Kingfishers were recorded on five of the six days covered.
Sightings coming from the Ramsar Hide and Sand Martin Hide, Wildlife Garden, Long Path, Waterside Walk, Play Area, Lapwing Hide and Arun Riverlife Lagoon.
It's likely that the same few birds are making feeding circuits around the reserve, giving visitors a great chance of spotting this dazzling flash of blue.
Several species stood out thanks to some impressive counts during the week. The most notable was a gathering of 40 tufted ducks on Arun Riverlife Lagoon on 21 October. Elsewhere, waterfowl numbers included 32 mallards, 19 shovelers and 18 tufted ducks. A flock of 13 cormorants at the Ramsar Hide and Sand Martin Hides and 16 blue tits along the Woodland Loop were also particularly noteworthy.
Great white egrets continue to be a regular feature of the reserve, with up to two birds seen together on 25 October. Great White egret above was photographed by visitor Mike Young Arps last week. A male marsh harrier over the Wet Grassland was another welcome sighting.
Wednesday 28 October
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hides: 2 great white egrets, 1 kingfisher, 1 lapwing
Scrape Hide: 2 water rails, 2 Egyptian geese, 7 gadwall, 16 mallards, 1 coot, 14 shovelers, 1 great white egret, 2 Canada geese, 1 kingfisher, 4 wood pigeons, 1 robin
Willow Sphere: 1 snipe
Tuesday 27 October
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 6 cormorants, 2 great white egrets, 1 little egret
Ramsar and Sand Martin Hides: 3 teal, 11 tufted ducks, 3 snipe, 50 wood pigeons, 5 goldfinches, 1 chiffchaff, 8 gadwall, 1 water rail, 1 dunnock, 36 mallards, 2 black-headed gulls, 8 cormorants, 1 shelduck, 3 coots, 2 moorhens, 1 kingfisher, 13 shovelers
Scrape Hide: 11 shovelers, 5 teal, 15 gadwall, 1 kingfisher
Monday 26 October
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 6 cormorants
Ramsar Hide and Sand Martin Hide: 13 cormorants, 1 great white egret, 1 kingfisher
Wildlife Garden: 1 kingfisher
Lapwing Hide: 1 blackbird, 1 jay, 1 pheasant
Wetland Discovery Area: 1 kestrel perched on Barn Box 3
Sunday 25 October
Scrape Hide: 1 shelduck, 2 snipe
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 6 cormorants
Ramsar Hide and Sand Martin Hide: 2 great white egrets, 2 little egrets, 1 kingfisher, 5 wigeon, 1 shelduck, 5 snipe, 1 lapwing
Wetland Discovery Area: 1 Cetti’s warbler, 1 robin, 3 tufted ducks, 2 blackbirds, 3 mallards, 2 blue tits, 6 woodpigeons, 4 Canada geese, 1 jay, 1 bullfinch
Saturday 24 October
Scrape Hide: 2 little grebes, 2 water rails, 1 snipe
Wet Grassland: 4 snipe, 1 male marsh harrier
Ramsar Hide and Sand Martin Hide: 1 lapwing, 1 great white egret, 1 little egret
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 2 coots, 1 little egret, 1 cormorant, 1 mute swan, 15 mallards, 18 tufted ducks, 1 grey wagtail, 1 kingfisher, 1 robin
Friday 23 October
Ramsar Hide and Sand Martin Hide: 3 pochards, 1 shelduck, 1 little egret, 1 great white egret
Long Path: 1 kingfisher flew over from the reedbed
Woodland Loop: 1 moorhen, 16 blue tits, 4 goldfinches, 2 chaffinches, 1 robin, 2 long-tailed tits, 1 goldcrest, 2 great tits
Thursday 22 October
Reedbed: 2 blue tits, 1 robin, 2 great tits, 1 Canada goose, 2 mallards, 1 moorhen, 1 pheasant, 3 long-tailed tits, 1 chiffchaff, 1 snipe
Scrape Hide: 1 little grebe, 1 snipe
Ramsar Hide: 1 great white egret, 1 little egret, 1 lapwing, 2 shelducks
Waterside Walk: 1 kingfisher
Play Area: 1 kingfisher
Lapwing Hide: 1 kingfisher
Wednesday 21 October
Ramsar Hide and Sand Martin Hide: 4 snipe, 1 kingfisher, 1 great white egret, 1 shelduck
Scrape Hide: 1 collared dove, 1 blue tit, 19 shovelers, 32 mallards, 6 gadwall, 8 teal, 1 kingfisher, 2 black-headed gulls, 1 cattle egret
Arun Riverlife Lagoon: 40 tufted ducks
