We have been enjoying the kingfishers, which were noticeable in their absence throughout the breeding season. There have been three or more making the most of the whole site, especially two that are regularly spotted on the Front Pond.
The sand martins have left the building! Following a bumper breeding year, with most of the nest chambers used (we have yet to confirm exact numbers), these tiny birds are now on their way to their wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa. There are still a few warblers around, mostly juveniles, and they are on the move too.
This year has been amazing for migratory invertebrates, especially painted lady and clouded yellow butterflies. We've never seen as many clouded yellows as we have this year - 14 of the 48 butterflies counted on our recent survey were clouded yellows. There are lots of brown hawker, migrant hawker and common darter dragonflies on the wing on sunny days, and we are still seeing glow-worms on our bat surveys.
- Suzi Lanaway, Reserve Manager
Tuesday 8 September
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hides: 1 kingfisher, 4 mute swans (a pair with two juveniles), 8 cormorants, 1 wood pigeon, 35 gadwall, 8 mallards, 2 shovelers, 1 tufted duck, c.10 house martins, 1 black-headed gull, 2 coots, 1 wren, 1 Cetti's warbler.
Wetland Discovery: 1 kingfisher.
Monday 7 September
Lapwing Hide: 1 chiffchaff, 1 robin.
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hides: 1 little grebe.
Sunday 6 September
Wetland Discovery Area: 1 moorhen, 2 Cetti's warblers, 3 wood pigeons, 5 mallards, 1 blackbird, 5 chiffchaffs, 1 kingfisher, 1 jackdaw, 1 coot, 4 blue tits, 2 goldfinches.
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hides: 8 cattle egrets, 13 cormorants.
Reedbed: 1 snipe flushed near the boardwalk.
Saturday 5 September
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 1 moorhen, 2 coots, 1 tufted duck, 13 mallards, 1 grey heron.
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hide: 3 pochard, 3 cattle egrets.
Friday 4 September
Woodland Loop: 15 mallards, 5 long-tailed tits, 2 moorhens, 2 mandarin ducks, 5 goldfinches, 3 blue tits, 3 chaffinches.
Thursday 3 September
Reedbed: 4 coots, 7 mallards, 2 gadwall, 2 wood pigeons, 2 robins, 1 blue tit, c.10 goldfinches.
Waterside Walk: 1 kingfisher.
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 1 grey heron, 4 mute swans.
Wednesday 2 September
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 1 kingfisher, 3 gadwall.
Pelican Cove: 4 tufted ducks.
Lakes & Forest Exhibit: 1 grey wagtail.
Woodland Loop: 1 mandarin duck.
Reedbed: 1 treecreeper.
Willow Sphere: 2 shoveler ducks.
Scrape Hide: 2 reed warblers, 1 blue tit, 30 mallards, 1 shoveler, 4 coots, 1 tufted duck, 1 moorhen, 1 teal, 7 wood pigeons, 1 Cetti's warbler, 1 greenfinch, 1 robin, 1 great tit.
Sand Martin Hide: 38 gadwall, 2 shoveler ducks, 1 kingfisher, 1 sand martin.
Ramsar Hide: 8 gadwall, 2 sand martins, 2 cormorants, 1 kingfisher.
Lapwing Hide: 3 swallows.
