Long-tailed Tits, Nut Hatches, a Water Rail and a Great Spotted Woodpecker

Long-tailed Tit, Aegithalos caudatus

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I took advantage of the 8am early opening at Arundel WWT today. A Water Rail strutted by the pond next to the Sand Martin hide then preened itself among the reeds. It then foraged and returned to the open area by the path. At the woodland bird feeders Long-tailed Tits and Nut Hatches gorged themselves. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flitted between both feeding areas. A juvenile rat kept popping his head out of a hole by the feeders. A Woodpigeon fed on ivy berries above the feeders. Along the reed bed walk a Moorhen was perched on a tussock of grass and kept grabbing twigs and stems, perhaps feeling the urge to nest?

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis

Common Pochard, Aythya ferina

Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus

Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea

Long-tailed Tit, Aegithalos caudatus

shadow of Blue Tit

female Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs

Nuthatch, Sitta europaea

Nuthatch

Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus

Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos major

juvenile Brown Rat, Rattus norvegicus

Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos

Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus

Nuthatch, Sitta europaea

Robin, Erithacus rubecula

A Song Thrush and a Water Rail

Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

I went to Arundel WWT this morning when the sun was shining and left in the afternoon when showers became frequent. Sue said snow had landed briefly in Littlehampton during the afternoon. Highlights at Arundel were a Water Rail walking in front of the Scrape hide as soon as I walked in and a Song Thrush eating ivy berries outside the Ramsar hide. At the same hide a Little Grebe caught fish and a Grey Wagtail walked along the lakeside at the Sand Martin hide.

Blackbird, female, Turdus merula

Chaffinch, female, Fringilla coelebs

Common Pochard, Aythya ferina

Great Tit, Parus major

Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea

Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

Little Grebe with fish, Tachybaptus ruficollis

Nuthatch, Sitta europaea

Robin, Erithacus rubecula

Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus

Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus

Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos

afternoon clouds

Cross-ridge dykes, a Goldcrest and a Water Vole

Goldcrest, Regulus regulus

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

On Tuesday I joined a tour of Beacon Hill led by archaeologist Dr Stuart Needham as part of The People of the Heath project based at Petersfield Museum. The Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age hilltop enclosure on Beacon Hill is one of the prehistoric remains on the Downs above Harting and Elsted. We saw cross-ridge dykes, barrows and wonderful views and heard about previous excavations.

Afterwards I visited Arundel WWT where I met Terry and we watched a Goldcrest performing an amazing display near the Sand Martin hide. It pranced around the trees in the garden area and kept flying out and hovering above and ahead of me. It did this about six times. A female Bullfinch fed on the tree buds.

This afternoon I visited Arundel WWT again and watched a Water Vole swimming.

cross-ridge dykes

ancient path up to Beacon Hill hill-fort

start of path at bottom of hill

the troops

more cross-ridge dykes

Tour leader, Dr Stuart Needham

Arundel WWT:

female Bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula 

Greylag Geese, Anser anser

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor

Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus

Wednesday:

female Bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Magpie Geese, Anseranas semipalmata

Robin, Erithacus rubecula

Water Vole, Arvicola amphibius