Recent Sightings - 16th September 2019
Brent numbers are building rapidly out on the Lough! There's so many that even at low tide, you can still hear in the distance, the mass of geese making their distinctive gronking calls. Yesterday, during our monthly wetland bird survey, c.2500 Brent geese were counted on the Lough areas managed by Castle Espie. There also seems to be many juveniles this year, which indicates that the Brent had a booming breeding season up in the Canadian Arctic!
This morning there were nearly 1000 out at the low tide line! The Brent will feed on the eel grass, just on the edge of the tide. The best time to see these birds this week will be about an hour and half before high tide, as the geese are pushed closest to shore and our bird hides.
Also out the reserve this week are some infrequent visitors; A young female Scaup, which is the equivalent of a Ocean-borne Tufted Duck. And a pair of Pink footed Geese were spotted amongst a large flock of Grelag geese.
Count was taken at Low tide this morning.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Oystercatcher 4, Greenshank 1, Curlew 2, Black-headed gull 13, Little Egret 1, Brent Geese c.900, Greylag goose c.50, Pink-footed geese 2, Lapwing 23
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 83, Tufted duck 8, Goldeneye 1, Moorhen 2, Coot 2, Little Grebe 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 36, Moorhen 4
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Moorhen 2, Mallard 2, Teal 13, Scaup 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannog
Mallard 23, Moorhen 3, Coot 1 Teal 1, Swallow 5
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 4,
Brickworks
Goldfinch c.20
Limestone Lake
Tufted duck 3, moorhen 1, Little Grebe 1
Peninsula field and Saltmarsh
Buzzard 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Magpie, Jackdaw, Robin, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Long-tailed tit, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Wood pigeon
Butterflies
Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Large White
