Recent Sightings - 20th August 2018
The following sightings were recorded today at High tide from the reserve at Castle Espie.
As the days get shorter and the autumn approaches the numbers of water birds are on the increase. Wintering ducks are beginning to arrive on the reserve with Teal and Wigeon being seen everyday. Little Egrets are a common sight again, often seen fishing or roosting out in large numbers at high tide on the pier. There is one Swallow family left, nesting in the double door portal between the Fresh water lagoon and the Saline Lagoon. Watch out for mum and dad coming into feed the noisy chicks!
Estuary – visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Black-headed Gull 50, Little egret 2, Grey heron 1, Oystercatcher 200, Curlew 5, Redshank 10, Mute Swan 1
Main lake – visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 165, Tufted duck 6, Black-headed gull 12, Lesser black-backed gull 1, Teal 4, Moorhen 3, Greylag Goose 1, Mediterranean Gull (juvenile) 1, Little Grebe 1, Coot 1, Wigeon 6
Shingle bank – visible from Sensory garden, Wadermarsh and Visitor Centre
Moorhen 1, Coot 2, Mallard 13, Little Egret 3
Wadermarsh – visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed gull 22, Moorhen 4,
Freshwater Lagoon – visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Moorhen 6, Mallard 17, Teal 25, Grey heron 2, Common Sandpiper 1, Greylag goose 21
Saline Lagoon – visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 4 , Little Egret 4, Blacked-headed gull 1
Limestone Lake
Mallard 1, Tufted duck 1, Little Grebe 1,
Peninsula Field and Saltmarsh
Teal 1
Brickworks
Goldfinch, Linnet, Swallows, House Martin
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Wood pigeon, Robin, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Sparrowhawk,
Butterflies on the reserve
Small White, Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Copper, Painted Lady, Silver Y, Shaded Broad Bar
