arunwild

A hard frost last night and the reeds along the river path are thick with rime. The rich brown colours of a Wren and a few Reed Buntings stand out against the whiteness. But many birds seem to merge into this pale landscape, and sometimes in the strained light of this midwinter morning a bird’s plumage can look startlingly unfamiliar. Like the spectral grey of a Herring Gull’s back that today appears silver as it flies along the river. So unfamiliar that for an instant it seems as though an ancient sword has erupted from the water, reversing the committal that formed part of a long-forgotten ritual. Walking the path I wonder whether people made such votive offerings to the Arun in the millennia before it was scoured and canalised for navigation and industry. It seems probable, especially at the shallower points where the river could be forded. Crossing the fast-flowing stream would always require caution and respect. A sacrifice wouldn’t go amiss. Or maybe offerings were made at ...

Selected birds recorded on walks in the valley this month. 3 Jan (09.15-12.15) – Littlehampton to Arundel: 1 Cattle Egret, 2 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Little Grebe, 4 Common Shelduck, 4 Grey Partridge, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 260+ Lapwing, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 90 Fieldfare, 70 Skylark, 2 Stonechat, 12 Reed Bunting, 2 Yellowhammer. Seal. 2 Jan (08.10-09.35) – Arun East, Millstream, Mill Road: 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting. 1 Jan (13.50-16.00) – Swanbourne Lake, WWT: 1 Little Grebe, 88 Gadwall, 65 Tufted Duck, 5 Pochard (SL); 11 Selduck, 4 Wigeon, 8 Shoveler, 14 Pochard, 2 Lapwing, 15 Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Coal Tit (WWT). 1 Jan (11.00-12.30) – Water Woods: 2 Firecrest, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Buzzard. 1 Jan (09.00-10.30) – Arun South: 1 Cattle Egret, 2 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Buzzard, 190 Lapwing, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Reed Bunting. 31 De...

The river is high this morning. The dog wades across a section of bank she normally walks, nosing curiously through waterlogged reeds festooned with plastic and fragments of wood, detritus abandoned by the passing water. It is an uneasy passage. With each rising tide, the runoff from heavy rains over the valley and downs is penned back. The banks here are too high for the water to spill out, but its level is rising and other areas of the valley are already well flooded. This is for now an ordered outcome, the water levels set to stabilise and then recede as the rains subside. The meeting point of the flood water and tidal flow also appears orderly, with little surface movement. But this is one of the country’s fastest-flowing rivers, and appearances can be deceptive. The rise in water levels can be insidious. At lunchtime two weeks back the path over the bridge connecting Pulborough to the RSPB reserve was dry. Returning in the afternoon, after successfully twitching the vall...

It is breezy on this morning’s walk by the Arun, with no mist clinging to the valley as it did two days back. Then the river held seven Goosanders -- classic visitors to the river on mist-ridden days in November. Today’s weather conditions are not propitious. Yet there are four Goosanders in much the same place as two days back, swimming and diving on the straight and narrow stretch of the river opposite the path to Warningcamp. As then, all are immatures or females, their distinctive combination of frosted white and grey topped by rusting brown a welcome sight on an otherwise quiet day. They must be part of the same group and, having been here three days now, may stay a while longer. It has been a good couple of weeks for sightings, with a Cattle Egret on the water meadows by Lyminster, eight Hawfinches in the Rewell, and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Arundel Park. Best of all, maybe, was yesterday, when on a ridiculously warm and windless late afternoon three ringtail Hen...

The valley is cocooned in mist during the morning dog walk, bird calls more important than ever in identifying their presence. Robin numbers have been increasing and today each riverside bush appears to host one, all of them reciting the same sad notes. Cetti’s Warblers are vociferous but even more difficult to see than usual. In the distance a Raven croaks ominously several times, postponing its flight until the mist clears. That will not take long, even in these breezeless conditions. The mist clinging to the riverside earth is already thinning. The Robin in the next bush along is visible, drained of colour but its image sharp. Spider’s webs decorate the reeds and teasels as well as a disintegrating wooden fence, the drops of moisture on the gossamer glinting in the awakening light. Thrushes have been scarce so far this autumn, but a group of at least six Blackbirds are cloistered in the next bush, chuckling and moving occasionally before finally erupting and disappearing in...

A large number of Mediterranean Gulls were present at the gull roost on the eastern bank of the River Arun just south of Arundel for much of July 2018. More than 20 had colour rings on their legs, giving an insight into their origins and movements. This analysis was written on 16 August and updated on 19 September to reflect the receipt of additional data. Numbers rose from between one and five birds at the start of July to 42 on 11 July, rising the next day to 97 before falling back. Numbers jumped again a week later, with at least 84 birds by the river or foraging in the adjacent water meadows on 18 July at high tide, when it appears that birds otherwise spread out along the lower reaches of the river became concentrated at the site. Gulls at the Arun roost in July 2018 Species/Date 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 21 23 26 27 30 31 2/8 Med. Gull 1 42 97 42 16 4 72 84 72 132 28 10 3 2 0 Common Gull 3 9 9 20 13...