Recent Sightings 12th June 2023
Clear blue skies and sunny weather over Castle Espie for a beautiful June bird count. The tide was in, bring in all the Oystercatcher to the Shingle Bank and giving us a special glimpse of a Common seal swimming in the Lough off the end of the Pier. A few Little egrets joined the array of birds on the Shingle – these small herons were once a rare visitor to the UK but are now a common sight.
Meadow pipits (pictured) were seen flying around the Peninsula field at the end of the reserve. They can often be seen perching on fence posts, giving you a great view of this attractive little songbird. With their numbers declining in the UK, a population trend that has been going on since the 1970s, it’s great to see them collecting food for a nest, although the location of it is one of nature’s best kept secrets!
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Black-tailed godwit 34, Black-headed gull 8, Herring gull 16, Lesser black-backed gull 1, Oystercatcher 2, Little egret 2, Cormorant 2, Jackdaw 1, Eider 6 (13 ducklings), Common seal 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 35, Little grebe 2, Black-headed gull 2, Tufted duck 2, Moorhen 2, Lesser black-backed gull 1, Common gull 1, Shoveler 1, Coot 1 (2 chicks)
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Little egret 4, Mute swan 2, Mallard 18, Oystercatcher 415, Black-headed gull 35, Hooded crow 1, Shelduck 2, Black-tailed godwit 41
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed gull 104, Little egret 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 2 (with ducklings), Black-tailed godwit 23, Black-headed gull 9, Shoveler 1, Shelduck 2, Lesser black-backed gull 1, Coot 1, Moorhen 2, Gadwall 2 (with ducklings)
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Mallard 1, Tufted duck 2, Wood pigeon 2, Black-headed gull 39 (1 chick)
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Black-headed gull 2, Blackbird, Swallow
Peninsula Field
Meadow pipit, Great tit, Reed bunting
Brickworks
Swallow 4, Jackdaw 4, Moorhen 1 (2 chicks), Sedge warbler, Great tit, Blackbird
Limestone Lake
Greylag goose 2 (1 gosling), Black-headed gull 11, Wood pigeon 1, Swallow 2
Woodland
Mallard, Blackbird, Wren, Wood pigeon, Chaffinch, Magpie, Robin, Goldcrest