News
Thank you to our amazing Steart volunteers!
On Tuesday we had our Christmas outing to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for all their time and hard work. Calculations show that over the past year our 52 volunteers have clocked up a remarkable 6984 hours between them! That is the equivalent of
18 December 2018
Bittern & Pintail on the main lake
Bittern by Maria Z. (2) 1 Bittern - main lake (North shore) 1 Shelduck - wader scrape 2 Pintail - main lake 1 Water Pipit - wader scrape 2 Meadow Pipit - flew over heading West December bird highlights: Shelduck, Gold
18 December 2018
Today's sightings
There is still a bit of a chill in the air but things are definitely a bit warmer than of late. A couple of new Bewick's Swans were on the Rushy this morning with at least 82 birds on the reserve today in total. Don't forget to check out our Wild Winter
17 December 2018
Bullfinches brighten up December days
Beautiful male bullfinch eating seeds from leftover summer blackberries near the Wildlife Garden. Pic: Romney Turner A snapshot of sightings from our wardens around the site. (List does not include common garden bird
17 December 2018
Recent Sightings €- 17th December 2018
Count taken at Mid-tide this morning. Keep your eyes peeled around the reserve for a very elusive and colourful little duck, the Eurasian Teal. Lots of Teal have been seen on sight of late, mainly roosting overnight but some are staying all day on both
17 December 2018
Today's sightings
Crane - 14 Lady Fen and arable land beyond White-fronted goose - 2 Tundra bean goose - 5 Great white egret - 1 Mute swan Whooper swan Bewick’s swan Greylag goose Canada goose Egyptian goose Barnacle goose Shoveler Mallard Pochard Gadwall Pintail Teal Wi
17 December 2018
Wildlife sightings - 17/12/18
a.m. Tide Level: High Wader Lake Water rail - 2 Snipe 1 Shelduck 11 Redshank 6 Herring gull 1 Black-headed gull 8 Teal 10 Saline Lagoon Redshank 2 Curlew 3 Hawthorn Wood Nuthatch 1 Great-spotted woodpecker 1 Jay 1 Coal tit 2 Blue tit 4 Robin 3 Bullfinch 2
17 December 2018
Water Pipit and Jack Snipe on the wader scrape
Jack Snipe (c) S Petrek 2 Goosander - flew over NW 1 Jack Snipe - scrape 3 Bittern - main lake 1 Water Pipit - scrape 4 Siskin - wildside December bird highlights: Shelduck, Goldeneye, Goosander, Bittern, Grea
17 December 2018
Latest Sightings
After Saturday's brutal rain swept chill Sunday started in sunshine and light winds. A few small groups of Pink-footed Geese coming onto the reserve today. These are always worth looking through as locally a few European White-fronted Geese have recently
16 December 2018
A good day for Water Rails
South Lake The Discovery Hide is a good place to catch up with a variety of gull species although Great Black-backed Gull (pictured with fish remains) isn't too regular a visitor, this species is often found on the Top New Piece or Dumbles or on the Sev
16 December 2018
Today's sightings
Mute swan Whooper swan Bewick's swan Greylag goose Pink-footed goose Barnacle goose Canada goose Egyptian goose Bean goose (Taiga) x5 Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Pochard Gadwall Pintail Tufted duck Teal Wigeon Moorhen Cormorant White stork Grey heron Crane
16 December 2018
Pair of Black-tailed Godwit dropped into the wader scrape
2 Black-tailed Godwit - flew on to scrape from the river a.m. 1 Jack Snipe - main lake island 21 1 Little Owl - entrance bank a.m. 2 Bittern - main lake N+S shores 2 Marsh Harrier - flew high over the wildside 1200hrs 6 Fieldfare - sheltered lagoon 1 Wat
16 December 2018
More Bewick`s and Whitefront`s
Rushy A steady arrival of new Bewick`s Swans over the past two days and again last night. At least 82 on site including a new family with one youngster. Still some lingering ice so top pond very busy with Tufted Duck 210, Pochard 21, Pintail 51 and Teal 9
15 December 2018
Today's sightings
Whooper swan Mute swan Greylag Canada goose Barnacle goose Bean goose (Taiga) x 5 Pink-footed goose Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Gadwall Wigeon Teal Pochard Tufted duck Little grebe Cormorant Coot Moorhen White stork (last sighting at the main observatory) G
15 December 2018
Whistling Wigeon
93 Wigeon - wader scrape 2 Shelduck - wader scrape 5 Pintail - main lake, sheltered lagoon, marsh 7 Fieldfare - wader scrape bank 1 Peregrine - perched on hospital 1 Water Pipit - wader scrape 1 Kestrel December bird highlights: Shelduck, Goldeneye, Bitt
15 December 2018