New life hatches out

It’s been a lively Easter Holidays, with plenty to see as spring continues to gather pace. Wildfowl numbers include tufted ducks, gadwall, pochard, mallard and shelduck recorded across much of the site, along with good numbers of Canada and greylag geese.

Signs of spring migration show Sand martins were busy at the sand martin hide, while warblers including chiffchaff, blackcap, sedge warbler, reed warbler (singing) and Cetti’s warbler are around the site. Regular sightings of marsh harrier over the reedbed were had in the mornings, and waders such as lapwing, snipe and green sandpiper were seen around the lagoons and scrapes.

There were also some lovely  mallard ducklings and coot chicks spotted, and mandarin ducks continuing to show well across woodland loop and pond area.

Other highlights included goosander, little egret, grey heron, Egyptian and cackling geese, and a water vole seen in the Wetland Discovery area. A walk in the Woodland loop shows a good supporting cast of birds including nuthatch, treecreeper, finches and dunnock.

All in all, it’s been a great week, with lots of variety and plenty of clear signs that the breeding season is well underway.

Sunday 12 April

Ramsar & Sand Martin Hide

• 2 shelduck
• 6 lapwing
• 1 goosander
• c. 50 sand martins
• 5 greylag geese

Wetland Discovery

• 1 moorhen
• 8 Canada geese
• 1 sedge warbler
• 2 grey geese
• 4 gadwall
• 4 mallard
• 1 coot
• 1 pochard
• 1 blackbird
• 1 Cetti’s warbler
• 2 wren

Waterside Walk

• 1 mallard with 14 ducklings

Scrape Hide

• 1 marsh harrier
• 1 lapwing
• 3 pochard
• 2 shelduck
• c. 30 sand martins

Wetland Discovery
• 1 water vole

Saturday 11 April

Arun Riverlife Lagoon

• 22 tufted duck
• 1 gadwall
• 18 Canada geese
• 4 greylag geese
• 1 pochard
• 4 mallards
• 22 black headed gulls
• 1 moorhen

Scrape Hide

• 1 lapwing
• c30 sand martins
• 3 pochard
• 1 marsh harrier
• 1 Egyptian Goose

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide

: 5 lapwing, 

• 1 gadwall
• 18 Canada geese
• 4 greylag geese
• 1 pochard
• 4 mallards
• 22 black headed gulls
• 1 moorhen

Friday 10 April

Woodland Loop

• 12 mallards
• 1 black cap
• 2 chiff chaff
• 2 jackdaw
• 3 wood pigeon
• 5 chaffinches
• 3 moorhen
• 2 robin
• 2 mandarin
• 2 wren
• 3 dunnocks
• 1 nuthatch
• 5 great tit
• 3 goldfinch
• 7 blue tits

Thursday 9 April

Arun Riverlife Lagoon

• 2 little egret
• 1 lesser black‑backed gull
• 1 male teal
• 1 cackling goose
• 4 lapwings
• 1 shelduck

Scrape Hide

• 1 lapwing
• 2 marsh harriers
• 2 pochard
• 1 snipe

Reedbed

• 8 Canada geese
• 2 sedge warblers
• 6 mallards
• 9 greylag geese
• 3 chiffchaff
• 1 long‑tailed tit
• 1 blue tit
• 1 coot
• 5 pochards
• 9 tufted ducks
• 13 black‑headed gulls
• 1 Cetti’s warbler
• 1 woodpigeon
• 2 wrens

Woodland Loop

• 1 tree creeper
• 3 mandarin ducks

Wetland Discovery Area

• 1 snipe
• 1 grey heron
• 3 pochards

Lapwing Hide

• 2 teal



Wednesday 8 April

Entry Pond

• 2 tufted ducks
• 2 gadwall

Arun Riverlife Lagoon

• 2 lapwing
• 2 gadwall
• 4 tufted ducks

Reedswamp Exhibit

• 1 gadwall

Meadow Pond

• 3 tufted ducks
• 2 gadwall

Woodland Loop

• 1 blackcap
• 1 nuthatch
• 4 mandarins

Reedbed

• 1 mandarin

Willow Sphere

• 4 tufted ducks

Reedbed Viewing Platform

• 1 pochard
• 1 marsh harrier
• 1 sedge warbler
• 1 linnet

Scrape Hide

• 15 Canada geese
• 22 greylag geese
• 4 gadwall
• 2 Cetti’s warblers
• 1 blue tit
• 2 sedge warblers

Ramsar Hide

• 4 tufted ducks
• 2 Egyptian geese
• 1 cormorant
• 2 shovelers
• 3 snipe
• 1 green sandpiper
• 1 shelduck

Lapwing Hide

• 1 grey heron

Wetland Discovery

• 3 tufted ducks
• 1 pochard
• 1 gadwall
• 1 reed warbler (male, singing)

Coastal Creek Pond

• 1 adult coot with 6 chicks

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