News
Spotted Redshank new for the year
A day without rain made for pleasant birding on and around the reserve today. Perhaps it was last nights weather that dropped in a mostly moulted adult Spotted Redshank that was present on Vinson's Marsh this morning. Spot
9 August 2017
Experience the Spectacle of Severn Waders at Slimbridge this September
WWT Slimbridge are joining forces with shorebird conservation specialists, Wader Quest to celebrate and spread the word of enigmatic wading birds on the River Severn, with the first ever Severn Wader Festival. On Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September the exp
9 August 2017
Wildlife sightings for 9th August 2018
10 Shoveler - main lake, wader scrape 2 Shelduck juvs - main lake 1 Turnstone - main lake p.m. 1 Knot - main lake p.m. 6 Snipe - wader scrape, main lake, marsh 23 Teal - main lake, sheltered lagoon, marsh 2 Chiffchaff - South route 1 Peregrine - perch
9 August 2017
Latest Sightings - 9th August
A sunny start to the day, which makes it great for watching butterflies and dragonflies in the meadow. An Osprey has just been seen flying over the reserve, and there appears to be a Goshawk kill in the Avenue. A large Woodpigeon has been killed and eaten
9 August 2017
Recent Sightings
British Steel Hide Black-tailed Godwit 16 Bullfinch 4 Buzzard 2 Cattle Egret 1 Cormorant 6 Curlew c.500 Dunlin 4 Greenshank 11 Grey Heron 1 Herring Gull1 Lapwing 31 Lesser Black-backed Gull 62 Little Egret Mute Swan 2 Redshank 122 Sand Martin 1 Shelduck
8 August 2017
Getting Otter
Sighting of the day goes to an Otter seen swiming down Lanley's Brook past the Ron Barker Hide heading into the reserve. We had sighings last year from the Harrier Hide so keep your eye's peeled. More showery weather and a continued turnover of waders in
8 August 2017
WWT's 'universal duck mum' Phoebe Vaughan tells us about life as an aviculturist
Birds at risk of extinction are being bred in special conservation programmes around the world thanks, in part, to experience and skills gained by aviculturists at Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) centres in the UK. Phoebe Vaughan is one such avicultur
8 August 2017
Sand martin nest, kingfishers return & martins on the move
Sand martins checking out nest holes in the sand martin hide in previous years. This is the weekly wildlife sightings blog by Reserve Manager Paul Stevens. When sand martins began to check out the holes in our artific
8 August 2017
Wildlife sightings for 8th August 2018
1 Common Sandpiper - grazing marsh 3 Snipe - grazing marsh, wader scrape 20 Teal - main lake, sheltered lagoon, grazing marsh 5 Chiffchaff - sheltered lagoon, wader scrape bank 3 Blackcap - sheltered lagoon 1 Peregrine - hunting over grazing marsh 1 Kestr
8 August 2017
Today's Highlights
Wheatear-female at Friends hide Cranes x 4 Avocet Black-tailed godwit Snipe Redshank Lapwing Dunlin Green sandpiper Common sandpiper Coot Moorhen Little egret Kingfisher Cormorant Hobby Kestrel Marsh harrier Sparrowhawk Gadwall Shoveler Shelduck Wigeon Po
7 August 2017
Dunlin increase
Top New Piece from Zeiss Hide Dunlin numbers have increased dramatically in the last couple of days, lots of juveniles are present with the moulting adults, the flock displays a variety of sizes, bill lengths and stage of moult making interesting viewing
7 August 2017
Recent Sightings – 7th August
The following sightings were recorded today from the reserve at Castle Espie. The weather has been mixed lately but there has been some interesting sightings of birds of prey recently, including Kestrel, Peregrine, Sparrow hawk and Osprey. Estuary - visib
7 August 2017
Wildlife sightings - 07/08/17
a.m. Tide Level: Low Wader Lake Swallow 4 Sparrowhawk 1 Avocet 4 Shoveler 1 Grey heron 6 Gadwall 4 Common tern 5 Lapwing 24 Little ringed plover 2 *Bird numbers low due to low tide and hunting sparrowhawk* Saline Lagoon Kingfisher (in reedbed pool) Lapwin
7 August 2017
Wildlife sightings for 7th August 2017
3 Little Egret - grazing marsh 1 Kingfisher - wader scrape 1 Peregrine - perched on the hospital 12 Teal - main lake, wader scrape 2 Willow Warbler - South route, wildside 2 Chiffchaff - South route, wildside Additional sightings from yesterday:
7 August 2017
Water Shrew seen on safari
Landrover Safaris A good day with a Water Shrew showing on both outings, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and Sparrowhawk made it a rewarding trip for raptor sightings. Two Grass Snakes were also seen with Curlew, Shelduck, Sanderling, Dunlin and
6 August 2017