Mallard ducklings, coot chicks and goslings on the wet grassland
This week has been full of new life across the reserve. A female mallard with an 14 ducklings at Pelican Cove and Coastal Creek Pond on Monday and Tuesday. Another mallard with 7 ducklings seen from Ramsar Hide on Monday. It’s still very early for these outdoor broods, and the chilly nights this week can make survival challenging. Mallards also aren’t the most attentive parents when it comes to keeping an eye on their ducklings.
A pair of Egyptian geese have been escorting eight energetic youngsters across the wet grassland from Ramsar and Sand Martin hides several days this week. Over on Waterside Walk, a pair of coots was spotted diligently tending their nest and four fluffy chicks mid‑week.
The Woodland Loop delivered reliable variety throughout the week, with multiple sightings of both woodland specialists and common songbirds. Key species included:
- Woodpeckers: Great spotted woodpecker (Fri 13) and green woodpecker nearby (Mon 9)
- Tits: Blue tits (20), great tits (6), marsh tit, coal tit
- Finches: Chaffinch (10), goldfinch, plus supporting species such as robin, dunnock, wren, nuthatch (Mon 9)
- Waterfowl in woodland areas included mandarin ducks, with multiple sightings across the week.
Ramsar and Sand Martin hides showed high gull numbers moving through this week. The most significant counts include: 350 black-headed gulls, 46 common gulls, and 11 Mediterranean gulls (Tues 10)
- 384 common gulls (Fri 13)
- Smaller groups of black-headed gulls were also recorded across the site, including the Reedbed and Arun Riverlife Lagoon.
Oystercatchers were seen frequently, with records on most days from locations including Arun Riverlife Lagoon, Ramsar Hide, Pelican Cove and the Scrape. Their repeated presence in pairs indicates they are still looking for nesting sites.
Lapwings were concentrated at Ramsar and Sand Martin hides, with counts of 5-8 lapwings on the wet grassland. There were some display flights and calling, signalling ongoing pre-breeding behaviour.
Pochard continued to be one of the most consistently recorded species across all wetland areas, with daily sightings and notable counts such as:
- 14 pochard at the Scrape (Sat 14),
- 12 pochard at the Scrape (Mon 9),
- Multiple pairs along Waterside Walk and Wetland Discovery.
Other notable species included:
- Gadwall, mallard, shoveler and teal widely distributed.
- Regular appearances from great white egrets, with up to two at Lapwing Hide.
- Cattle egrets remained abundant, peaking at 52 individuals (Wed 11).
- Kingfisher sightings at the Scrape (Wed 11)
Sat 14 March
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 6 Canada geese, 3 greylag geese, 2 oystercatchers, 16 black-headed gulls, 8 mallards, 3 gadwall, 5 pochard, 1 coot
Ramsar hide: 2 oystercatchers, 13 cattle egrets, 6 lapwing, 1 great white egret
Wetland Discovery area: 1 pochard
Lapwing hide: 1 great white egret
Waterside walk: 2 pochards.
Lakes and Forests exhibit: 3 pochards
Scrape hide: 14 pochard, 1 Egyptian goose, 1 lapwing
Sand Martin hide: 3 sand martins
Fri 13 March
Wetland Discovery area: 6 pochard.
Ramsar and Sand hide: 8 lapwing, 30 cattle egrets, 4 cackling geese, 1 great white egret, 15 snipe, 384 common gulls.
Scrape hide: 1 goosander, 7 pochard.
Reedbed: 1 water rail.
Woodland Loop: 1 great spotted woodpecker, 2 wood pigeon, 2 mandarins, 1 moorhen, 6 great tit, 2 goldfinches, 20 blue tits, 10 chaffinch, 2 dunnock, 4 robin, 1 marsh tit, 1 wren.
Lakes & Forest: 1 pochard.
Reedswamp exhibit: 2 pochards.
Thurs 12 March
Woodland Loop: 3 mandarin ducks, 1 coal tit, 1 marsh tit
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 oystercatcher
Waterside walk: 2 pairs of pochard
Wetland Discovery area: a pair of mandarin ducks, 1 male pochard
Ramsar and Sand martin hides: 5 lapwing, 4 shelducks, 47 cattle egrets, 75 common gull, 16 snipe, 2 pochard
Pond at approach to Scrape hide: 2 pochard
Scrape hide: 9 pochards, 11 teal
Reedbed: 14 mallards, 5 greylag geese, 1 moorhen, 1 goldfinch, 2 wren, 3 great tits, 8 black-headed gulls, 1 mute swan, 2 chiffchaffs, 1 coot, 4 blue tits, 1 dunnock, 2 magpies, 2 woodpigeons, 1 Cetti’s warbler
Wed 11 March
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 3 pochards, 1 oystercatcher, 1 water rail
Wetland Discovery area: 4 pochards
Waterside Walk: a pair of coots on nest with 4 chicks.
Ramsar and Sand martin hide: 52 cattle egrets, 4 cackling X barnacle geese, 8 lapwing,1 lesser-back backed gulls, 7 pochards, 15 snipe
Pond before Scrape hide: 1 pochard.
Pelican Cove: 1 oystercatcher
Scrape hide: 1 moorhen, 9 Canada geese, 11 greylag geese, 2 tufted dicks, 3 mallards, 1 Cetti’s warbler, 1 magpie, 1 kingfisher, 1 goosander, 9 teal, 6 shoveler, 1 gadwall, 9 pochards, 2 black-headed gulls, 1 coot, 1 little grebe, 1 wood pigeon
Tues 10 March
Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 1 Egyptian geese with 8 goslings, 6 lapwings,31 Canada geese, 15 greylag geese, 1 great white egret, 46 common gulls, 11 Mediterranean gulls, 350c black-headed gulls, 2 pochards, 7 teal, 4 cackling goose X barnacle goose, 18 mallard, 2 moorhen, 4 shoveler, 3 gadwall, 3 cormorant, 1 coot, 5 tufted ducks, 1 blackbird, 5 wood pigeon, 14 snipe, 2 grey wagtail
Waterside walk: 2 pochard, 2 mute swans courting behaviour and nest building
Scrape hide: 12 pochard ( 8 males, 4 female)
Coastal Creek Pond: female mallard with 14 ducklings.
Mon 9 March
Wetland Discovery area: 3 pochard, 3 reed buntings, 1 green woodpecker.
Lapwing hide: 2 great white egrets, 1 mallard, 2 long-tailed tits, 2 Canada geese, 2 coots, 2 tfted ducks, 1 grea ttit, 2 gadwall
Ramsar and Lapwing hide: 43 cattle egrets, 2 Egyptian geese with 8 goslings, 1 grey heron, 2 oystercatchers, 5 lapwing, 1 snipe, 4 pintail
Waterside walk: 1 pochard
Scrape hide: 12 pochards
Reedbed viewing platform: 1 pochard, Woodland Loop: 4 mandarin ducks, 1 nuthatch
Arun Riverlife lagoon: 1 water rail
Reedbed ditch: 1 little grebe
Ramsar hide: mallard female with 7 ducklings
Pelican Cove: female mallard with 14 ducklings.
