Recent Sightings 9th June 2025
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week is the Grey Heron. The Grey Heron has a very long neck and legs and is often seen hunting for fish in shallow water. This species is medium-grey above and greyish-white below. It has a strong dagger shaped bill that is greyish-yellow in colour except for in the breeding season when it can turn a bright orange. This is a very large bird and when it is seen in flight, it's wingbeats appear quite slow. This bird can be seen all year round in Castle Espie. The best places on the reserve to look for it are the Freshwater Lagoon, the Main Lake, and the Wader Marsh.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Black-headed Gull 5, Oystercatcher 238, Lesser Black-backed Gull 3, Hooded Crow 1, Little Egret 1, Jackdaw 1, Common Gull 1, Eider 17, Cormorant 3
Main lake - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 21, Moorhen 3, Coot 2, Little Grebe 2, Gadwall 13, Tufted Duck 2, Black-headed Gull 1, Herring Gull 4, Jackdaw 7, Swallow, House Martin, Goldcrest, Robin, Sedge Warbler,
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory Garden and Visitor Centre
Shelduck 2, Oystercatcher 128, Tufted Duck 1, Gadwall 4, Mallard 40, Jackdaw 3, Cormorant 1, Lesser black backed Gull 2, Herring Gull 27, Black-headed Gull 8, Common Gull 10
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Grey Heron 4 Little Egret 2, Common Gull 7, Black-headed Gull 9
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Black-headed Gull 6, Mallard 4, Moorhen 2, Mute Swan 2, Gadwall 6, Common Tern 1, Reed Bunting, Blackbird, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Greenfinch 4, Swallow, Willow Warbler, Blackbird
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Black-headed Gull 48, Common Tern 9, Pied Wagtail 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch
Brickworks
Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Linnet, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Dunnock
Limestone Lake
Moorhen 1, Black-headed Gull 2, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Dunnock, Goldfinch Swallow,
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Black-headed Gull 3, Shelduck 1, Starling c.40, Reed Bunting, Linnet
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Chaffinch, Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackcap. Coal Tit, Bullfinch, Willow Warbler, Hooded Crow, Jackdaw, Raven
Sensory Garden
Wren, Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, House Martin, Swallow, Bullfinch, Long-tailed Tit, House Sparrow, Dunnock
