The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week this week is the Cattle Egret. This bird is a very rare visitor to the reserve. It is tall and white with a yellow beak and legs, similar to the Little Egret which has a black beak and black legs. Despite the similarity in appearance to the Little Egret, these two species are actually in a different genus, and the Cattle Egret is more closely related to the Grey Herons frequently seen onsite. Most herons and egrets are only found very close to water, but Cattle Egrets can also be found further inland as they will often associate with livestock and eat invertebrates and small vertebrates disturbed by them. Cattle Egrets were very scarce in the UK a few decades ago, but can now be found frequently in parts of the South West of England and occasionally turn up elsewhere. The species naturally expanded its range from Southern Europe down to Southern Africa, across the Atlantic to the Americas and it expanded its range in Europe. Cattle Egrets have increased in number and range so successfully because they are adapted to living near large herbivores were able to switch from a reliance on wild animals to domestic cattle and horses. The species seen on the reserve is a Western Cattle Egret, but there is an Eastern species which lives in Asia and Australasia.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Brent 1136, Shelduck 29, Oystercatcher 99, Curlew 15, Great Black-backed Gull 1, Lesser Black-backed Gull 2, Redshank 28, Black-headed Gull 15, Wigeon 406, Little Egret 6, Dunlin 10, Hooded Crow 1, Cormorant 15, Greenshank 1, Whooper Swan 2 (flying over)
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 76, Gadwall 4, Kingfisher 1, Teal 52, Tufted Duck (male), Pintail 3, Wigeon 2, Moorhen 1, Coot 1, Woodpigeon, Song Thrush, Robin, Rook 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Cattle Egret 1, Glossy Ibis 1, Teal 38, Moorhen 1, Mallard 4, Little Egret 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal 16, Grey Heron 1, Common Gull 1, Moorhen 2, Redshank 1, Dunnock
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Gadwall 3, Mallard 3, Teal 4, Shoveler (female) 1, Robin, Blue Tit
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 6, Chaffinch
Brickworks
Jackdaw 2, Magpie 1, Blue Tit, Kestrel 1 (female flying over)
Limestone Lake
Blackbird
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Cattle Grazing
Peninsula Field
Cattle Grazing
Woodland
Raven 3, Robin, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Siskin, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Wren
Sensory Garden
Robin, Magpie, Blue Tit, Wren, Rook, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk
