Recent Sightings - 18th January 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie at low tide. A pair of shoveler were spotted on the Freshwater lagoon. This duck is mainly a winter visitor and now breeds in only small numbers, having experienced a massive decline over the years. Strangford lough remains one of the best places to see this species, during the winter months. The male Shoveler has very distinctive plumage, with a bottle-green head, white breast, with red underside and belly. The distinctively large spatulate bill, wider at the tip than the base, is a key identification feature for this duck. The female like many duck species has drap, mottled brown plumage but the spatulate bill is a key identifying feature. They prefer shallow freshwater areas, with marginal vegetation, and they use their unusual bill to filter food from the water. Out on the Lough, there are large numbers of waders utilizing the estuary recently with good numbers of Grey and Golden plover spotted, as well as over 1,000 Dunlin.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Shelduck 57, Brent 8, Redshank 4, Oystercatcher 7, Black-headed gull 5, Curlew 1, Black-tailed godwit 5
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 124, Gadwall 1, Tufted duck 12, Coot 3, Teal 26, Goldeneye 1, Black-headed gull 7, Magpie 3, Moorhen 8
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Teal 41, Mallard 23, Gadwall 2
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Redshank 6, Curlew 1, Greenshank 2, Black-tailed godwit 2, Black-headed gull 3
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 13, Moorhen 2, Coot 1, Moorhen 2, Shoveler 2
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little grebe 2, Black-headed gull 1
Brickworks
Pied wagtail 1, Jackdaw 9
Limestone Lake
Moorhen 1
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Redshank 1, Black-headed gull 1
Peninsula Field
Skylark 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Robin, Blue tit, Wood pigeon, Great tit, Coal tit, Goldfinch, Magpie, Long-tailed tit, Song thrush, Mistle thrush, Hooded crow, Magpie
