Oystercatchers, sand martins & warblers

The two pairs of oystercatchers onsite are now nesting.

One pair has chosen the roof of the Sand Martin Hide, while the other appears to have abandoned Pelican Cove and is now nest-scraping on the island in the Arun Riverlife lagoon.

Sand martins continue to be a seasonal highlight, especially around the Ramsar and Sand Martin Hide where counts have regularly reached 60–100 birds. They can be seen constantly on the wing, busily gathering nesting material and food, and dashing in and out of their nest holes. This frenetic activity is a sure sign that the colony is thriving. Nearby, black-headed gulls are also in full breeding mode, with over 100 recorded at times, constructing nests on the islands.

Encouragingly, the marsh harrier pair are once again showing signs of breeding within the reedbeds. Sightings of one to two birds hunting and quartering the area suggest they are settled and establishing territory. The reedbeds themselves are alive with song, with sedge warblers, reed warblers and Cetti’s warblers heard widely across the reserve. They are joined by blackcaps, whitethroats, numerous chiffchaffs and the occasional willow warbler, creating a rich and varied spring soundscape.

Elsewhere, waterbird numbers remain strong, with gadwall, pochard, tufted duck and shoveler all well represented across the scrapes and lagoons. Lapwings are still on the wet grassland but no chicks from initial nesting efforts; some displaying and mobbing crows may mean they will try again. Goslings and ducklings are appearing site-wide, including Canada geese, greylag geese and mallards. These family groups, along with sightings of mute swan cygnets on the waterside walk, are lovely spring sightings.

Highlights: marsh harriers, painted lady butterfly, snipe, curlew, adult and juvenile great spotted woodpecker, egrets in nesting tree, 

Monday 11 May

Lapwing Hide:

• 2 mallards
• 4 Canada geese
• 1 Cetti’s warbler
• 1 sedge warbler
• 1 blackbird
• 1 tufted duck
• 1 wren

Ramsar & Sand Martin Hide:

• 2 lapwings
• 1 oystercatcher
• c. 60 sand martins

Scrape Hide:

• 1 goosander
• c. 40 sand martins
• 2 pochards
• 2 mallards with ducklings

Reedswamp Exhibit:

• 1 male pochard

Arun Riverlife:

• 2 oystercatchers (nest scraping on island)

Raised Pond:

• 1 juvenile woodpecker (in nearby hedgerow)

Sunday 10 May

Wetland Discovery Area:

• 9 mallards
• 1 gadwall
• 5 tufted ducks
• 2 blue tits
• 1 Cetti’s warbler
• 1 wren
• 1 Canada goose
• 3 woodpigeons
• 1 moorhen
• 2 chiffchaffs
• 1 sedge warbler

Ramsar & Sand Martin Hide:

• 2 lapwings
• 1 little egret (on nest in tree)
• 1 cattle egret (in nesting tree)
• 1 oystercatcher
• 80 sand martins
• 3 Canada/greylag goslings

Waterside Walk:

• 1 pochard

Scrape Hide:

• 2 marsh harriers
• 1 lapwing
• 4 pochards
• 2 shelducks

Saturday 9 May

Arun Riverlife Lagoon:

• 2 mute swans
• 10 Canada geese
• 2 oystercatchers
• 6 tufted ducks
• 2 mallards
• 1 Cetti’s warbler
• 1 sedge warbler
• 1 coot
• 1 wren
• 1 greenfinch
• 2 black-headed gulls

Ramsar & Sand Martin Hide:

• 1 marsh harrier
• 2 lapwings (chasing off crow)
• 1 male pochard
• 3 little egrets (in nesting tree)
• 2 Egyptian geese
• c. 100 sand martins
• 1 oystercatcher

Scrape Hide:

• 4 pochards
• 5 sand martins
• 3 Egyptian geese
• 1 shelduck

Friday 8 May

Woodland Loop:

• 1 robin
• 2 wrens
• 1 greenfinch
• 3 chiffchaffs
• 14 mallards
• 1 blackcap
• 3 goldfinches
• 3 blue tits
• 2 great spotted woodpeckers (1 female, 1 juvenile)
• 1 moorhen

Thursday 7 May

Arun Riverlife Lagoon:

• 2 oystercatchers

Willow Sphere:

• 2 greylag geese
• 1 woodpigeon
• 2 black-headed gulls
• 1 Canada goose
• 1 blue tit

Reedbed:

• 7 reed warblers
• 4 Cetti’s warblers
• 1 sedge warbler
• 1 blackcap
• 1 whitethroat
• 2 chiffchaffs
• 2 goldfinches
• 1 black-headed gull
• 1 robin
• 3 wrens
• 2 blue tits
• 1 moorhen
• 10 sand martins
• 2 Egyptian geese
• 4 Canada geese
• 1 pochard

Wetland Secrets Roof:

• 1 mallard

Scrape Hide:

• 4 male pochards
• 1 lapwing (male displaying)

Waterside Walk:

• 2 mute swans with 6 cygnets

Ramsar & Sand Martin Hides:

• 2 lapwings

Wednesday 6 May

Over the Reserve:

Entry Boardwalk:

• Painted lady butterfly

Car Park:

• Cuckoo (heard)

Arun Riverlife Lagoon:

• 9 tufted ducks
• 2 oystercatchers
• 1 Egyptian goose
• 1 grey wagtail

Lakes & Forest Exhibit:

• 1 gadwall

Woodland Loop:

• 2 mandarin ducks
• 1 chiffchaff

Willow Sphere:

• 2 mandarin ducks
• 3 tufted ducks

Reedbed Viewing Platform:

• 1 grey heron
• 1 red kite

Scrape Hide:

• 2 Egyptian geese
• 2 Cetti’s warblers
• 2 marsh harriers
• 1 reed warbler
• c. 20 sand martins
• 2 greylag geese
• 8 tufted ducks
• 1 wren
• 3 mallards
• 5 Canada geese
• 15 gadwall
• 1 black-headed gull
• 1 reed bunting
• 2 lapwings
• 2 coots
• 2 shelducks
• 2 goldfinches
• 1 shoveler
• 2 pochards
• 1 carrion crow
• 1 common sandpiper

Pond before Scrape Hide:

• 2 Egyptian geese

Sand Martin Hide:

• 6 tufted ducks
• 1 oystercatcher
• 1 shoveler
• 2 gadwall
• 1 pochard
• c. 50 sand martins

Bewick’s Swan Exhibit:

• 2 mandarin ducks
• 1 gadwall

Waterside Walk:

• 2 pochards
• 4 tufted ducks

Ramsar Hide:

• 12 gadwall
• 8 tufted ducks
• 3 lapwings
• 2 little egrets
• 1 shoveler duck
• 1 reed bunting
• 3 curlews

Lapwing Hide:

• 2 tufted ducks

Tuesday 5 May

Scrape Hide:

• 2 Egyptian geese
• 3 pochards
• 2 shelducks
• c. 10 sand martins
• 1 snipe

Wetland Discovery Area:

• 2 mute swans with 6 cygnets
• 2 pochards

Waterside Walk:

• 2 pochards

Arun Riverlife Lagoon:

• 2 oystercatchers

Ramsar & Sand Martin Hide:

• 20 Canada geese (7 goslings)
• 25 gadwall
• 9 mallards
• 1 shoveler
• 8 tufted ducks
• 1 cormorant
• 1 little egret (in nesting tree)
• 2 lapwings
• 108 black-headed gulls
• 1 cackling goose
• c. 60 sand martins
• 6 greylag geese (with 2 goslings)
• 3 coots
• 2 oystercatchers
• 1 moorhen
• 1 pochard
• 1 woodpigeon

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