Recent sightings

Reserve Greenshank and redshank are becoming more regular on the Wader marsh with oystercatcher and lapwing  beginning to use the Peninsular salt marsh from December  5th.  A pair o [...]

Reserve

Greenshank and redshank are becoming more regular on the Wader marsh with oystercatcher and lapwing  beginning to use the Peninsular salt marsh from December  5^th.  A pair of red-breasted mergansers have taken up residency on the Saline lagoon and have been seen daily since Dec 4^th along with up to four little grebes.   Wildfowl in the Main lake this week include 250-300 mallard, 25-30 tufted duck, 3  pintail, 15 gadwall and occasional teal.  There is normally a little egret feeding or roosting on each lake and our kingfisher is still around having been seen on Dec 12^th flying across the front of the visitor centre.

Refuge

 Large flocks of up to 400 black-tailed godwit, 150 bar-tailed godwit and 1500 knot have been regularly seen from the Limekiln Observatory over the last week.  Almost 500 oystercatcher have begun to roost at the end of Castle Espie pier in good view of the Brent hide.  A wildfowl count on Dec 11^th recorded 610 teal, 58 shoveler, 79 wigeon 2 goldeneye, 170 light-bellied brent and 84 whooper swans on the estuary.   The wader count on the same date recorded 590 lapwing, 277 curlew, 128 redshank, 15 greenshank, 28 turnstone, 3 grey plover and one ruff.

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