Recent Sightings 27th October 2025
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week this week is the Red Breasted Merganser. These ducks have a special long bill with tooth-like serrations that help them to hold onto fish that they catch. They are a member of the aptly named sawbill family, which includes five other species of diving ducks, three of these can also be seen in the UK. Red Breasted Mergansers are long, slim ducks, males are mostly grey and black, with a light brown chest, a white band on their neck and a green head with a shaggy tuft. Females and immature birds are mostly grey with a light brown head and a tuft. Both males and females have a reddish-orange bill. Although they are very distinctive, they are tricky to see here because they generally like to be out at sea well away from land, so you usually need a scope or a good pair of binoculars to spot them. See if you can see the Hooded Mergansers in our collection here are Castle Espie, look out for that distinctive sawbill beak!
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Brent Goose 1278, Wigeon 430, Eider 16, Black-headed Gull 4, Redshank 46, Shelduck 25, Little Egret 1, Red Breasted Merganser 14, Cormorant 4, Oystercatcher 135 , Herring gull 2, Curlew 7, Jackdaw 1, Hooded crow 2
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Tufted Duck 3, Shoveler 4, Gadwall 10, Moorhen 2, Mallard 151, Little Grebe 1, Teal 54, Scaup 1, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Wren, Blackbird, Grey wagtail, Robin, Wood pigeon
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 14, Teal 12, Gadwall 2, Cormorant 1, Moorhen 2,
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal 28, Oystercatcher 2, Redshank 7, Moorhen 4, Gadwall 4, Black-headed gull 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Moorhen 2, Teal 4, Mallard 4, Coot 1, (Shoveler 3), Gadwall 2
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 4, Bluetit, Blackbird
Brickworks
Meadow Pipit 4
Limestone Lake
Little Grebe 1
Peninsula Saltmarsh
No birds seen
Peninsula Field
No birds seen
Woodland
Chaffinch, Robin, Goldcrest, Bluetit, Mistle thrush, Long-tailed tit, Wood pigeon, Raven, Sparrowhawk
Sensory Garden
Pied Wagtail, Robin, Wren, Long Tailed Tit, Dunnock, Great tit, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Blackbird
