News
Autumnal highlights from across our reserves
We all have our favourite season, but few can argue that there are more dramatic sights than the countryside turning bronze. For our wetlands, it is a spectacular time of year. The first of our migratory birds arrive, having flown vast distances in search
17 October 2017
Wildlife sightings - 17/10/17
a.m. Tide Level: Low Wader Lake Eurasian teal 18 Redshank 4 Lapwing 3 Curlew 2 Black-headed gull 30 Saline Lagoon Curlew 22 Eurasian teal 5 Hawthorn Wood Coal tit 2 Blue tit 6 Great tit 3 Chaffinch 8 Robin 1 Other birds Tufted duck - 20 - reservoir Redwin
17 October 2017
Wildlife sightings for 17th October 2017
2 Siskin - South route 1 Stonechat - grazing marsh 3 Snipe - wader scrape 4 Skylark - flew over heading West 25 Redwing - flew over heading West 40 Chaffinch - flew over heading South West 1 Peregrine - perched on hospital ledge September/October bird h
17 October 2017
Yellow-browed warbler & returning shelducks
Little Grebe carrying food by This morning I watched a clattering of jackdaw mob a juvenile peregrine flying over the Offham Hanger. Crows and jackdaws have been giving the buzzards a difficult time too. On Sun
17 October 2017
Will there be a happy ending for our lonely swan at Caerlaverock?
The young whooper swan arrived in Caerlaverock from Iceland with its family last year but was unable to return this spring after damaging its feathers. As a result, the sad little cygnet has spent a summer on the Solway all alone. Now, as the whooper swan
16 October 2017
Latest Sightings
An extraordinary start to the day when it appeared it wasn't going to get light, all caused by Saharan dust brought up on the weather system driving ex-hurricane Ophelia. When the Sun did break through it looked like this.
16 October 2017
Today's Highlights
Whooper swan Mute swan Canada geese Greylag geese Shoveler Teal Wigeon Grey heron Cormorant Ruff Black-tailed godwit Coot Moorhen Snipe Common sandpiper Dunlin Marsh harrier Buzzard Kestrel Sparrowhawk Meadow pipit Stonechat Pied wagtail Cetti's warbler T
16 October 2017
Wildlife sightings - 16/10/17
a.m. Tide Level: Very low Wader Lake Eurasian teal 12 Redshank 13 Shoveler 1 Lapwing 176 Kestrel 1 Goldfinch 26 Saline Lagoon Curlew 3 Eurasian teal 5 Hawthorn Wood Sparrowhawk 4 Nuthatch 2 Coal tit 14 Blue tit 23 Great tit 24 Chaffinch 8 Willow tit 3 Wre
16 October 2017
Recent Sightings 16th October 2017
Severe weather warnings - unfortunately we have had to close the reserve for safety reasons. However, the following sightings were recorded today at Castle Espie: Estuary – visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory Brent Geese ~100
16 October 2017
Today's sightings
Rushy Hide 2 Ruff, Redshank and a Black-tailed Godwit on the lower pond, 2 Little Grebe, the hybrid male Wigeon with a female Eurasian Wigeon. Tack Piece 400 Teal, 30 Wigeon, Snipe and a Ruff on the scrape. Holden Tower Red-breasted Goose flew to the Seve
16 October 2017
Wildlife sightings for 16th October 2017
1 Great White Egret - main lake 12:00-12:20 2 Pintail - main lake 3 Snipe - grazing marsh 3 Water Rail - sheltered lagoon, main lake, reedbed 1 Grey Wagtail - courtyard 1 Willow Warbler - South route September/October bird highlights: Common Sand
16 October 2017
Two Dowitchers...
Top day for visitors with a great deal of goose action coming and going throughout the day and very mild too. Good numbers of Pink-footed Geese with around 10,000 in the vicinity and a couple of Barnacle Geese with them. P
15 October 2017
Sightings Sunday 15th October
Bright start to the day, but clouding over. All hides and Summer walk are open. Sightings so far today: Crane (3 Nelson-lyle hide) Mute swan Whooper swan Greylag goose Canada goose Shoveler Teal Wigeon Coot Moorhen Great white egret Grey Heron Little egre
15 October 2017
Wildlife sightings for 15th October 2017
5 Snipe - grazing marsh, wader scrape 1 Kingfisher - wildside 8 Meadow Pipit - flew over S, SW 4 Redwing - flew over S 7 Siskin - entrance area and flew over SW 1 Water Rail - sheltered lagoon September/October bird highlights: Common Sandpiper,
15 October 2017
Latest Sightings
The Long-billed Dowitcher was present on site until ~9.45am when it must have flown off as it was relocated back on the Ribble on Bank's Marsh around 11am before flying back onto the reserve mid afternoon. Little Stint, Dunlin, 70+ Ruff, 20+ Snipe and 700
14 October 2017