Recent Sightings 29th July 2024
The tide was just receding for a very warm, dry count this morning, with a few Curlew and Little egret poking around for food on the freshly exposed mudflats. Large groups of Oystercatcher were still roosting on the Shingle Bank and Wadermarsh, with our rapidly growing Shelduck ducklings sat amongst them.
A Swift (pictured) was spotted gliding gracefully through the air at the Main Lake, flying above Tufted ducks, Mute swans and a large group of Greylag geese. Swifts are extraordinary birds that spend the majority of their life on the wing, eating, drinking and even sleeping in the air! As Northern Ireland’s Swift population has dropped so drastically since the early 2000’s, mainly due to habitat loss, it’s amazing to see such a rare visitor at Castle Espie.
The Common tern chicks at Saline Lagoon are growing fast, seeming to have doubled in size since last week! Little grebe’s fish in the waters around the raft and also over in Limestone Lake, disappearing for up to a minute in search of food underwater.
Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory
Lesser black-backed gull 1, Herring gull 1, Common gull 1, Black-headed gull 14, Curlew 6, Little egret 6
Main lake - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Little grebe 3, Mute swan 2, Grey heron 1, Greylag goose 20, Gadwall 9, Mallard 94, Teal 4, Tufted duck 3, Coot 3, Black-headed gull 1, Swift, Pied wagtail, Swallow, Blackbird, Wren, Wood pigeon, House martin
Shingle Bank - visible from Sensory garden and Visitor Centre
Mallard 78, Jackdaw 11, Oystercatcher 186, Shelduck 2 (6 juveniles), Cormorant 1
Wadermarsh - visible from Wadermarsh lookout and Brent Hide
Oystercatcher 46, Shelduck 1, Redshank 1, Greylag goose 8, Black-headed gull 3, Moorhen 2
Freshwater Lagoon - visible from Brent Hide and Crannóg
Mallard 6, Gadwall 5, Moorhen 4, Swallow, Goldfinch, Sedge warbler
Saline Lagoon - visible from Limekiln observatory
Little grebe 2, Common tern 8 (6 chicks)
Brickworks
Swallow, House martin, Wood pigeon, Jackdaw
Limestone Lake
Common tern 1, Mallard 1, Little grebe 1
Woodland
Sparrowhawk, Wood pigeon, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Wren, Robin
