News
Splashing family fun this February half-term
Grab your wellies and join us outdoors as we host our 2019 Puddle Jumping Championships this coming February half-term – guaranteed fun whatever the North East weather! Warm up in our puddle jumping practice zone before challenging your family and frien
21 December 2018
Today's Sightings
Whooper swan Bewick's swan-Main Obs Mute swan White-fronted geese x 7+8 Tundra bean geese x 5 Greylag geese Canada geese Barnacle goose x 1 Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Pintail Gadwall Wigeon Teal Pochard Tufted duck x 23 Cormorant Coot Moorhen White stork-R
21 December 2018
Wildlife sightings - 21/12/18
Wader Lake (AM, low tide): Mute swan 2 Shelduck 8 Shoveler (male) 1 Teal 8 Grey heron 3 Lapwing 26 Water rail 2 Saline lagoon (AM, low tide): Curlew 1 Shelduck 1 Grey heron 1 Hawthorn wood feeding station: Great-spotted woodpecker 3 Nuthatch
21 December 2018
Yellow-legged Gull returns to the main lake a.m.
1 Bittern - main lake (North shore) 20m from Headley Hide 1 Yellow-legged Gull adult - main lake (WWF hide) 1 Goldeneye - reservoir lagoon 2 Shelduck - main lake 1 Water Pipit - grazing marsh 2 Chiffchaff - sheltered lagoon, wildside 13 Redwing -
21 December 2018
Wildlife sightings - 20/12/18
a.m. Tide Level: Mid Wader Lake Canada goose 15 Shelduck 11 Shoveler 1 Water rail 1 Teal 16 Saline Lagoon Snipe 3 Redshank 1 Hawthorn Wood Goldfinch 3 Robin 6 Blue tit 8 Great tit 8 Coal tit 3 Bullfinch 6 Great-spotted woodpecker 1 Nuthatch 2 Other birds
20 December 2018
Today's sightings
Whooper swan Bewick's swan Mute swan Greylag goose Canada goose White fronted goose x14 Bean goose (tundra) x5 Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Pintail Wigeon Teal Ringed teal (escapee) Pochard Tufted duck Little grebe Moorhen White stork Great egret Little egre
20 December 2018
Today's sightings
Robbie Garnett Hide 81 Pintail, 17 Redshank, 21 Curlew, 66 Golden Plover, 4 Shoveler, 600+ Lapwing. . Holden Tower Water Rail in copse, Mistle Thrush by Pillbox, 2 Peregrine sat on cross fence. . South Lake Hides 51 Shoveler, 150+ Teal all roosting near
20 December 2018
Bittern on the south-east shore of main lake
1 Bittern - main lake (SE shore) 4 Pintail - main lake, reservoir lagoon 1 Water Pipit - main lake, scrape 5 Snipe - main lake, scrape 23 Redwing - entrance area, wildside plus 14 flew over W December bird highlights: Shelduck, Goldeneye, Goosande
20 December 2018
Which way first?
Recent visitors to the reserve have probably asked themselves the same question when they arrive - 'which way first?'. The Tack Piece is currently playing host to 3000+ birds, increasing further when the Golden Plover flock drop in. Meanwhile at the o
19 December 2018
Today's Sightings
Whooper swan Mute swan Bewick's swan Lapwing Goldfinch Tree sparrow Reed bunting Bean goose - Main Observatory White fronted goose - Main Observatory Marsh harrier Wigeon Pochard Pintail Tufted duck Teal Black-tailed godwits Redshank Ruff Dunlin Short-ear
19 December 2018
Latest Sightings
A fine start to Wednesday morning. Sightings for the past couple of days. Not one but 2 Merlin seen on Monday in what has been an excellent early winter run of sightings of the uk's smallest falcon. At least 4 Mars
19 December 2018
Chiloe wigeon
These cheerful little ducks love being hand fed, so why not buy a bag of feed from our visitor centre and have a special experience feeding our Chiloe wigeon in the South American exhibit. Co-parenting Chiloe wigeon are special in the bird world because t
19 December 2018
Winter Thrushes feeding on the Holly berries
1 Bittern - main lake (North shore) 1 Yellow-legged Gull - main lake 3 Pintail - wader scrape, reservoir lagoon 1 Water Pipit - grazing marsh 4 Snipe - wader scrape 12 Redwing - entrance area 7 Fieldfare - entrance area December bird highl
19 December 2018
Wildlife Sightings - 19/12/18
Wader Lake Time/AM Tide/Low Great Black-backed Gull - 1 Herring Gull - 1 Black-headed Gull - 22 Redshank - 4 Shelduck - 10 Teal - 9 Grey Heron - 2 Saline Lagoon Grey Heron - 1 Curlew - 3 Hawthorn Wood Jay - 3 Robin - 6 Dunnoc
19 December 2018
Latest Sightings - 21st December - Open every day except Christmas Day
We still have restrictions on our network which means our webcams will not be online until January at the earliest. We apologise for this and are working to restore the system. Thankfully we are now able to take card payments in the visitor centre. It's
19 December 2018