 mallards, 2 reed warblers, 4 coot, 3 teal, 4 tufted duck, 2 wood pigeons, 4 gadwall, 1 goldfinch
Sedge warbler singing at Arundel July 12 by WWT media volunteer Andy Burns
July 11
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hide: 3 little egret, 1 cormorant, 2 teal, 6 mallard, 4 gadwall, 7 tufted duck, 4 coots, 3 oystercatchers, 30 black headed gull, 1 lesser black-backed gull, 10 sand martin
July 10
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 2 mute swans
Pelican Cove: 2 pochards, 5 tufted ducks, 1 oystercatcher on nest.
Ramsar and Sand Martin hides: 1 little egret, 1 lapwing, 3 oystercatcher with the juvenile flying, 2 Egyptian geese
Scrape hide: 1 teal, 1 shoveler
Wetlands Discovery, at the back end near the Willow arbour: 1 cuckoo juvenile being fed by a reed warbler, spotted from the boat safari.
Riverside walk: 3 mandarin ducks
Cuckoo chick is demanding some dinner - photographed this week by visitor Dean Bryant
July 9
Wetlands Discovery: 4 female mallards with 6 very young ducklings, 1 sedge warbler, 2 kingfishers chasing each other, 1 mute Swan
July 7
Wood Loop: 2 collared doves, 1 coot, 4 moorhens, 11 mallard ducks, 1 wren, 1 blackbird, 3 robins, 2 chaffinches, 1 blue tit
July 6
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hide: 3 tufted ducks, 20 sand martins, 2 gadwall, 2 oystercatchers
Scrape hide: 4 tufted ducks, 2 mandarin ducks, 1 gadwall
Arun River life: 2 tufted ducks, 11 Canada geese
Wood loop: 4 goldfinches, 1 green finches, 7 blue tits
Juvenile oystercatcher chick's plummage matches its parents now - near Sand martin hide by visitor Dean Bryant
