Recent Sightings 5th May 2025
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week is the Pied Wagtail. This species is quite a small bird with black and white plumage. It has a slender appearance with a long tail that it constantly wags up and down as it walks. It spends a lot of time on the ground and is most often seen foraging in areas of short grass or artificial surfaces such as footpaths and carparks. In Castle Espie, it is most commonly seen around the Visitor Centre and out by the Brickworks section of the reserve.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Shelduck 16, Eider 2, Black-headed Gull 24, Oystercatcher 77, Lesser Black-backed Gull 3, Hooded Crow 1, Herring Gull 8, Common Gull 2, Curlew 4, Red-breasted Mergansers 2, Light-bellied Brent Goose 7, Cormorant 6, Little Egret 2
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 12, Gadwall 3, Moorhen 1, Coot 4, Little Grebe 2, Tufted Duck 3, Hooded Crow 2, Teal 1, Greylag Goose 2, Black-headed Gull 1, Grey Heron 1, Blackbird, House Martin, Great Tit, Sedge Warbler, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Grey Wagtail, Swallow, Woodpigeon
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Shelduck 1, Black-headed Gull 3, Oystercatcher 40, Hooded crow 2, Common Gull 3, Herring Gull 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Little Egret 1, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Swallow, Sedge Warbler,
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 6, Mute Swan 2, Gadwall 2, Little Egret 1, Black-headed Gull 2, Lesser Black backed Gull 2, Moorhen 2, Sedge Warbler, Wren, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Swallow, Robin
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Black-headed Gull 3, Common Tern 12, Swallow, Blackbird
Brickworks
Robin, Jackdaw, Wren, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Linnet, Greenfinch , Blue Tit, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch
Limestone Lake
Mallard 2, Moorhen 1, Jackdaw, Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Chaffinch, Coal tit, Long-tailed Tit, Robin, Blue Tit Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Greenfinch
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Little Egret 1, Jackdaw 1, Reed Bunting 1
Peninsula Field
Jackdaw, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Robin, Woodpigeon, Meadow Pipit, Mallard
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Chaffinch, Robin, Blue Tit, Blackcap, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Song thrush, Jay, Magpie
Sensory Garden
Wren, Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Martin, Chiffchaff. Pied Wagtail
