Recent Sightings - 8th June 2019
Mid summer now and there is still lots of breeding activity going on; lots of birds are singing again, preparing fro a second brood of young. Lots of ducklings out on the lakes with their mother's. Hundreds of fledgling gull chicks pestering their parents for food.
In recent weeks Little Egrets are becoming more and more frequent again. Finishing up their breeding season and moving back to their preferred fishing grounds. A handful are roosting around the Limestone Lake overnight but lots can be seen during the day fishing in our wetlands. To see the Egrets, check the Wadermarsh, Saline lagoon edge and the streams flowing out on the Estuary that can be seen from the bird hides.
Count was taken at low tide.
Estuary – visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Black-headed Gull 24, Curlew 1, Little Egret 4, Shelduck 4 + duckling 1, Oystercatcher 12
Main lake – visible from Sensory garden and Visitor centre
Mallard 49 + ducklings 6, Tufted Duck 7 + 9 chicks, Goldeneye 1, Coot 3 + 1 chicks, Black-headed Gull c.80, Little Grebe 1 + chick 1
Shingle bank – visible from Sensory garden, Wadermarsh and Visitor Centre
Black-head Gull c.120, Mallard 8, Oystercatcher 59, Greylag goose 8 + 6 goslings
Wadermarsh – visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Oystercatcher 34, Black-tailed Godwit 3, Little Egret 2, Moorhen 1, Black-headed Gull c.50, Jackdaw 5
Freshwater Lagoon – visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 12, Tufted Duck 1+ 4 ducklings, Shelduck 1+6 young, Black-headed Gull c.250, Moorhen 1, Coot 2 + 1 chicks, Swallow 1, Heron 1, Sedge Warbler 2
Saline Lagoon – visible from Limekiln observatory
Black-headed Gull c.80, Common Tern 3, Redshank 1
Limestone Lake
Mallard 2, Tufted duck 3, Teal 1, Black-headed Gull 3
Peninsula Field and Saltmarsh
Starling 12
Brickworks
Pied Wagtail 2
Woodland
Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch Wren, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Wood Pigeon, Magpie
Butterflies
Speckled wood, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Narrow bordered Five-spot Burnett, Six-Spot Burnett Moth
