Recent Sightings 21st July 2025

The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a high tide. The bird of the week is the Knot. The Monday bird count team were delighted to see a small group of this species in their beautiful orange breeding plumage. It makes quite a contrast from their more familiar winter plumage which is a plain grey above and white below.
These birds have just returned from their breeding grounds in the high Arctic and will likely be spending the autumn and winter around Strangford Lough or they will use the Lough as a stopover point before continuing further south.
Knot have a preference for feeding on molluscs which they find out on the open mudflats of Strangford Lough. Their numbers will increase as the year progresses with their peak being reached in December or January.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Shelduck 2 adults and 8 ducklings, Mute Swan 10, Cormorant 5, Curlew 16, Black-headed Gull 1, Eider Duck 14. Oystercatcher 24, Great-crested Grebe 2
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 103 adults and 5 ducklings, Moorhen 1, Little Grebe 4, Tufted Duck 3, Shoveler 6, Greylag goose 3, Hooded Crow 1, Grey heron 1, Kingfisher 1, Robin, House Martin,
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Oystercatcher 223, Mallard 40, Moorhen 2, Little Egret 17, Lesser-black-backed Gull 1, Common Gull 1, Herring Gull 13, Jackdaw 2
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Redshank 110, Knot 4, Black-headed Gull 32, Herring Gull 1, Common Gull 2, Moorhen 1, Jackdaw 3, Woodpigeon, Swallow
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 5, Moorhen 3, Mute Swan 2 adults and 3 ducklings, Sedge Warbler, Jackdaw 2, Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Blackcap
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Black-headed Gull 9, Common Tern 6
Brickworks
Goldfinch, Swallow, Wren, Greenfinch
Limestone Lake
Kingfisher 1, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Black-headed Gull 1, Woodpigeon 1
Peninsula Field
No bird seen
Woodland
Woodpigeon, Wren, Sparrowhawk, Dunnock
Sensory Garden
Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Bullfinch