Recent Sightings 29th Nov 2021
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a high tide. There are still good number of geese and duck on the estuary with Teal now a familiar sight on the Wadermarsh, Shingle bank and Main lake. Wigeon have also been quite visible on the estuary, directly in front of the Brent Discovery hide. Flocks of a few hundred have been regularly spotted feeding on the mud in amongst the Brent geese and Shelduck. The sound that is emitted by these birds is a high pitched whistle, most notable during the mating season, but can still be very clear amongst wintering birds, and it can be the first clue that the bird is present. They are surface feeders, almost reluctant to put their heads completely under the water. They will feed on eel grass and algae mostly on the mudflats of Strangford lough, occasionally venturing onto areas of saltmarsh to avail of the food available there. The birds spend most of daylight hours feeding and the mudflats on Strangford which is a well-stocked and relatively secure place for them to forage. This amber listed duck is mostly a winter visitor to these shores, but unfortunately the numbers on the Lough have seen a steady decline in recent years.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Wigeon 129, Greater black-headed gull 1, Lesser black-backed gull 1, Little egret 3, Curlew 70, Brent 204, Oystercatcher 94, Eider 40, Shelduck 676, Grey plover 14, Golden plover 60, Redshank 34, Greenshank 2, Black-tailed godwit 24, Red-breasted merganser 7, Teal 12
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 124, Tufted duck 8, Gadwall 7, Moorhen 6, Mute swan 4, Teal 46, Black-headed gull 6, Little egret 1, Jay 1
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Teal 77, Mallard 20, Black-headed gull 4
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Moorhen 5
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Coot 2, Mistle thrush 1
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little grebe 7, Little egret 1, Black-headed gull 2, Herring gull 1, Oystercatcher 1, Greenshank 2
Brickworks
Jackdaw 1
Limestone Lake
Mute swan 2
Peninsula Saltmarsh
Black-headed gull 1
Peninsula Field
Jackdaw 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Chaffinch, Great tit, Coal tit, Robin, Blue tit, Wood pigeon, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Magpie, Bullfinch
