Recent Sightings - 6th July 2020
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie during mid tide. The centre is re-opening up to the public again this week after the lockdown, and the wildlife on the reserve will have to get accustomed to more people on site again. The absence of visitors resulted in a change in behaviour of some of the birds on site, as they got acclimatized to the reserve, without a steady flow of people throughout the day. Many of the birds have taken to the paths as a resting and roosting site and many of the birds regularly move across the public areas when accessing the various habitats on site. Some birds have remained on site for longer than usual, for example the heron and little egrets have been staying on site and foraging throughout the day in recent months. Some nests have been constructed closer to the public paths than usual, again owing to the quiet conditions, but at this stage most nests have been vacated and the young have fledged.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Black-headed gull 33, Black-tailed godwit 12, Little egret 2
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Tufted duck 4, Mallard 23, Coot 1, Black-headed gull 6, Shelduck 7
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Black-headed gull 119, Mallard 17, Moorhen 1, Greylag goose 1, Common gull 3, Oystercatcher 12, jackdaw 4, Tufted duck 4, Shelduck 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Black-headed gull 124, Coot 1, Moorhen 1, Black-tailed godwit 6, Jackdaw 3
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Black-headed gull 89, Moorhen 1, Swallow 3, Greylag goose 8
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Black-headed gull 93, Common tern 10, Tufted duck 1
Brickworks
Bullfinch 1, Linnet 1
Peninsula Field
Buzzard 1
Woodland
Blackbird, Wren, Chaffinch, Robin, Blue tit, Wood pigeon, Willow warbler, Song thrush, Blackcap, Jackdaw, Goldcrest, Magpie
