Recent Sightings 18th August
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week is the Garganey. The Garganey is a species of dabbling duck that is very infrequently seen in Castle Espie, so it was a cause of great excitement for our Monday bird count team when a juvenile Garganey turned up in the Freshwater Lagoon today. The Garganey is a summer visitor which spends the winter in west Africa and so is normally only seen between the months of April and September. The most distinctive feature of female and juvenile Garganeys is their striped head pattern which differentiates it from female Teal and Gadwall which have somewhat similar colours on their body when seen at a distance. They are slightly larger than a Teal with a longer and more elegant bill. The male Garganeys are very striking with a dark purple-brown head with a very bold white crescent over the eye. The Garganey is an extremely rare breeding bird in both Britain and Ireland and has undergone significant declines in its population in continental Europe and because of this, it is a Northern Ireland Priority Species.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Herring Gull 2, Curlew 12, Oystercatcher 86, Common Gull 26, Lesser-black backed Gull 2, Black-headed Gull 28, Mute Swan 1, Redshank 1, Hooded Crow 6, Eider 12, Great-black backed Gull 1, Cormorant 4
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 112, Moorhen 4, Little Grebe 3, Tufted Duck 6, Grey Heron 1, Gadwall 2, Greylag Geese 27, Black-headed Gull 1, Coot 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Shoveler 3, Common Gull 1, Teal 2, Cormorant 1, Blackbird, Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Jackdaw
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 68, Grey Wagtail, Gadwall 2, Oystercatcher 40
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed Gull 2, Common Gull 8, Litte Egret 5, Jackdaw 2,
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Gadwall 3, Mute Swan 2 adults and 3 cygnets, Mallard 2, Garganey 1, Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Woodpigeon
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 2, Little Egret 1
Brickworks
Robin, Goldfinch
Limestone Lake
Kingfisher, Cormorant, Little Grebe, Woodpigeon
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Black-headed Gull 1
Woodland
Woodpigeon, Robin, Goldcrest, Great Tit
Sensory Garden
Blue Tit, Robin, Blackbird, Coal Tit, Willow Warbler
