Recent Sightings 20th July 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week this week is the Greylag Goose. The Greylag is a large and bulky goose, with greyish-brown plumage and pink legs and feet, the bill colour can be either pink or orange. The Latin name of this birds is Anser anser, which literally translates to ‘goose goose’ and it is the type species of the group. European birds generally migrate south to Southern Europe and Africa to overwinter, but there has been an increasing trend in birds staying in their breeding grounds all year round. This birds has a global distribution, with an Eastern subspecies found in Asia, a population in Australia made up of escaped feral geese and vagrants, but the species is absent from the Americas. The lineage of most domestic goose breeds traces back to this species, which is thought to have been first domesticated over 2000 years ago.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Little Egret 2, Black-headed Gull 12, Lesser Black-backed Gull 3, Curlew 2, Oystercatcher 6, Herring Gull 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Greylag Goose 2, Common Tern 2, Mallard 153, Pintail (male in eclipse) 1, Common Gull 10, Coot 1, Moorhen 2 (plus 2 chicks), Lesser Black-backed Gull 2. Little Grebe 2 (plus one chick), Tufted Duck 1 (plus 2 ducklings), Gadwall 3 (plus 11 ducklings), Swallow, House Martin, Sedge Warbler, Grey Wagtail 1 (plus 1 juvenile)
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Shelduck 1 (plus 3 ducklings), Little Egret 2, Mallard 52, Herring Gull 1, Black-headed Gull 1, Hooded Crow 1, Jackdaw 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1, Black-headed Gull 6, Swallow
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mute Swan 2, Heron 1, Gadwall 1
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Common Tern 22 (plus 3 chicks)
Brickworks
Jackdaw 2, Lapwing 10 (flying over), Linnet, Greenfinch
Limestone Lake
Sedge Warbler, Woodpigeon
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Lapwing 1
Peninsula Field
No birds seen
Woodland
Wren, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Magpie, Bullfinch, Swallow, House Martin, Robin, Blackbird, Jackdaw
Sensory Garden
House Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Bullfinch, Dunnock, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren, Swallow, Raven
