Recent Sightings 3rd November 2025
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week this week is the Greenshank. This wader is usually just over 30cm tall, it has very long greenish-grey legs with white underparts and a greyish back. They feed on invertebrates like worms and snails and also small fish. Greenshanks are unlike many other waders as they will chase prey as well as probing for food in the mud. The only place the Greenshank breeds in the UK is on boggy moors in the North of Scotland. The rest of the birds seen here are passing through on their migration to Africa, Australia or India. Greenshanks are found in both saline and freshwater, it is unusual for a wader to not have a preference.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Brent Goose 212, Eider Duck 5, Shelduck 20, Wigeon 57, Great Crested Grebe 50, Redshank 3, Cormorant 19, Grey Heron 1, Grey Plover 2, Little Egret 1, Goldeneye 4, Great Black-backed Gull 1, Red Breasted Merganser 5, Lesser Black-backed Gull 1, Herring Gull 1, Oystercatcher c.350, Dunlin 50, Black-tailed Godwit 100, Turnstone 25
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Tufted Duck 3, Little Egret 5, Jackdaw 9, Gadwall 10, Moorhen 2, Shoveler 3, Teal 5, Mallard 57, Grey Wagtail 1, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Woodpigeon, Coal Tit, Chaffinch
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 53, Redshank 1, Gadwall 18, Teal 18, Black-headed Gull 1, Cormorant 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal 26, Greenshank 28, Spotted Redshank 1, Redshank 3, Black-headed Gull 2, Moorhen 1, Long-tailed Tit, Song Thrush, Robin
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Moorhen 3, Mallard 8, Coot 1
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Egret 1, Little Grebe 3, Teal 2, Cormorant 1, Redshank 1
Brickworks
Moorhen 1, Blue Tit, Buzzard 1
Limestone Lake
Jackdaw 4
Peninsula Saltmarsh
No birds seen
Peninsula Field
No birds seen
Woodland
Chaffinch, Robin, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit
Sensory Garden
Blackbird, Wren, Robin, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit
