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
