Recent Sightings - 18th February 2019
Strangford Lough is an incredible rich place for lots of different wader species. One of our most frequent, abundant and visible visitors during the winter is the rather dainty Redshank.
Striking and diagnostic red legs make this a bird easily identified over distance. Although their dull grey bodies look devoid of any interesting features, on closer inspection, they have beautiful and delicate feathered patterns on their chest and flanks.
Strangford Lough hosts a significant portion of Ireland's wintering population. Here at Castle Espie they are easily seen from the Brent Hide, both out on the estuary and in our Wadermarsh. A handful of individuals are often foraging on the Wadermarsh throughout the day but many, sometimes hundreds, will roost here overnight. Many non-breeding birds stay throughout the summer months, but get out now to them in huge numbers before the seasons well and truly changes and these birds return to their summer breeding grounds.
Count Taken at Mid - High tide.
Estuary – visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Curlew 10, Black-tailed Godwit 4, Oystercatcher 23, Shelduck 48, Brent goose 32, Redshank 75, Greenshank 3
Main lake – visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Little Egret 3, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Teal 22, Gadwall 11, Shoveler 1, Tufted Duck 21, Mallard 121, Moorhen 3, Coot 2, Greylag goose 1
Shingle bank – visible from Sensory garden, Wadermarsh and Visitor Centre
Teal 28, Gadwall 1, Moorhen 2, Mallard 7, Black-headed Gull 11, Herring gull 1, Lesser Black-backed Gull 1, Oystercatcher 2
Wadermarsh – visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Moorhen 16, Oystercatcher 6, Redshank 3, Black-tailed Godwit 8, Curlew 1, Greenshank 2
Freshwater Lagoon – visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 5, Coot 2
Saline Lagoon – visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 1
Limestone Lake
Mute Swan 1
Peninsula Field and Saltmarsh
Redshank 1
Brickworks
Blackbird
Woodland
Hooded Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Jay, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Long-tailed tit, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock
