The Scrape Hide has been a wildlife hotspot this past week.
Great white egrets have been recorded there on several occasions throughout the week, often alongside cattle egrets and little egrets. Combined with impressive numbers of gadwall, shovelers and mallards, the Scrape continues to offer some of the most rewarding birdwatching opportunities on the reserve. (The photo of great white egret fishing above was taken previously by visitor James King.)
Kingfishers have also been especially conspicuous this week, with sightings reported from the Scrape Hide, Ramsar Hide, Sand Martin Hide, Arun Riverlife Lagoon, Wetland Discovery Area and the Front Entrance Pond. The frequency of these records suggests that visitors stand a good chance of encountering one of these striking birds.
Little grebes have provided another highlight, appearing at a number of locations across the site, including the Scrape Hide, Ramsar Hide, Willow Sphere Pond and Arun Riverlife Lagoon. These engaging waterbirds are a delight to watch as they dive beneath the surface and reappear moments later in a completely different spot.
Away from the open water, the arrival of cooler autumn nights appears to be bringing increased activity to the feeder areas around the Woodland Loop. A variety of small birds, including blue tits, great tits, chaffinches, goldfinches, robins and dunnocks, have been making regular use of the feeders, while a great spotted woodpecker was also recorded in the area.
Tuesday 6 October
Ramsar Hide: 5 cormorants, 4 wood pigeons, 1 grey heron, 36 mallards, 7 shovelers, 11 gadwall, 2 kingfishers.
Scrape Hide: 18 shoveler ducks, 1 great white egret, 2 cattle egrets.
Monday 5 October
Wetland Discovery Area: 1 kingfisher.
Wet Grassland: 1 water rail.
Lapwing Hide: 1 robin, 1 Cetti's warbler, 2 pheasants.
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hides: 1 great white egret.
Scrape Hide: 1 great white egret.
Reedbed Viewing Platform: 1 stonechat.
Willow Sphere Pond: 1 little grebe.
Reedbed Boardwalk: 1 green woodpecker.
Arun Riverlife: 1 little grebe.
Front Entrance Pond: 1 kingfisher fishing.
Sunday 4 October
Wetland Discovery Area: 1 water rail, 6 blue tits, 2 robins, 1 great tit, 1 pheasant, 1 wren, 1 blackbird, 1 tufted duck, 2 Cetti's warblers, 2 moorhens.
Scrape Hide: 1 great white egret, 2 Egyptian geese.
Saturday 3 October
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 25 mallards, 2 gadwall, 12 tufted ducks, 1 wood pigeon, 1 Cetti's warbler, 2 robins.
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hide: 1 pochard, 1 little egret.
Scrape Hide: 1 great white egret, 1 little egret, 1 little grebe.
Friday 2 October
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hide: 1 lapwing on the water's edge off Ramsar Hide.
Scrape Hide: 1 little grebe, 1 kingfisher, 2 great white egrets, 2 cattle egrets.
Woodland Loop: 2 wood pigeons, 2 moorhens, 6 chaffinches, 5 blue tits, 4 great tits, 1 robin, 1 dunnock, 1 great spotted woodpecker, 2 goldfinches, 1 mandarin duck.
Thursday 1 October
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hide: 1 great white egret, 1 little grebe, 2 Egyptian geese.
Scrape Hide: 1 kingfisher.
Reedbed: 2 Cetti's warblers, 3 blue tits, 1 moorhen, 1 robin, 2 long-tailed tits, 1 great tit.
Reedbed Willow Sphere: 10 mallards, 2 coots, 1 chiffchaff, 1 robin.
Woodland Loop: 1 nuthatch, 1 green woodpecker.
Wednesday 30 September
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 4 gadwall, 1 teal, 13 tufted ducks, 1 kingfisher.
Pelican Cove: 5 tufted ducks.
Reedbed: 1 water rail, 1 teal.
Scrape Hide: 32 mallards, 1 greenfinch, 2 little grebes, 2 Cetti's warblers, 12 shovelers, 34 gadwall, 1 teal, 1 grey wagtail, 4 wood pigeons, 1 coot, 1 snipe, 1 moorhen, 1 grey heron, 1 chiffchaff.
Sand Martin Hide: 1 kingfisher, 1 kestrel, 16 gadwall, 2 shovelers, 2 Egyptian geese, 1 teal.
Waterside Walk: 1 mute swan.
Ramsar Hide: 3 cormorants, 12 gadwall, 1 little grebe, 2 great white egrets, 2 cattle egrets.
