News
A cooler day
Male Ruff on the South Lake We may now have eleven males and the adult reeve on site. Rushy Hide One of the Avocet families (family of 4) has moved out to the estuary but the other five families remain. Tufted Duck broods are easy to see on the top pond
17 July 2018
Today's sightings
Mute swan Whooper swan (+2 cygnets) Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Teal Coot Moorhen Grey heron Little egret Oystercatcher Black-tailed godwit Ruff Greenshank Redshank Avocet Little-ringed plover Lapwing Common tern Black-headed gull Starling House martin Swal
17 July 2018
Recent Sightings (14th-17th July)
British Steel Hide A nice set of high tides during the past couple of mornings have pushed good numbers of birds up onto the saline lagoons. An adult Spotted Redshank was joined by 52 Greenshank, 620 Curlew, 9 Whimbrel, 7 Dunlin, 119 Redshank and c.40
17 July 2018
Wildlife sightings for 17th July 2018
4 Common Tern - main lake, reservoir lagoon 1 Little Egret - wader scrape 1 Kingfisher - main lake 30+ Swift - main lake, grazing marsh, reservoir lagoon 3 Swallow - reservoir lagoon 1 Hobby - sheltered lagoon Please note there will be essential ma
17 July 2018
Wildlife Sightings - 17/07/18
Wader Lake Time/AM Tide/High Avocet - 33 (18 adult, 11 juvenile & 3 chicks) Common Sandpiper - 1 Little Ringed Plover - 1 Shelduck - 2 Common Tern - 61+ Teal - 2 Pied Wagtail - 3 Saline Lagoon Little Egret - 1 Lapwing - 11 Herri
17 July 2018
Cranes here to stay, new model predicts
The UK’s tallest bird – the common crane – is here to stay and we could have as many as 275 breeding pairs within 50 years, according to the latest population model from scientists at the University of Exeter, WWT and RSPB published in Animal Conser
17 July 2018
Butterflies out in force this week
Common Blue in the Butterfly Garden near the lapwing hide. Nature Notes with Reserve Manager Paul Stevens Summer hatching butterflies are out on force – we are seeing lots of peacocks, red admirals and brimstones on
16 July 2018
WeBS count (Wetland Bird Survey) and other sightings
Shelduck productivity is looking good. At least 83 fledged or older fluffy young have ben counted, it's more likely to be over 100 young on the reserve this season. The Rushy Pen flock is very impressive, a single pair are looking after 31 ducklings from
16 July 2018
Today's Highlights
Spoonbill-2 at Friends hide Grey heron Great egret Little egret Redshank Lapwing Oystercatcher Avocet Moorhen Coot Black-tailed godwit Shelduck Mallard Shoveler Greylag goose Mute swan Whooper swan Swallow House martin Jackdaw Rook Stock dove Goldfinch Tr
16 July 2018
Recent Sightings €- 16th July 2018
The following sightings were recorded today at Low tide from the reserve at Castle Espie. It's safe to say the Black-headed gulls have finished nesting now; their numbers have dropped way off and the birds are spending more time away from Castle Espie. Ho
16 July 2018
Wildlife sightings - 16/07/18
a.m. Tide Level: High Wader Lake Common sandpiper 1 Lapwing 21 Avocet 29 (12 ad + 17 juveniles) Greylag 1 Pied wagtail 4 Redshank 21 Grey heron 6 (juv) Little ringed plover 4 (2 ad + 2 chicks) Saline Lagoon (flooded) Lapwing 11 Hawthorn Wood Nuthatch 1 Wi
16 July 2018
Wildlife sightings for 16th July 2018
2 Greenshank - main lake 5 Little Egret - wader scrape 2 Redshank - wader scrape 12 Teal - wader scrape, main lake, reservoir lagoon 5 Common Tern - main lake, reservoir lagoon 4 Shoveler - wader scrape 1 Chiffchaff - sheltered lagoon Pochard brood of
16 July 2018
Monitoring Plant Changes Over Time
In 2015, as part of a monitoring programme funded by the Environment Agency, areas of the reserve within the 3 main wetland habitats, freshwater, brackish and saltwater were surveyed for the plants that were present. Known as the National Vegetation Class
16 July 2018
Kestrel thriving after 10 year hiatus
Kestrel juveniles by Ian Hamilton Kestrel are thriving at Washington Wetland Centre for the first time in more than a decade, thanks to funding to improve key meadow habitat. The Making Meadows project was awar
15 July 2018
Wildlife sightings - 15/07/2018
Wader Lake (AM, high tide): Avocet 10 adults plus broods of 2, 3, 3, 2, 4, 2 and 3 Stock dove (outside kestrel box) 1 Grey heron 9 (2 adults and 7 juveniles) Little ringed plover 4 (2 adults and 2 chicks) Lapwing 29 Redshank 13 Curlew 2 Mallard 10 Shelduc
15 July 2018