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More of a thaw occuring today, but still some snow/ice/slush remains. The north brooks and the pool at west mead have some large areas of open water now, and small numbers of teal, wigeon, pintail, shoveler, gadwall and shelduck were present this morning. Highlight was 6 or 7 white-fronted geese in with...

Although absolutely freezing today, generally the reserve has had a springlike feel at times over the last 2 weeks. Chaffinches, great tits, song thrushes, goldcrests and treecreepers, amongst others, have all been singing, and great spotted woodpeckers are drumming from the big oaks all over the site...

Had a brief but interesting look from Nettley's hide this morning from about 07.30, the highlights being - 27 white-fronted geese which had roosted on the north brooks overnight and left at 07.40, heading south, a kestrel catching a vole right next to the hide, a hen harrier hunting near the riverbank...

At least 24 white-fronted geese on the south brooks today (from west mead or winpenny hides) and between 100-150 black-tailed godwits reported from the north brooks. Flock of about 10 crossbills reported from the heath.

Single pink-footed goose and 12 white-fronted geese have been present over the last couple of days - when they are not are Pulborough Brooks they are often to be found at Amberley wild brooks. The pink-foot is usually associating with greylags. Fabulous, busy, colourful flocks of wigeon are showing really...

Some more rain over the last fews days has brought more pintail (ca.120) and black-tailed godwits (ca.50) to the site, to go with the many hundreds of lapwing, wigeon and teal. Firecrest(s) still present around the trail, crossbills still sporadically appearing on the heath. Many fieldfares and redwings...

12 white-fronted geese on the north brooks today - the first of the autumn, found by regular volunteer Clive Hope at about midday. A few black-tailed godwits, ruff and golden plover amongst the lapwings. Crossbills, redpolls and siskins on the heath. Sadly, no one has reported the yellow-browed warbler...

I visited the reserve three times over the weekend. Friday at the Hanger the Peregrine went off to roost. Chattering Magpies and Blackbirds and whistling Wigeon and Teal ushered in the evening as the lights from Pulborough village reflected in the still waters of the North Brooks and bats came out to...

After a few days of bright but chilly weather recently, today there was a definite sign of spring - a little ringed plover on the north brooks. These birds usually arrive in March here and are often the first spring migrants to be seen. A grass snake was seen yesterday, and again, mid-March is right...

A pair of great spotted woodpeckers drumming this morning about 20m apart on the edge of the heath. The male's drumming was bizarre - rather weak and distinctly irregular- whilst the female's was the usual fast, short, clipped burst. I think he needs to get his act together... In the same...

The male hen harrier that has been seen regularly over the past 3 weeks put in another appearance today - it hunted all over the brooks during the late morning and headed south off the reserve at about 13.00. The wet weather has brought with it loads of pintails - about 170 were on the north brooks yesterday...

16 Bewick's swans roosted on the pool in front of west mead hide overnight - they left at 08.15 this morning, flying off south down the valley to feed. There were 10 in the same spot yesterday morning - they left precisely an hour earlier, though it was much gloomier this morning due to the overcast...

4 white-fronted geese amongst large numbers of canada geese on south brooks late this afternoon - seen at about 16.00 from West mead. Lets hope they stick around... Earlier in the day, 2 red kites west of river arun, peregrine in usual tree at hanger viewpoint, several snipe feeding in the open between...