Wildlife Sightings - 11/02/26

2 min read • 11 February 2026

What’s notable/exciting/surprising today?:

The Grey Herons are very active, yelling at each other with their prehistoric calls and taking up positions in about 14 of the nests in the Heronry. As the leaves of the trees haven’t started growing yet, it’s a great time to spot them starting to nest. Despite the relentless rain, signs of spring are popping up in Hawthorn Wood, where shoots of Daffodils, Dogs Mercury, Lords and Ladies and Wild Garlic are just waking up from their Winter dormancy. Meanwhile, the snowdrops are already in full bloom and contrasting wonderfully with the vibrant yellow and orange of the Willow trees along the Gully (where the Kingfisher is also dropping in and out of, if you’re lucky enough to see if zip by!)

am/pm	Wader Lake Species			Water Level	Total
Tufted ducks					18
Mallard					8
Teal					4
Grey Heron (Heronry very active)					25, 14 nests
Mute swan					1
Canada goose					1
Shelduck					21
Oystercatcher					3
Herring gull					25
Black headed gull					3
Wigeon					1

On Wader Lake Footpath
Siskin					8
Hawthorn Wood Bird Feeding Area		Total	Hawthorn Wood Bird Feeding Area		Total
Bullfinch		2	Siskin		1m
Coal tit		3	Chaffinch		6
Nuthatch		1	Dunnock		1
Long tailed tit		4	Greenfinch		1
Great tit		2	Blue tit		10
Goldfinch		11
am/pm	Bird Species Noted Around Site		Location		Total
Little Grebe			Window on the Wear 1		1
Kingfisher			Gully		1
Redshank			River Wear		31
Oystercatcher			River Wear		2
Greenshank			River Wear		2
Song thrush			WWT Washington/across site		2 singing
Teal			Saline Lagoon		15
Shelduck			Saline Lagoon		2
Grey Heron			Saline Lagoon		2
Curlew			WWT Washington (flying over)		1 heard
Goldfinch			Hawthorn Wood		10
Coal tit			Hawthorn Wood		2 foraging(pair?)
Tufted duck			Reservoir		12