Seeing Green

Greenshank & Green Sandpiper have been at the top of our recent sightings highlights

Greenshank photo by Andrew Bluett

It’s been a busy few weeks for wildlife on the reserve. A juvenile Greenshank has been seen on the Folly pond which is a treat as in summer, they're generally found only on moors and bogs in northern Scotland. During migration to overwinter in Africa, they can be found across the UK on inland freshwater lakes and marshes, and coastal wetlands.

Greenshank can be distinguished from similar-sized waders like redshank and godwits by the colour of their legs: grey-green. Adults are olive-grey above and silvery-white below, with dark streaking on the breast. Greenshank have long, slightly upturned, grey bills.

Green Sandpiper photo by Andrew Bluett

We’ve also had a couple of Green sandpiper spotted fairly often on the Whooper pond. In addition, there's been a Little ringed plover on the Folly pond. We’re still seeing Kingfisher on the Back pond fairly regularly, so it is definitely worth keeping a lookout in this area.

Good numbers of Snipe have been seen on the Whooper and Folly ponds giving really great views of them and fantastic plumage. We’re also seeing more and more Curlew on the Folly, they were particularly big fans of our work on the folly pond islands! There have been fleeting sightings of Sparrowhawk over the Peter Scott Trail and juvenile Cuckoo spotted flying over.

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