Recent Sightings - 26th August 2019
Now that we are coming to the end of August many of the wildflowers in the Brickworks are going to seed. Once flowers are pollinated their beautiful petals fade, fall off and seeds begin to form. This is vital for the return of the flowers in the spring of next year, but it is also a wonderful natural resource for many bird species.
Late in the afternoon, amongst the Jackdaws and Woodpigeons, Goldfinch are gathering in small flocks of around 20- 30 birds and are moving through the wildflower meadows. These finches are specialist seed eaters and love the feeding on the seed heads of wildflowers. Watch out for them as you walk through our grasslands. Despite their bright colours they can often be hard to spot amongst the wildflowers. See if you can spot any young birds too! Goldfinches born this year are easy to spot, as they don't develop a full red mask until they've endured their first winter.
However the Brickworks still has some late blooming flowers showing; pale blue of the Field Scabious and the bright purple of the Knapweed flowers that have not yet gone to seed. These are great nectaring sources for insects especially butterflies. Peacocks and Painted ladies are still busy pollinating the last remaining flowering plants.
Count was taken at High tide this morning.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Gadwall 1, Curlew 26, Lesser Black-backed gull 2, Little Egret 8, Oystercatcher c.250
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 157, Tufted duck 8, Wigeon 1, Pintail 1, Gadwall 1, Teal 3, Goldeneye 1, Moorhen 1, Coot 4
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 52, Gadwall 2, Moorhen 2, Coot 2
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Jackdaw 2, Moorhen 8, Black-headed gull 2, Coot 2, Greenshank 2, Oystercatcher 3, Little Egret 2
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannog
Black-tailed Godwit 1, Tufted duck 3, Mallard 44, Moorhen 2, Teal 3, Swallow 5
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little Grebe 3,
Brickworks
Goldfinch 3
Limestone Lake
Tufted Duck 1
Peninsula field and Saltmarsh
Starling 1, Meadow pipit 5
Woodland
Blackbird, Song Thrush Wren, Dunnock, Magpie, Robin, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Wood pigeon,
Butterflies
Painted Lady, Peacock, Red admiral, Common Blue, Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Small White
