Durham Bird Club's Castle Lake Nature Reserve

Wednesday 29 July 2015

Wednesday 29th July 2015

Sightings today with thanks to John Olley.

Castle Lake - 1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1000 Lapwing, 7 Dunlin, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Peregrine, 200 Swift, 150 Black-headed Gull and 2 adult Common Gull.

Monday 27 July 2015

Monday 27th July 2015

Sightings for today included the following;

Castle Lake - 78 Canada Geese, 3juv Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 4 Teal, 2 Grey Partridge, 1adult1juvenile Little Grebe, 2 Cormorant, Sparrowhawk over carrying prey, 4 Oystercatcher, 1adult1juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 280 Lapwing, 4 Dunlin, 4 Snipe, 1 Curlew, 1juvenile Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 15 Black-headed Gull, 3adult1juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 2 Common Tern, 40+ Pied Wagtail, 4 Yellow Wagtail and a (still) singing Corn Bunting.

Foumarts Lane - 1 Kestrel and a female Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Monday 20 July 2015

Monday 20th July 2015

Some observations following a circular walk around Castle Lake this morning;

Castle Lake - 3 Mute Swan, 1adult3juvenile Shelduck, Gadwall with 3 ducklings, 1 Teal, 4adult1juvenile Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Oystercatcher, 4+ Little Ringed Plover, 150 Lapwing and 1 chick!, 1 Snipe, 2 Curlew, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 26 Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Common Gull, 2 Common Tern, 1 Yellow Wagtail and a singing Corn Bunting.

River Stell -  1 pair of Mute Swan with 3 cygnets, Gadwall broods of 4, 4, 5 and 9.

Along the embankment towards Alan's Pool - 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Willow Tit.

Alan's Pool - (water levels diminishing, producing some good wader habitat) 1 Shelduck, Gadwall broods of 11 and 2, 1 Shoveler, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Buzzard over, Coot with juveniles, 1 Little Ringed Plover and another singing Corn Bunting.

Tuesday 14 July 2015

Tuesday 14th July 2015

Today's sightings with thanks to John Olley and Alan Jones.

Castle Lake - 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, 10 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 800 Lapwing, Grey Partridge pair with 4+ newly hatched chicks, first confirmed breeding of Reed Warbler pair feeding fledged juveniles, 3 Common Tern, 200 Sand Martin, 60 Coot, 4 juvenile Yellow Wagtail and 2 Corn Bunting.

Monday 13 July 2015

Monday 13th July 2015

Sightings from this morning.

Castle Lake - 1pr Shelduck with 3 juveniles, 4 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Sparrowhawk flew over carrying prey, 3 Oystercatcher, 6 Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing with 1 chick, 2 Snipe, 4 Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 17 Black-headed Gull (2 juveniles), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Tern, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 2 singing Corn Bunting.

Monday 6 July 2015

Monday 6th July 2015

Sightings from this morning;

Castle Lake - Shelduck pair with 3 juveniles, female Gadwall with 3 ducklings, 6 Teal, 5 Pochard, 3 female type Goosander, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kestrel, c6 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Snipe, 1sp Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Tern, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Corn Bunting.

Friday 3 July 2015

Friday 3rd July 2015

Sightings today with thanks to John Olley;

Castle Lake - 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 10 Oystercatcher, 300 Lapwing, female Gadwall with 6 ducklings and 3 ducklings, Shelduck adults with 3 ducklings and a pair of Common Tern.