Recent Sightings 14th August 2023
A Whitethroat (pictured) was spotted around the Wadermarsh on Monday morning, along with a nice variety of other passerines flitting between hedgerows just outside the Brent Hide. Whitethroats are summer visitors here, arriving from April and staying until as late as October. Both male and female have a distinctive white throat, with the male sporting a pale grey plumage on his head. The males make nests first, which means they often arrive in the UK before their counterparts, and then the females arrive and choose a partner based on his construction skills!
A large group of Red-breasted merganser were out diving for fish on the waters of Strangford Lough, utilizing their specialized serrated bills to catch and hold onto aquatic prey. They are resident to this part of Northern Ireland, and can be seen all year round, but form much larger, more gregarious flocks during the autumn and winter months. They have striking, iridescent green feathers on their head – making them easy to distinguish from the similar Goosander.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Great-crested grebe 1, Redshank 14, Red-breasted merganser 14, Eider 150, Curlew 83, Dunlin ~20, Greater black-backed gull 1, Hooded crow 2, Common gull 4, Cormorant 41, Lesser black-backed gull 2, Herring gull 4, Oystercatcher 36, Little egret 16, Grey heron 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mute swan 2, Mallard 88, Little grebe 2, Teal 3, Tufted duck 6, Gadwall 4, Coot 5, Little egret 13, Shoveler 1, Kingfisher 2, Greylag goose 9, Swallow 2, Willow warbler 1, Wood pigeon 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Moorhen 4, Greylag goose 26, Oystercatcher 1, Mallard 36
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Whitethroat 1, Sedge warbler 1, Black-headed gull 1, Teal 2, Pied wagtail 1, Robin, Wren
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Moorhen 3, Mallard 12, Swallow 8, Gadwall 1, Blue tit 1
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little egret 2, Little grebe 4, Goldfinch 12, Swallow 3, Blackbird
Brickworks
Kingfisher 1, Goldfinch 14, Jackdaw 2, Wren
Limestone Lake
Kingfisher 1, Mallard 1, Moorhen 1, Blackbird, Blue tit, Wood pigeon
Woodland
Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Long-tailed tit, Goldcrest, Robin, Chaffinch, Wood pigeon, Blackbird, Bullfinch
