Skip to content header Skip to main content Skip to content footer

Recent Sightings €- 2nd July 2018

The following sightings were recorded today at Low tide from the reserve at Castle Espie.

Cormorants are a regular sight on the lakes of Castle Espie. These distant relatives of the Pelican are prolific fish eaters and are often seen diving to catch their food in the Main Lake and the Freshwater Lagoon. These birds lack the special waterproof coating on their feathers,which make them less buoyant and therefore easier to dive. Keep an eye out for them drying their wings on the edge of the lakes after a successful swim.

Estuary – visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory

Black-headed Gull 16 + Juvenile 8, Lesser black-backed gull 1, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Little Egret 1,

Main lake – visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre

Mallard 24, Tufted duck 4 + chicks 3, Black-headed gull 23 + Juvenile 7, Coot 2, Greylag 6 + gosling 6, Teal 1

Shingle bank – visible from Sensory garden, Wadermarsh and Visitor Centre

Black-headed gull 30, Oystercatcher 2, Moorhen 4, Tufted duck 1, Mallard 3, Little Egret 2

Wadermarsh – visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide

Black-headed gull 47 + Juvenile 29,Moorhen 5, Black-tailed Godwit 2,

Freshwater Lagoon – visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg

Shelduck 2 + young 8, Mallard 6, Coot 2 + chicks 1,  Black-headed gull 59 + Juvenile 29 , Tufted duck 3 + chicks 8, Moorhen 1 + chick 1, Mute Swan 1, Cormorant 1, Black-tailed Godwit 5, Gadwall 1

Cormorant swimming. Credit Russ Myners

Saline Lagoon – visible from Limekiln observatory

Tufted Duck 2,  Common Tern 1, Little Grebe 2

Limestone Lake

Mallard 6, Tufted duck 2

Peninsula Field and Saltmarsh

Black-headed Gull 1

Brickworks

Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Starling, Swallow, House Martin

Woodland

Blackbird, Wren, Song Thrush, Wood pigeon, Robin, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Black-Cap

Butterflies on the reserve

Small White, Large White, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Six-Spot Burnet Moth

  • Share this article