BIRDWATCH AT ARUNDEL WILDLIFE AND WETLANDS TRUST

The long-tailed ducks resident in our Myvatn exhibit are particularly skilled in this area, and in the chalk spring-fed clear waters these proficient divers can be observed with ease.

It is always a pleasure to watch their skill and agility as they dart beneath the water surface.

Being one of the deepest diving ducks in the world, these incredible creatures have been known to reach depths of 200ft while hunting. We know this primarily from fishermen who discover the poor unfortunate deep-sea adventurers caught in their nets.

To give you an idea of the magnitude of this feat, imagine six two-storey houses stacked on top of each other or when you next visit the centre turn and face the tree-covered hangar opposite us. Standing at 230ft in height, it measures only slightly over the distance that the long-tailed duck can dive!

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette September 5