Recent Sightings 6th 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 Scaup. The Scaup is the rarest breeding duck in the UK; only a few will breed here each year. In the winter Scaups from Northern Europe visit coastal areas and some inland bodies of water in the UK. These ducks are easily mistaken for Tufted ducks and confusingly they are often found together. Scaups have no tuft on their head and males have a light grey back compared to the black back of a Tufted duck, females are brown with white feathers at the base of their beak. Scaups eat shellfish they obtain by diving. These ducks generally feed at night and are usually seen floating on the water during the day.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Brent Goose 2710, Wigeon 294, Curlew 54, Little Egret 6, Oystercatcher c.250, Redshank 162, Black-headed Gull 3, Lesser Black-backed Gull 1, Eider Duck 44, Black Tailed Godwit 1, Shelduck 12, Greenshank 4, Great Crested Grebe 5
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 157, Shoveler 3, Moorhen 2, Tufted Duck 4, Grey Heron 1, Little Egret 2, Scaup (female) 1, Gadwall 10, Teal 7
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Gadwall 2, Mallard 43, Teal 4, Cormorant 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal 11, Black-headed Gull 2, Oystercatcher 4, Moorhen 1, Little Egret 1, Starling 10
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mute Swan 3, Moorhen 7, Mallard 2, Teal 11
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 2, Herring Gull 1, Blackbird 1
Brickworks
Jackdaw 2, Goldfinch 10, Robin
Limestone Lake
Chaffinch
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Black-headed Gull 1
Peninsula Field
No birds seen
Woodland
Chaffinch, Robin, Wren, Goldcrest
Sensory Garden
Robin, Grey Wagtail, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon, Wren, Rook 6
