Recent Sightings - 17th May 2020
The following sightings were recorded yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie at High Tide. The gull colony at the Freshwater lagoon are starting to peak with many of the eggs hatched and the first chicks visible. Oystercatcher continue to roost on the shingle bank at high tide, while the Godwit in the Freshwater lagoon are much reduced but still a few dozen around. A small group of Dunlin and redshank have been spotted consistently at the Saline Lagoon and together with the gulls, terns, egrets and cormorant this habitat is quite ‘busy’ presently. The swallows are back nesting in the round house and there are a few nests of Meadow pipits at the peninsula field and saltmarsh and they are busy feeding their hungry chicks. The wood white has also been spotted again at on the edge of the Brickworks. The habitat in this area contains an abundance of its food plant, which helps this butterfly thrive.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Black-headed gull 2, Lesser black-backed gull 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Shelduck 2, Greylag goose 2 (+6 goslings), Tufted duck 5, Mallard 6, Little grebe 1, Black-headed gull 103, Gadwall 2, Coot 3, Lesser black-backed gull 1, Swallow 4
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Oystercatcher 271, Black-headed gull 45, Cormorant 2, Tufted duck 2, Mute swan 1, Mallard 7, Lesser black-backed gull 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed gull 1, Shelduck 2
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Black-headed gull 276, Black-tailed godwit 1, Mallard 4, Moorhen 2, Greylag goose 2, Gadwall 2, Shoveler 2, Tufted duck 2, Sandwich tern 1, Coot 2, Swallow 2
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Black-headed gull 67, Redshank 6, Dunlin 10, Common tern 6, Cormorant 1, Little egret 3
Brickworks
Song thrush 1, Dunnock 1, Wren 1, Jackdaw 2
Limestone Lake
Little grebe 1, Grey heron 1, Moorhen 1
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Shelduck 2, Meadow pipit 2, Black-headed gull 1
Peninsula Field
Meadow pipit 2
Woodland
Blackbird, Sparrow hawk, Wren, Grey crow, Magpie, Chaffinch, Robin, Blue tit, Bullfinch, Great tit, Coal tit, Wood pigeon, Raven, Blackcap, Goldfinch, Pheasant
Other
A wood white butterfly was found near the Brickworks
