Recent Sightings - 16th March 2020
One of our favourite spring features is the roosting Black-tail Godwits. During high tides, the roost together on our marshes and shingle bank in big flocks together. Our biggest count this week was a mixed flock of c.250 Black-tailed godwit and c.100 Knot on our wadermarsh and shingle bank.
Among the black-tail godwit flock there is a few bolder individuals! Godwit like to feed on the mudflats of the lough and the fields, looking for invertebrates, primarily worms. most of these birds a shy and easily disturbed so tend to feed out on the Lough in out in the middle of our habitats. A few individuals however are very bold and can be seen feeding along the edges of paths in the Freshwater Lagoon! They are taking advantage of a food source the rest of the flock are missing and allow visitors to get really close views of these birds.
Keep an eye out in the Freshwater Lagoon for these birds. Some are even developing the rusty reds of their breeding plumage; a real treat!
Count taken Low tide.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Brent Geese 1, Shelduck 7, Redshank 24, Black-tailed Godwit 5, Oystercatcher 2, Little Egret 1, Black-headed Gull 3,
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 17, Tufted duck 16, Teal 34, Greylag goose 1, Moorhen 1, Coot 1, Black-headed Gull 5, Lesser Black-backed Gull 1, Little Egret 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Cormorant 1, Black-headed Gull 61
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal 7, Black-tailed godwit 6, Redshank 5, black-headed Gull 21
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannog
Tufted duck 6, Mallard 7, Teal 5, Coot 2, Moorhen 6, Redshank 6, Black-tailed Godwit 4, Black-headed Gulls 105
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Black-headed Gull 19, Mall 3, Redshank 2
Brickworks
Jackdaw 12, Mistle Thrush 1
Peninsula Field and Marsh
Black-headed Gulls 3, Redshank1
Woodland
Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blue tit, Great tit, Long-tailed tit, Goldcrest, Woodpigeon, Hooded Crow,
