Curlew onsite
A curlew wearing coloured leg rings was spotted by WWT wardens from the Ramsar hide on Wed 8 May in the afternoon. It had been spotted by visitors from the Sand martin hide as well. Some of the nesting black-headed gulls swooped it a few times, in case it was a threat and to show it who’s boss. From its leg rings we were able to ascertain the curlew was from the head starting program on the Norfolk estate, part of the Action for Curlew project in conjunction with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. It also was wearing a small GPS tracker. We hope we will see more of these lovely waders at WWT Arundel as a result of the program!
The curlew had a yellow ring on its right leg above the “knee” and a BTO ring on the below the “knee”. On the left leg was a red ring with a yellow flag number P9. If you see any birds with tags while you are visiting us please let us know, in centre or online. It’s all really useful info to track movements and behaviours of birds and the main reason rings like flags and Darvics rings are used.
Wed 8 May
Ramsar hide: 1 Curlew with leg rings, 3 lapwings, 2 shoveler ducks, 19 tufted ducks, 1 cormorant, 1 cuckoo calling, 1 little egret, 1 oystercatcher, 1 marsh harrier, 1 gadwall
Lapwing hide: 2 shoveler, 2 gadwall, 1 kingfisher
Wetland Discovery: 3 tufted ducks, 1 gadwall, 1 kingfisher, 2 mute swans with 2 cygnets
Hangar: 1 hobby
Scrape hide: 1 moorhen,
Arun Riverlife: 4 tufted ducks, 1 pochard, 1 oystercatcher, 1 gadwall
Pelican Cove: 1 female pochard with 2 ducklings, 1 grey wagtails.
Lakes and Forests exhibit: 1 great-spotted woodpecker.
Trumpeter pen: 1 mandarin duck
Woodloop: 1 mandarin duck
Long path: 1 lesser white-throat, 2 bullfinches
Willow sphere: 4 tufted ducks, 1 gadwall
Scarpe hide: 1 tufted duck in approach pond, 2 sedge warblers, 10 tufted ducks on main water, 8 Canada geese.
Tues 7 May
Ramsar & Sand martin lagoon: 17 Canada geese, 1 cackling goose, 12 greylag geese, 1 mute swan, 3 lapwings, 1 gadwall, 1 shoveler, 11 mallards, 13 tufted ducks, 1 oystercatcher, 2 Egyptian geese, 2 moorhen, 1 coot, 58 black-headed gulls, 2 lesser black-backed gulls, 1 Cettis warbler, 1 songthrush, 1 blackbird, 1 wren, 1 chiffchaff, 1 great tit, 20plus sand martins,
Wetland Discovery: 1 pochard
Near our tool shed: 1 Canada goose and goslings
Mon 6 May
Robin Gate: 1 mallard and ducklings
Ramsar hide: 1 oystercatcher , 6 greylag geese and goslings, 5 Canada geese with goslings
Wet grassland: 4 moorhens, 8 mallards, 1 chiffchaff, 2 shovelers, 1 song thrush heard, 3 tufted ducks, 1 chaffinch, 1 little egret, 1 carrion crow, 1 reed bunting
Ditch on long path: 1 female pochard with ducklings
Scrape hide: 3 pochards, 1 shelducks
Reedbed: grey wagtail
Wood :Loop: Great-spotted woodpecker, 1 coat tit, 1 moorhen
Willow sphere: 3 pochards
Sun 5 May
Wetland Discovery area: 2 Canada geese, 3 mallards, 3 gadwall, 1 pochard, 1 coot, 1 reed warbler, 1 sedge warbler, 1 chiff chaff, 1 wren, 1 blue tits, 1 chaffinch
Ramsar hide: 1 lapwing, 2 oystercatchers, 42 herring gulls,
Scrape hide; 1 pochard, 1 shelduck
Raised Pond: 5 damselflies emerging
Arun Riverlife: 15 black-headed gulls.
Reedbed: cuckoo heard
