Recent Sightings 12th January 2026
Monday Bird Count 12/01/2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week is the Blackcap. This is a distinctive grey warbler which gets its name from the black feathers on the head of the male birds, female and juvenile birds have a light brown cap. Typically blackcaps are summer visitors to the UK, as most birds will spend the winter in north Africa and south Europe, but increasing numbers of European birds are being spotted here over winter after the breeding birds depart. This is happening because warming temperatures and widespread garden bird feeders (they will often be seen chasing other birds away from them), have made it easier for the species to survive here during winter. These blackcaps may even have an advantage as they are able to claim the best breeding territories when they reach their central European breeding grounds before their Mediterranean counterparts. Like most warblers, blackcaps like to eat insects with their small, thin beaks, however they will also eat berries (particularly mistletoe) which is unusual. Blackcaps are sometimes known as 'northern nightingales' due to their beautiful song.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Oystercatcher 272, Redshank 63, Little Egret 1, Black-tailed Godwit 52, Hooded Crow 2, Wigeon 7, Grey Plover 2, Great Crested Grebe 1, Herring Gull 4, Shelduck 64, Brent Goose 141, Eider Duck 78, Curlew 42, Dunlin 20, Greenshank 4, Great Black-backed Gull 1, Turnstone 4,, Goldeneye 4, Knot 60
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 79, Teal 21, Moorhen 5, Tufted Duck 3, Gadwall 2, Cormorant 3, Dunnock, Great tit, Wren, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon, Pied wagtail, Jackdaw 2
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Moorhen 2, Mallard 84, Teal 16, Gadwall 8, Cormorant 2
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Redshank 9, Greenshank 5, Black-tailed Godwit 4, Moorhen 4, Teal 4, Black-headed gull 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Teal 29, Mallard 5, Moorhen 4, Robin
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 4, Redshank 1
Brickworks
Wren, Blackbird, Jackdaw 8, Stonechat 1
Limestone Lake
Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue tit, Blackbird
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Black-headed Gull 1, Little egret 1
Peninsula Field
Buzzard 1, Stonechat 2
Woodland
Blue Tit, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Robin, Wren, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Song thrush, Woodpigeon
Sensory Garden
Blue Tit, Robin, Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird, Wren, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Coal tit, Hooded crow, Great tit, Blackcap 1 (male)
