Siskins, kingfisher & goldcrest

The Woodland Loop and Wetland Discovery area were lively with small birds this week, hosting robins, dunnocks, chaffinches, goldfinches, and a scattering of blackbirds and wood pigeons.

A song thrush and a goldcrest added brightness to the list, while great tits, blue tits, and a long‑tailed tit brought the familiar flutter of mixed feeding flocks. Visitor Tony Letchford reported at least 25 siskins feeding on alder cones along the path to the Ramsar hide on Fri 16 Jan, verified with photos.

Kingfishers have been showing well, as captured in this stunning shot by WWT member Anne Hart (above). Staff also recorded goldcrests in the hedgerows on the approach to the Sand Martin hide, and a firecrest on the long corner of the path leading to the Scrape hide.

If you want to learn more about how to spot and identify birds at WWT Arundel, book a space in next week’s Birdwatching for Beginners Walks on Jan 28 & 29

Teal were prominent throughout the week, gathering at the Scrape hide and Ramsar area. Counts of 30–40 birds on several days brought real movement to the winter ponds, their quick, flickering flights adding energy to the scene. They were often seen alongside pochard, gadwall, shoveler, and tufted ducks on the main ponds.

Lapwings were another highlight. Their flocks—ranging from a dozen to over forty—brought a mix of iridescent plumage and distinctive calls as they huddled against the wind on colder days. Look for them on the island from the Sand Martin hide.

The Evening Roost Watch event went ahead on Wed 21 Jan despite the rain. A hen harrier did not disappoint, it came in a went down quickly but popped up and did another lap for those at the Scrape hide that braved the weather.

Highlights: kingfishers, siskin, teal, lapwing, hen harrier

Wed 21 Jan

Ramsar and Sand Martin hide: 16 lapwings, 3 pochards, 6 shelducks, 11 snipe, 1 great white egret, 1 goosander
Wetland Discovery: 1 pochard
Scrape hide: 17 mallards, 6 pochards, 30 teal, 8 gadwall, 1 robin, 1 moorhen, 6 snipe, 1 shoveler, 2 tufted ducks, 1 hen harrier (evening roost)
Arun Riverlife: 1 pochard, 7 snipe, 1 little egret.
Pelican Cove: 1 water rail

Tues 20 Jan

Wetland Discovery: 1 pochard, 20 tufted ducks
Ramsar and sand martin hide: 33 teal, 2 grey herons, 1 great white egret, 40 lapwings, 18 Canada geese, 1 greylag goose, 10 pochards, 5 shelducks, 22 shovelers, 2 tufted ducks, 1 goosander, 11 black-headed gulls, 11 mallards, 4 coots, 1 cormorants, 1 carrion crow
Scrape hide: 40 teal, 1 pochard
Reedbed platform: 1 snipe

Sun 18 Jan

Scrape hide: 1 little egret, 1 pochard, 11 snipe
Arun Riverlife: 2 shelducks, 5 snipe
Wetland Discovery area: 2 Canada geese, 20 mallards, 16 tufted ducks, 1 carrion crow, 7 wood pigeons, 1 moorhen, 1 dunnock, 5 goldfinches, 1 chaffinch, 2 robins, 1 magpie, 1 pochard
Ramsar and sand Martin hide: 2 great white egret, 14 shelducks, 23 Lapwings, 1 little egret, 10 pochard, 12 snipe, 1 goosander

Sat 17 Jan

Arun Riverlfe lagoon: 23 mallards, 24 Canada geese, 2 cormorants, 1 coots, 9 wood pigeon, 8 tufted ducks, 1 little egret, 2 robins, 1 blackbird, 1 carrion crow, 2 gadwall, c100 snipe flushed up, 2 shelducks, 1 water rail, 1 dunnock, 1 goldcrest.
Scrape hide: 1 pochard
Ramsar and Sad martin hide: 11 pochards, 12 lapwing, 1 goosander.

Fri 16 Jan

Ramsar and Sand martin hide: 17 lapwing, 9 pochards, c25 siskin
Scrape hide: 40 teal, 1 pochard
Woodland Loop: ,11 wood pigeons, 1 song thrush, 11 mallards, 4 dunnock, 6 great tits, 20 blue tits, 1 coal tit,1 greenfinch, 2 robins 1 long-tailed tit, 4 moorhens, 3 blackbirds, 2 chaffinches, 1 goldfinch, 1 great spotted woodpecker.

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