Egrets? We've had a few...
We have counted at least 24 cattle egret nests, some with well grown chicks, between the Ramsar and Sand Martin hides this month! You can hear their constant chatter, especially from the path near the Wildlife Garden.
At least one pair of little egrets have also bred on site with two juveniles seen around the reserve.
On Sunday 10 August two great white egrets were perched atop the nesting tree watching all the juvenile egrets negotiate the branches.
Sun 10 August
Wetland Discovery: 2 wood pigeons, 4 blue tits, 1 Cetti’s warbler, 1 blackbird
Ramsar and Sand martin hides: c22 cattle egrets c10 adults and at least 12 juveniles, 2 great white egrets atop the roosting tree, watching the you cattle egrets negotiate the branches.
Sat 9 August
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 2 mallards
Ramsar and Sand martin hides: 1 great white egret, 1 little egret, 21 cattle egrets, 60 Canada geese, 12 greylag geese
Scrape hide: 1 teal, 2 shoveler
Pelican Cove: 1 tufted duck with 2 well grown ducklings
Meadow Pond: 1 female tufted duckling with 7 well grown ducklings.
Fri 8 August
Woodland Loop: 4 chaffinches, 3 moorhens, 3 andrain ducks, 3 mallards, 3 blue tits, 2 great tits, 2 chiffchaffs.
Thurs 7 August
Ramsar and Sand martin hide: 15 cattle egrets, 1 great white egrets, 1 little egrets, c30 sand martins
Arun Riverlife: 1 little egret
Reedbed Willow Sphere: 34 mallards, 2 moorhens, 1 Cetti’s warblers, 1 wren, 3 blue tits, 1 wood pigeon, 6 reedwarbler, 4 Canada geese, 1 dunnock, 1 tufted duck. 1 black-headed gulls.
Wed 6 August
Pelican Cove: 3 tufted ducks
Lakes and Forest exhibit: 1 mandarin duck
Meadow Pond: 1 gadwall, 2 mandarins, 8 tufted ducks (7 juveniles)
Woodland Loop: 1 mandarin
Scrape hide: 1 goldfinch, 1 great white egrey, 5 wood pigeon, 17 mallard, 11 Canada geese, 1 moorhen, 8 sand martins, 1 shoveler, 1 gadwall, 1 reed warbler, 1 teal, 1 cattle egret, 1 grey wagtail
Bewick’s Exhibit: 1 mandarin
Ramsar hide: 5 cormorants, 13 cattle egrets, 1 shoveler, 1 jay, 1 little egret.
