Recent Sightings - 27th July 2020
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie during high-tide. A very wet and then windy start to the week with a yearly high of Oystercatcher numbers on the Shingle bank yesterday. Early morning a total of 845 birds were roosting the length of the shingle bank, with birds on the islands in the Wadermarsh and even a dozen birds in the Collection area. A combination of spring tides and inclement weather can bring these birds into the sanctuary of the Castle Espie reserve to escape the harsh conditions. The common sandpiper is still present on the reserve and can be most often seen on the islands in the Freshwater lagoon and on the edge of the Main lake.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Black-headed gull 2, Lesser black-backed gull 1, Jackdaw 2, Grey plover 1, Herring gull 1, Greenshank 2, Redshank 16, Dunlin 1, Curlew 7
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 38, Tufted duck 5, Little grebe 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Lesser black-backed gull 3, Black-headed gull 3, Mallard 22, Oystercatcher 845, Shelduck 7, Common gull 1, Shelduck 1, Coot 2
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed gull 23, Mallard 18, Oystercatcher 17, Coot 2, Grey plover 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Grey heron 2, Swallow 4, Mallard 13, Coot 2, , Tufted duck 1, Moorhen 2
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Shelduck 6, Common tern 9,
Brickworks
Goldfinch 4
Limestone Lake
Sedge warbler 1
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Black-headed gull 1
Peninsula Field
Meadow pipit 3
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Chaffinch, Robin, Great tit, Wood pigeon, Goldcrest
Other
A banded demoiselle was spotted in the Swamp. This insect is usually associated with slow moving rivers and not a regular on our species list. Look out for the striking metallic colours when struck by the sun.
