Recent Sightings 20th Dec 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a rising tide. A fairly familiar sight around most of the north coast is the Eider duck with a resident population on Strangford Lough that swells during the winter with local birds and some from further afield flocking together on estuaries and coastal areas. The duck is fairly easy to recognize, particularly the male with its striking contrasting plumage and this stocky duck spends much of it time during the winter out on the water, rarely seen venturing onto the land. This species is comfortable in deeper water diving great distances in search of food, which includes mussels and other molluscs, as well as crustaceans.Interestingly, they will eat their ‘shelly’ food whole, and shells are crushed in their gizzard and then excreted. Generally seen in floating groups beyond the tide line, they are best viewed at high tide when they will be closest to the observational hides on the reserve. An amber listed species due to their wintering population, the Eider is still a familiar resident of Strangford Lough.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Eider 59, Shelduck 49, Redshank 3, Great-crested grebe 10, Red-breasted merganser, Goldeneye 6, Mute swan 1, Oystercatcher 123, Heron 1, Little egret 21, Greenshank 4, Lapwing 2, Curlew 2, Turnstone 1, Greater-black backed gull 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 172, Tufted duck 6, Teal 31, Moorhen 2, Black-headed gull 10, Jackdaw 2
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Common gull 2, Mallard 28, Black-headed gull 5, Teal 43, Gadwall 2, Moorhen 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal 25, Redshank 4, Moorhen 4, Black-headed gull 1, Little egret 1, Greenshank 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Coot 1
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little grebe 4, Moorhen 1, Redshank 2, Greenshank 1, Oystercatcher 1, Black-headed gull 2, Herring gull 1
Brickworks
Jackdaw 1
Limestone Lake
Little grebe 1
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Redshank 2, Curlew 1, Little egret 1
Peninsula Field
Jackdaw 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Great tit, Coal tit, Robin, Blue tit, Wood pigeon, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Magpie, Bullfinch
