Recent Sightings 28th June 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a receding tide. A regular and common site currently on the Crannóg is the Moorhen family, sometimes referred to as ‘Waterhens’ or ‘Swamp chickens’. These birds can be seen hiding in reeds, occasionally venturing out onto the stones, but always running to the cover of the reeds if threatened. Moorhens spend much of their time foraging on the edges of waterbodies, and they are members of the Rail family, which also includes Coot and Water rail. Like other member of this group they have long feet and toes to assist them moving through the soft mud and vegetation at the edge of the water, in addition they possess ‘lobes’ at the edge of the feet to help propel them through the water. This is in contrast to the webbed feet of most ducks and geese occupying the same habitat. The leg structure makes this species a strong runner, and when threatened will more often run to cover rather than fly off, which doesn’t come as naturally. The chicks which resemble balls of fluff on stilts are also proficient runners from an early age, and will use this ability to seek cover when in danger. The Irish landscape and its wealth of wetland areas, supports a good population of Moorhen and other rails, however the fragmentation and loss of wetland habitats remains a threat to these familiar wetland birds.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Black-headed gull 27, Hooded crow 2, Redshank 1
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Coot 2, Black-headed gull 5, Greylag goose 1, Tufted duck 1, Mallard 14, Mute swan 1, Moorhen 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Black-headed gull 6, Mallard 7, Greylag goose 6, Moorhen 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed gull 24, Mallard 4, Jackdaw 1, Moorhen 1
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 5 + (1 duckling), Black-headed gull 42, Moorhen 1 adults and 1 chick, Gadwall 1 adult and 4 ducklings
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Black-headed gull 36, Common tern 4
Brickworks
Reed bunting 1 (♀), Linnet 1, Dunnock 1
Limestone Lake
Black-headed gull 4, Tufted duckling 1
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Meadow pipit 6, Shelduck 1
Peninsula Field
Jackdaw 3, Woodpigeon 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Great tit, Robin, Blue tit, Wood pigeon, Goldcrest, Jay, Goldfinch, Magpie
