Recent Sightings - 26th July 2021
As we head into late summer bird life enters a bit of a lull. Most birds having finished their breeding and are moulting their feathers so they keep themselves hidden and quiet. However there is a few hidden gems about the place to watch out for.
The Gadwall family on the freshwater lagoon have been very successful this year. The mother has raised 8 ducklings and they all have their adult feathers now, which makes them very hard to tell apart from Mallard in their eclipse plumage. But look for the white flash under their wings and note the absence of the purple feathers of the mallard. The Kingfishers are very active on site at the minute. Make sure to check all the posts on the lake edges and listen out for it's tell-tale call as it flies over the surface of the water. A group of young Mute Swans are being seen regularly on site, which is a pleasure. Finally a few hints of the approaching autumn migration, with a Curlew and and Lapwing being spotted out on the mudflats from the Brent hide.
A real treat at this time of year, are the Six-spotted Burnet Moths. These daytime moths are abundant in the Brickworks, nectaring on the wildflowers. Check the purple flowers of the Knapweed and the lilac blue flowers of the Field Scabious there, to catch a glimpse of this colourful species.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Clark - Six-spot Burnet Moth
Sightings from Low tide on Monday Morning.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Lapwing 1, Curlew 1, Lesser Black-backed Gull 1, Black-headed Gull 13
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 10, Greylag Goose 9, Moorhen 2, Black-headed Gull 4, Swallow 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 65, Black-headed gull 6, Jackdaw 12
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed gull 3, Moorhen 1, Jackdaw 3
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 6, Gadwall 9, Mute Swan 2, Coot 1, Kingfisher 1
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 3
Limestone Lake
Little Egret 2, Mallard 1, Moorhen 1
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Meadow Pipit 1
Peninsula Field
Swallow 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Robin, Blue tit, Wood pigeon, Magpie
