Recent Sightings - 11th November 2019
Once a month, the Reserve team at Castle Espie carry out a Wetland Bird survey (Webs Count) across the area of Strangford Lough that WWT monitor. This is a census of all birds present from mid to high tide, both the species and their numbers. This is carried out across the whole Lough, in conjunction with the National Trust and the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology). The entire Lough is surveyed once a month throughout the winter months.
The Strangford Lough, as a whole is internationally important for lots of wintering wetland bird species. Many species migrate thousands of miles to find refuge and food here for the winter. It's also used as an important stopping ground for migrating birds. Webs count are vitally important because they provide valuable data that enables scientists to produce long term trends, to assess how these species are doing in the long-term.
So this week, under the Estuary section, the Castle Espie Webs count areas have been included. So this is all the birds that were seen during the survey on Sunday morning (10/11/2019). Th other sections are from the normal weekly count carried out this morning.
Count taken at low tide.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory (Webs Count data only)
Mallard 155, Teal 223, Wigeon 627, Pintail 3, Shoveler 8, Shelduck 367,Red-breasted Merganser 3, Tufted Duck 10, Gadwall 31, Eider 72, Brent Geese 2,587, Mute Swan 7, Whooper Swan 10, Oystercatcher 827, Black-tailed Godwit 201, Redshank 540, Greenshank 9, Curlew 260, Dunlin 178, Turnstone 8, Lapwing 516, Grey Plover 7, Hooded Crow 2, Lesser Black-back gull 4, Herring Gull 4, Black-headed Gull 22,Common Gull 1, Heron 2, Little Egret 7, Great Crested Grebe 23, Little Grebe 7, Cormorant 2, Moorhen 14, Coot 2
Total birds 6,739. Total Species 34.
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard c.250, Tufted duck 11, Teal c.75, Gadwall 54, Shoveler 6, Pintail 1, Moorhen 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Teal 17, Shoveler 3, Greenshank 1 Cormorant 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal 24, Redshank 1, Moorhen 8, Little Egret 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannog
Mute Swan 1, Pintail 1
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 4
Limestone Lake
Cormorant 1, Mallard 1
Peninsula field and Saltmarsh
Redshank 1, Greenshank 1, Flock of 20 Skylark seen during the week
Woodland
Blackbird, Song Thrush, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Magpie, Woodpigeon
