Recent Sightings 27th March 2023
Blue skies and sunshine over the reserve this morning as birds of all kinds fill the skies, prospecting for nest sites and getting ready for breeding season. Small passerines are singing in the Woodland, early nesters such as Long tailed tits are busy gathering nesting materials and our bird boxes are being investigated by Great tits, Blue tits and Coal tits.
Goldfinches (pictured) can be seen around the Brickworks area, potentially scoping out nest sites within the thick gorse vegetation along the edge of the Saline Lagoon. These colourful finches tend to nest in hedges, shrubs and trees that provide dense coverage.
A solitary Snipe lifted from the back of the Wadermarsh, demonstrating their remarkable ability to be hidden completely out of sight amongst short vegetation, and flew out onto the Estuary. Most wading birds where down the Lough at the water’s edge, but the mudflats were brightened up by Shelduck and a nice variety of Gulls sitting in the sunshine.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Light-bellied brent goose 43, Shelduck 8, Black-headed gull 14, Lesser black-backed gull 7, Redshank 8, Greenshank 3, Little egret 2, Herring gull 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 21, Tufted duck 3, Teal 5, Gadwall 7, Black-headed gull 5
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Teal 42, Mallard 2, Gadwall 2, Cormorant 2, Black-headed gull 42, Moorhen 4
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Snipe 1, Teal 13, Black-headed gull 4, Moorhen 3
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 14, Teal 1
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Teal 2
Brickworks
Robin, Wren, Goldfinch
Limestone Lake
Greylag goose 2, Moorhen 1, Long tailed tit, Otter 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wood pigeon, Goldcrest, Magpie, Wren, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Coal tit
