News
Murky day, new arrivals
Bottom New Piece/Kingfisher Hide Two adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese were early for the season, no doubt disorientated by the poor weather. The adult Red-breasted Goose was also present among the Barnacle Goose flock. Top New Piece/Zeiss Hide Highlights to
25 September 2017
Today's Highlights
Cranes x 30 at Lyle hide Grey heron Common snipe Lapwing Golden plover Greenshank Ruff x 24-Main Obs Little stint-Friends hide Green sandpiper Wigeon Teal Shoveler Gadwall Mallard Greylag Whooper swans x 10 arrived at Main Observatory Meadow pipit Tree s
25 September 2017
Recent Sightings 25th September 2017
The following sightings were recorded today at low tide from the reserve at Castle Espie. A clear day once the mist lifted, revealed a large number of Brent geese on the Lough. Autumn is definitely coming but there are still some signs summer is hold
25 September 2017
Wildlife sightings - 25/09/17
a.m. Tide Level: High Wader Lake Shoveler 3 Eurasian teal 54 Black-tailed godwit 12 Common snipe 6 Redshank 63 Lapwing 101 Curlew 1 Black-headed gull 90 Shelduck 2 Dunlin 1 Saline Lagoon Grey heron 1 Wigeon 4 Eurasian teal 11 Hawthorn Wood Nuthatch 2 Coal
25 September 2017
Wildlife sightings for 25th September 2017
1 Redshank - wader scrape 1 Wheatear - wader scrape 1 Stonechat - grazing marsh 16 Snipe - grazing marsh, main lake 38 Wigeon - main lake 65 Pochard - reservoir lagoon, main lake 2 Black Swan - main lake, reservoir lagoon August bird highlights:
25 September 2017
Dolphin!
Middle Point Over the high tide a Common Dolphin was seen, this marine mammal was ranging from the breakwater and out into mid channel but spent much of the time just North of the viewpoint. At low tide small numbers of Dunlin and Ringed Plover fed on
24 September 2017
Sightings Sunday 24th September
Bright and Sunny start to the day and warming up so will be good for dragonflies: Sightings today: Whooper swan Gadwall Teal Tufted duck Shoveler Wigeon Grey heron Little egret Moorhen Black-tailed godwit Greenshank Lapwing Ruff Snipe Goldfinch Meadow pip
24 September 2017
Wildlife sightings for 24th September 2017
1 Wheatear - wader scrape 1 Kestrel - South route 1 Peregrine - hunting over the main lake 17 Wigeon - main lake 1 Yellow Wagtail - flew S 2 Black Swan - main lake August bird highlights: Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black-tailed God
24 September 2017
Weekend Sightings
Fairly benign weather conditions made for some pleasant birding over the weekend. The deep low in the North East Atlantic is blocking any major influxes of Pink-footed Geese at the moment although a recent count put numbers near 20,000. A very pale leucis
24 September 2017
Great Waders and a Black Tern
Rushy Pintail 1 Wigeon 4 Hybrid Wigeon 1 Male Teal 40 Gadwall 30 Little Stint 1 Redshank 2 Ruff 3 Lapwing 35 Little Grebe 2 South Lake Shoveler 120 Teal 76 Black Tailed Godwit 140 Ruff 3 Redshank 34 Spotted Redshank 1 Curlew Sandpiper 1 Snipe 3 Black Te
23 September 2017
Todays sightings
Greylag Canada goose Egyptian goose Mallard Shoveler Gadwall Teal Wigeon Moorhen Crane (x4) Black-tailed godwit Ruff Snipe Dunlin Water rail (heard only) Goldfinch Tree sparrow House sparrow Blue tit Robin Rook Kestrel Buzzard Marsh harrier Peregrine
23 September 2017
Wildlife sightings - 23/09/2017
Wader lake (AM, mid-tide): Black-headed gull 10 Wigeon 15 Redshank 12 Eurasian teal 10 Shoveler 1 Lapwing 22 Saline lagoon: Lesser black-backed gull 1 Wigeon 2 Eurasian teal 3 Hawthorn Wood feeding station: Great tit 2 Blue tit 4 Dunnock 1 C
23 September 2017
Reserve Update Saturday 23rd September
Our flock of 135 Barnacle Geese are once again in the Lochar Field, as seen from Avenue Tower. There are over 600 Pink-footed Geese along the Merse edge which make regular fights over the reserve to their inland feeding areas. Listen out for them flyi
23 September 2017
Wildlife sightings for 23rd September 2017
1 Cattle Egret - main lake shingle island nearest the Peacock Tower (0820hrs). Still present on main lake 'gull ridge' (1440hrs). 1 Little Egret - main lake, marsh 2 Stonechat - marsh fence (reedbed border) 2 Meadow Pipit - marsh bank 11 Chiffchaff 1 Whe
23 September 2017
Wood Sand & Little Gull
A few new birds today in the form of a cracking juvenile Wood Sandpiper which appeared over the Mere early morning calling and then spent the rest of the day being very mobile around the site appearing to have freshly arrived. Also late afternoon a 3rd ca
22 September 2017