Latest sightings
Recent Sightings 1st June 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week this week is the Shelduck. Shelducks are ducks the same size as a brent goose. They have a mostly white body, a chestnut breast stripe, a green
1 June 2026
Recent Sightings 25th May 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a high tide. The bird of the week this week is the Shoveler. Three males were seen on the count in the Main Lake this week. Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln
25 May 2026
Recent Sightings 18th May 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week this week is the Reed Warbler. This warbler has buff coloured underparts and a light brown back. It looks somewhat similar to the Sedge Warbler
18 May 2026
Recent Sightings 11th May 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week this week is the Lesser Black-backed Gull. This gull is easily confused with both Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls. The Lesser Black
11 May 2026
Recent Sightings 4th May 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week this week is the Sand Martin. Sand Martins are the smallest of the Hirundine family (Swallows and Martins) found in the UK. Sand Martins can b
4 May 2026
Recent Sightings 27th April 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week this week is the Common sandpiper. Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory Black-headed Gull 7, Herring Gull, Hood
27 April 2026
Recent Sightings 20th April 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week this week is the Barn Swallow. Barn Swallows have a deep blue back with off-white underparts, a rufous red face, swept-back wings and a forked t
20 April 2026
Recent Sightings 13th April 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a high tide. The bird of the week is the Sedge Warbler. The first of these summer visitors have made their way back to the reserve again. Estuary - visible from the Brent Hi
13 April 2026
Recent Sightings 6th April 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week is the Tufted Duck. This diving duck is very distinctive, both males and females have yellow eyes, the males are black and white, and females ar
6 April 2026
Recent Sightings 30th March 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a high tide. The bird of the week this week is the Blackcap, a summer visitor, recently heard singing in the woodland. Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Obser
30 March 2026
Recent Sightings 23rd March 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week this week is the Pied Wagtail. These small black and white birds are instantly recognisable by the frequent ‘bobbing’ of their long tails. T
23 March 2026
Recent Sightings 16th March 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. This week's bird is the Grey plover. A winter visitor from the high Arctic. The bird can be seen in small numbers on the mudflats from the Brent Hide Es
16 March 2026
Recent Sightings 9th March 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a receding tide. The bird of the week is the House Sparrow. Males have a dark brown back with black streaks, a black bib and a grey cap. The darker and larger the bib the more attr
9 March 2026
Recent Sightings 2nd March 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week is the Little Egret. The Little Egret is a white heron which has two plumes of feathers at the back of its head, and they have black legs with y
2 March 2026
Recent Sightings 23rd February 2026
The following sightings were taken from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. The bird of the week is the Greenfinch. These birds are quite distinctive, males have light green feathers with some yellow on their wings and grey and black wingtip
23 February 2026