Recent Sightings - 17th February 2020
The storms and heavy rain over these past two weeks have been perfect timed for our Puddle Jumping competition, which runs over this half term week. All the puddles are great fun for us to splash around in, but they are also great for the wildlife on the reserve! Mistle and Song Thrushes are abundant, gobbling up all the earthworms that are enjoying all the mud. Out in the Peninsula field it's so wet, a whole new pond has emerged!
Over the last week, as the Peninsula field is becoming more sodden, its attracting more and more wading birds at high tide. When the water has covered the mudflats on the estuary, wading birds are moving into the field to feed! The wet ground is perfect for looking for worms and other invertebrates. This morning there was a mixed flock of Curlew and Black-tailed Godwits. During week we had huge numbers in the field; c.70 Curlew and c.450 Black-tailed Godwits!
The Peninsula field is managed to support a rich diversity of wildflowers and insects in the summer. It's great to see wading birds taking advantage of all the wet weather to gorge themselves on this rich habitat.
Are they here on your visit? You can view the Peninsula field from the lookout and the Limekiln observatory, where there is even a big set of binoculars to help you look for Curlew and Godwit!
Count taken High-tide.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Brent Geese 39, Shelduck 106, Curlew 10, Redshank 52, Black-tailed 3, Oystercatcher 5, Lesser Black-back Gull 3, Heron 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 75, Tufted duck 11, Oystercatcher 1, Moorhen 2, Teal 43, Gadwall 7
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Black-headed Gull 28, Cormorant 2, Moorhen 2, Teal 17, Gadwall 5
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Gadwall 15, Mallard 4, Teal 11, Greenshank 1, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Curlew 1, Moorhen 3, Coot 3, Heron 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannog
Tufted duck 7, Mallard 4, Coot 2, Moorhen 3, Mistle Thrush 2, Song Thrush 4
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 1, Greenshank 1, Little Egret 1
Peninsula field and marsh
Curlew 28, Black-tailed godwit 21, Redshank 1, Oystercatcher 6, Black-headed Gull 3, Meadow Pipit 2
Brickworks
Mistle thrush 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Long-tailed tit, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Sparrowhawk
