Friday 31 October 2014

Arundel Wildfowl

Stonechat, Saxicola torquata


I have visited Arundel WWT most days recently and sat in the Sand Martin hide for hours hoping for a kingfisher to land on the tall post. It has done this a number of times. One time I was set up with a wide angle lens to record video as it flashed by the hide. On this occasion it flew onto the tall post and stayed there for 25 seconds, a record. Unfortunately the bird was not in good focus and I attempted to zoom in, not a great idea! The birds bank away if they see a lot of people moving around in the hide. On another occasion I was alone in the hide when a kingfisher landed on the post. At that moment, just as I was about to take the shot, someone walked into the hide and the bird immediately flew off. On most days I get many sightings, sometimes of one bird following the other a few metres behind. Yesterday it hovered by the post, dived in and came up with a fish. Pity it didn’t fly up to the post with its catch. Yesterday the sun showed up the wonderful colours of the kingfisher’s plumage. A resident Grey Wagtail has performed on the posts and the raft in front of the hide. Common Darters are showing well.

These photos cover the past week, including a trip to Climping Gap for the Stonechats. From the Sand Martin hide I have seen 21 species: Heron, Little Egrets, Lapwing, Kestrel, Kingfishers, Teal, Gadwall, Little Grebes, Black-headed Gulls, Mallards, Common Gull, Cormorants, Grey Wagtail, Magpie, Mute Swans, Shelduck, Shovelers, Tufted Duck, Mandarin Ducks, Moorhens, Coots.
Tuesday October 21:
Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
female Mandarin Ducks, Aix galericulata
Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Mute Swan, Cygnus olor
Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus
These appear very year at the entrance to the hide
Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus
Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula
Climping:
Stonechat, Saxicola torquata
Brent Goose, Branta bernicla
Friday October 24:
Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Saturday October 25:
Canada Geese, Branta canadensis
Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
Grey Wagtail shaking its head, Motacilla cinerea
Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea


Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
Sunday October 26:
Verdigris Agaric, Stropharia aeruginosa
I found this fungus while metal detecting in the morning, my best find! It was green in the field, not the blue in the photo. It is believed to be poisonous like the Fly Agaric.

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus

A lot of energy goes into taking and maintaining control of this perching post. A bird flies in and the incumbent either relinquishes control or stays put, often with much vocalisation to make its point.

Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
Kingfisher on the far side of the lake, Alcedo atthis
Shelduck, Tadorna tadorna
Monday October 27:
Canada Geese flying off late afternoon, Branta canadensis
Little Egret, Egretta garzetta
Little Egret, Egretta garzetta
Shoveler, Anas clypeata
female Shoveler, Anas clypeata
There were five Shovelers on the lake
female Shoveler, Anas clypeata
Wednesday was a wet day so I made chutney.

Thursday October 30: 
Common Darter, Sympetrum striolatum
Common Gull, Larus canus
Herring Gull, Larus argentatus
It was good to see different gulls on the perch
Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea
Hoverfly, Myathropa florea
Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
Magpie on the roof, Pica pica
Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Teal, Anas crecca

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