Arundel Kingfisher and other birds

Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

to  view  a  Slideshow,  click  here

This covers visits to Arundel WWT on Nov 26^th, 30^th, Dec 6^th, 7^th. The Kingfisher performed well in the pond before you enter the visitor’s centre. It hid in the branches and made frequent dives and ate its fish on a branch hidden behind others so photography was difficult. At one point a carp or pike moved along the pond surface which brought the Kingfisher out onto a branch for a few unencumbered shots.

pond by Sand Martin hide

from Sand Martin hide

Canada Geese, Branta canadensis

Canada Geese, Branta canadensis

Canada Geese, Branta canadensis

Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago
from Ramsar hide

Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo

Gadwall, Anas strepera

Gadwall, Anas strepera

Gadwall, Anas strepera

male Gadwall, Anas strepera

female Gadwall, Anas strepera

Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis

Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis

Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea

Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea

Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea

from Sand Martin hide

Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis with fish

Lapwing (Peewit), Vanellus vanellus

Lapwings (Peewits), Vanellus vanellus

female Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos

male Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos

Shelduck, Tadorna tadorna

Shelduck, Tadorna tadorna

male Shoveler, Anas clypeata

female Shoveler, Anas clypeata

Shovelers

female Shoveler, Anas clypeata

femaleTeal, Anas crecca

male Teal, Anas crecca

male Teal, Anas crecca

Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula

Wigeon, Anas penelope

Wren, Troglodytes troglodyte

Widewater and Heyshott

Heyshott leaves

to  view  a  Slideshow,  click  here

I visited Widewater a couple of times during the last week of November in the hope of seeing a Goosander. Unfortunately it was not in residence when I called in. There were three groups of three Little Grebes, a few Great Black-backed Gulls and several Redshanks.

On Wednesday 27^th November I joined a conservation work party at Heyshott where new helpers Garry and Katrina joined us on the slopes. We have created a new blog to detail the work at Heyshott and encourage people to join us on Wednesday mornings during Winter: http://murraydownlandtrust.blogspot.co.uk/ This new website will also detail other Murray Downland Trust sites.

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus

the hunter

view to the east

Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus

Herring Gulls, Larus argentatus

Little Egret, Egretta garzetta

Little Egret, Egretta garzetta

Little Egret, Egretta garzetta

Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis

Pied Wagtail, Motacilla alba

Prostrate Glasswort, Salicornia ramosissima

Redshank, Tringa totanus

Redshank, Tringa totanus

Redshank, Tringa totanus

Redshank, Tringa totanus

Thrift, Armeria maritima

Heyshott:

Butterfly Conservation Sussex Branch members
Neil, Colin, Mark, Nigel, Katrina