Recent Sightings 10th October 2023
Clear skies and warm sunshine over Strangford Lough this morning as the tide came in, and brought with it large numbers of Light-bellied brent geese and rafts of Eider up to the north of the lough. A couple of Curlew flew past the windows of the Brent Hide towards the pier, where a small group of Greenshank were roosting together along with Little egrets and Grey herons.
Teal (pictured) enjoy gathering in the Wadermarsh and Main Lake over the winter months, feeding together and flying in fast, tight flocks. Teal are our smallest dabbling duck, and are often seen in wetland areas, including inland at floodplains and ponds.
Groups of Long-tailed tits and Blue tits are singing away together down at the Swamp in the Woodland, flitting between willows and feeding together. These small passerines will often group together in the colder months to search for food and share warmth.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Light-bellied brent goose ~1000, Great-crested grebe 1, Eider 103, Black-headed gull 202, Curlew 2, Lesser black-backed gull 2, Common gull 15, Little egret 22, Grey heron 2, Herring gull 1, Greenshank 5, Oystercatcher 3, Red-breasted merganser 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 138, Tufted duck 6, Coot 3, Shoveler 1, Mute swan 2, Little egret 1, Little grebe 1, Greylag goose 6, Moorhen 1, Teal 22, Great tit, Dunnock
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Teal 32, Mallard 36, Cormorant 1, Moorhen 4, Little egret 1, Wood pigeon
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal ~60, Little egret 1, Moorhen 5
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Moorhen 3, Mallard 3
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little egret 1, Mallard 1, Blackbird, Little grebe 3
Brickworks
Lapwing 9 (flying over)
Limestone Lake
Cormorant 1, Moorhen 1, Wood pigeon 1
Woodland
Goldcrest, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit
