Recent Sightings 20th September 2022

20 September 2022

This morning’s sightings were accompanied by the beautiful and calming sounds of Brent geese calling to one another out on the Estuary. With well over a thousand birds now feeding out on Strangford Lough, and hopefully more still to come, they’re hard to miss from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory. If you look closely, you can spot distinctive family groups amongst the geese, with the juveniles sporting white stripes along their sides.

We also had a Pink-footed goose (pictured) grazing alongside the Greylag on the Shingle Bank today. At first glance, these little geese are hard to tell apart from the Greylag as they’re a similar shape and colour. However, Pink-footed geese are slightly smaller than Greylag, they have a darker beak and are more brown in appearance than grey. They also have very bright and, unsurprisingly, pink feet! They’re not common visitors to Castle Espie, so see if you can spot our guest from the Brent Hide or from the Collection.

Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory

Brent goose 1537, Widgeon 9, Teal 5, Mute swan 1, Redshank 2, Curlew 213, Grey heron 2, Oystercatcher 247, Cormorant 6, Eider 4, Black-headed gull 28, Common gull 2, Great crested grebe 1

Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre

Mallard 141, Widgeon 2, Greylag goose 101, Little egret 1, Cormorant 1, Mute swan 2, Teal 51, Tufted duck 5, Moorhen 5, Oystercatcher 3, Black-headed gull 4, Jackdaw 3, Kingfisher 1, Little grebe 2, Woodpigeon 2, Redshank 1

Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre

Greylag goose 19, Black-tailed godwit 2, Jackdaw 8, Oystercatcher 24, Black-headed gull 22, Mallard 6, Moorhen 1, Pink-footed goose 1

Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide

Little egret 3, Black-headed gull 2, Woodpigeon 1

Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg

Moorhen 2, Mute swan 3, Coot 2, Teal 12, Mallard 4

Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory

Little grebe 9, Little egret 1, Kingfisher 1

Brickworks

Jackdaw 3

Limestone Lake

Peninsula Saltmarsh