Recent Sightings 22nd January 2024
After Storm Isha on Sunday night, the count on Monday morning seemed more like a roll call to see which birds hadn’t been blown away in the wind! Luckily, lots of our favourite visitors to the reserve managed to brave the stormy weather and hunker down on our water bodies for safety.
The Main Lake hosted not only a great variety of little passerines at the Bird Feeders, but also a pair of Northern shovelers amongst our other usual dabbling duck species. Shovelers (pictured) are so-called for the extraordinary, and unmistakable, shape of their bill. Their shovel-shaped beak allows them to efficiently sift through silt, filtering out small invertebrates and plant matter to eat.
The Peninsula Saltmarsh and Field at the far end of the reserve provided shelter and roosting spots for Light-bellied brent geese and Curlew, making use of the shallow pools and high ground as the choppy tide came in. A flock of Starlings also joined them, sticking close together in the wind and searching for food beside the silty saltmarsh.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Shelduck 5, Redshank 2, Oystercatcher 156, Grey plover 4, Curlew 1, Common gull 1, Black-headed gull 2, Greenshank 4, Eider 50, Hooded crow 2, Turnstone 18, Dunlin ~10
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Teal 56, Mallard 168, Gadwall 16, Tufted duck 12, Moorhen 3, Shoveler 2, Coal tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Wood pigeon Chaffinch, Bullfinch
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Moorhen 8, Teal 49, Mallard 30, Gadwall 14, Grey heron 1, Cormorant 3
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Teal 66, Moorhen 4, Black-headed gull 1, Red-breasted merganser 2
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Moorhen 4, Mallard 2, Teal 7
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little grebe 3
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Light-bellied brent goose 28, Starling ~150, Redshank 1, Hooded crow 1
Peninsula Field
Curlew 36, Oystercatcher 2
Brickworks
Jackdaw, Blackbird, Robin
