Author: Linsey Gooding

Dam End:- 70 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 144 Black-headed Gull, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Grey Wagtail (family group), 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting. Brendon Lanigan reported seeing 2 Kingfishers.
West End:- 10 Grey Heron, 1 Gadwall, 2 Buzzard, 30 House Martin, 1 Jay. Bill Truckle reported flyover female Marsh Harrier @ 12:25.

West End car park:- 08.10 to 09.51 223 Greylag Geese, 12 Canada Geese,  8 White Feral Geese, 3 Gadwall, 2 Mandarin, 19 Mallard, 6 Teal, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Cormorant, 6 Grey Heron, 25-30 House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, 18 Swallows, 1 Kingfisher, 1 juv Moorhen.

West End:- 1 Kingfisher, 2 Teal, 2 Coot, 12 Moorhen, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Lapwing, 244 Greylag Geese.
Dam End:- 1 Wheatear on Dam, 1 Common Sandpiper, 33 Lapwing, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls briefly before flying off, 1 Raven heard, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Kingfisher, 73 Great Crested Grebes, 127 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Herring Gulls, 1 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 93 Canada Geese.

Whillet’s:- 20+ House Martin, Nuthatch, 2 Goldfinch.
West End:-  1 Magpie Duck (domestic escape), 32 Great Crested Grebe, 193  Greylag + 5 white feral hybrids, 2 Mandarin, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Moorhen, 1 Stock Dove. Also 1 Migrant Hawker dragonfly at hide.

West End car park:- 08.02-10.05 – 86 Greylag Geese, 6 Feral Geese,  3 Canada Geese, 5 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 6 Grey Herons, 10 Mallard, 3 Mandarin, 21 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Kingfishers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Stock Doves, 1 Wren, 2 Jay, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (f), 8 Cormorants and 1 Chiffchaff heard.

On 12/8/16 a moth box was put out in Whillet’s Meadows and this micro moth was captured. It has been confirmed by the County Moth Recorder as Pseudopostega crepusculella – a species which is Nationally Scarce and has not been seen in Sussex since 2009. It has never been reported in the North of the County. Although only 5mm long and not an impressive looking  moth; it is our first “Nationally Scarce” moth record for the Nature Reserve.

Raptor watch from North Bank (09:45-12:15):- 1 Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 6 Common Buzzards, 2 Ravens, 2 Bullfinch including a juvenile, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap.

West End Hide evening visit:- 5 Pipistrelle Bats, Tawny Owl heard, 300+ Geese – Canada & Greylag came into roost, 5 Mandarin , 2 Teal, 34 Mallard, 40+ Sand Martin (over), 5 Swallow, 5 Pied Wagtail.

West End:- 2 Teal, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Stock Dove.

Dam End:- 33 Lapwings, 14 Pied Wagtails, 1 Common Sandpipers, 2 Coot, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Woodpecker.