Recent Sightings - 19th July 2021
Our lakes and lagoons may seem empty in the absence of the gulls, but keep your eyes peeled around the edges, especially on the islands: Kingfishers are being seen regularly around all the water bodies, Little Egrets are starting to return to their usual fishing spots, Sedge Warblers are in full song on the Crannog and most excitingly, a Common Sandpiper was spotted on the Saline Lagoon Islands.
Common Sandpipers are small waders, with a green/brown back, white belly and green/yellow legs. Common Sandpipers breed in our uplands along rivers and streams. In the winter they migrate to southern Europe and northern Africa. At this time of year, birds that have finished breeding, come down from their breeding spots and feed up on and near estuaries, coastal lagoons or coves. Sandpipers will be looking for insects on the rocky shores of our islands, safe from ground predators. Watch out from their distinctive behaviour called "teetering", where bob up and down, as they move round the islands. Last year we had a number of Sandpipers using our lagoons, even a North American Vagrant called Spotted Sandpiper! Common Sandpipers, despite the name, are not an abundant species in the UK and Ireland, and although we get them regularly in the summer at Castle Espie, we only see a maximum of 5 or 6 every year.
Sightings from High Tide on Monday Morning.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Eider 7 + 6 chicks
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 17, Mute swan 1, Coot 1, Heron 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 20, Black-headed gull 96, Common Gull 21, Greylag goose 8, Oystercatcher 194
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed gull 117, Shelduck 1, Common Gull 3, Oystercatcher 268, Jackdaw 4, Mallard 2
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 6, Coot 2, Mute Swan 2, Swallow 10, Sedge warbler 4
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Egret 1, Little Grebe 2, Black-headed Gull 1, Common Sandpiper 1
Brickworks
Goldfinch 3
Limestone Lake
Moorhen 1
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Little Egret 3, Black-headed Gull 1
Peninsula Field
Meadow Pipit 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Robin, Blue tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Wood pigeon, Magpie, Hooded crow
