Recent Sightings 21st August 2023

21 August 2023

Warm, bright weather on the Reserve today, with sun bursting out from the occasional cloud to light up the metallic feathers of the Kingfishers (pictured), as a pair of them sped over the Main Lake. Kingfishers are fast, your best shot at seeing one is to wait patiently in a hide within sight of a perch. The Garden Hide in the Sensory Garden is a great place to look out over the Main Lake and catch a glimpse of one of these skillful, colourful fishers. You’ll likely see it on bright, sunny, still days – when the surface is calm and visibility through the water is good.

A small group of Wigeon were also on the Main Lake, amongst the large numbers of Mallard and Greylag geese. Wigeon are winter visitors, arriving from now onwards. The males have a distinctive pale band along the top of their head, and a blue and black bill. They’re dabbling ducks, and gather on wet grasslands and floodplains to feed on aquatic and terrestrial plants, seeds and stems.

Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory

Redshank 1, Greenshank 1, Black-headed gull 34, Common gull 6, Herring gull 3, Lesser black-backed gull 3, Little egret 3, Hooded crow 5, Curlew 7, Oystercatcher 7

Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre

Mute swan 2, Greylag goose 26, Little egret 5, Mallard 118, Tufted duck 4, Coot 4, Gadwall 2, Little grebe 3, Wigeon 9, Shoveler 2, Teal 6, Grey heron 2, Kingfisher 2

Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre

Greylag goose 36, Mallard 26, Moorhen 2, Jackdaw 2

Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide

Moorhen 4 (2 chicks), Swallow 3, Jackdaw 2, Black-headed gull 1, Teal 17

Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg

Moorhen 2, Mallard 10, Gadwall 2, Wood pigeon, Wren

Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory

Little grebe 4, Mallard 2, Blackbird, Swallow

Peninsula Saltmarsh

Shelduck 5, Mallard 2, Teal 3

Brickworks

Jackdaw 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Lapwing 1 (flying over)