Recent sightings

Recent Sightings at Alston Wetland


20th June 2025

Mute Swan, 8, (Gareth Powley)
6 juveniles
Shelduck, 0
None seen at all
Stock Dove, 2
Little Grebe, 2
Mediterranean Gull, 2
Loafing adults with 50 Black-Headed Gulls
Sand Martin, 10
House Martin, 3
Lesser Whitethroat, 1, Male
Singing persistently in hedge opposite Central Hide at 14:00

18th June 2025

Shelduck, 2, 1 ad 1 duckling, (Peter Sharples)
Gadwall, 12
Tufted Duck, 2, pair
Stock Dove, 2
Little Grebe, 1, ad
Oystercatcher, 2
Lapwing, 21
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Curlew, 1
Green Sandpiper, 1
on linear pools
Chiffchaff, 1, male
Whitethroat, 1
Reed Bunting, 1, male

16th June 2025

Shelduck, 3, 1 adult and only 2 juveniles seen, (Gareth Powley)
Dunlin, 1

13th June 2025

Shelduck, 3
Only 3 surviving ducklings seen from original 11 hatched
Black-headed Gull, 100
Minimum count
Mediterranean Gull, 4, Adults
4 on water but probably more on adjacent fields being slurried

5th June 2025

Whitethroat, 1, Male singing in hedge/scrub on Pinfold Lane

2nd June 2025

Shelduck, 13, 2 adults with 11 ducklings
Gadwall, 2
Stock Dove, 1
Whitethroat, 1, Male
Singing and displaying in Pinfold hedge/scrub 100 m east of East Screen

1st June 2025

Lesser Whitethroat, 1, Male
Singing in hedges at junction of Pinfold and Happy Alley

26th May 2025

Ringed Plover, 3, (David Bickerton)
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Turnstone, 1, Summer plumage
Found by Gavin Thomas

25th May 2025

Ringed Plover, 2, (Gareth Morgan)
Dunlin, 1
Redshank, 3
Teal, 2, (Muhummed H)
Lapwing, 12
Little Ringed Plover, 1
Song Thrush, 2

24th May 2025

Avocet, 1, (Gareth Powley)
From Central Screen at 10:30. Other usual species present.

23rd May 2025

Mute Swan, 8, 6 cygnets with 2 adults
Coot, 5, At least 5 chicks from 2 broods
Lapwing, 2, Fast growing chicks still present on north shore

16th May 2025

Gadwall, 10
Lapwing, 2, Chicks still on north shore
Lesser Whitethroat, 1, Male in hedge opposite Central Screen at 10:15
Moving east in hedge

14th May 2025

Mute Swan, 2
Sitting
Shoveler, 1, Drake
Gadwall, 2, M + F
Wigeon, 1, Drake
Oystercatcher, 2
Still sitting on Sand Martin box roof
Lapwing, 14, 2 chicks
Minimum count
Little Ringed Plover, 5
Black-tailed Godwit, 1
Redshank, 3
Sand Martin
House Martin, 5
Collecting mud for nest building

13th May 2025

Lapwing, 2, 2 chicks still on north shore
Curlew, 1
Black-tailed Godwit, 1
From Central Screen

9th May 2025

Lapwing, 4, Chicks still on north shore in spite of >20 predatory Jackdaws
Lapwing, 12
Around the main pool
Black-tailed Godwit, 1
Opposite Central Screen. Most other species present as previous days.

8th May 2025

Lapwing, 4, Chicks still on far shore of main pool
Lapwing, 12
Present around shores of main pool

4th May 2025

Shoveler, 2, (David Bickerton)
Gadwall, 1
Teal, 1
Swift, 10
Little Grebe, 2
Nest being trashed by Coot
Oystercatcher, 4
Lapwing, 8
Little Ringed Plover, 4
Whimbrel, 1
Dunlin, 1
Redshank, 3

30th April 2025

Ringed Plover, 1, (Gareth Powley)
Central Screen at 14:30
Whimbrel, 30
Whimbrel, 151
Minimum count by dusk at 21:20 hr
Sanderling, 1
Central Screen at 14:30

29th April 2025

Gadwall, 3
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Whimbrel, 6
Common Sandpiper, 1
Redshank, 2
Wood Sandpiper, 1
From Central Screen at 15:00
Shoveler, 4, (Muhummed H)
Gadwall, 2
Teal, 2
Tufted Duck, 2
Little Grebe, 2
Oystercatcher, 8
Lapwing, 12
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Whimbrel, 138, roosting
Curlew, 1
Snipe, 4
Common Sandpiper, 1
Redshank, 4
Wood Sandpiper, 1
Tawny Owl, 0
one over Pinfold Ln; one heard calling
Sand Martin, 60
Swallow, 3

27th April 2025

Shoveler, 2, (Gareth Morgan)
Pair
Gadwall, 5
Oystercatcher, 3
Little Ringed Plover, 3
Whimbrel, 70
Roosted by 21.10
Curlew, 1
Briefly
Dunlin, 1
Redshank, 3
Hobby, 1
Low west over wetlands into the Sand Martins

24th April 2025

Whimbrel, 49, (Gareth Powley)
Came in silently in small groups and then approx 30 together at 20:45
Curlew, 6
Lesser Whitethroat, 1, Male
Singing in hedges at east end of Pinfold Lane at 09:30

23rd April 2025

Black-tailed Godwit, 6
Feeding in front of Central Screen at 14:00

17th April 2025

Canada Goose, 2, (Tony Cooper)
pair
Mute Swan, 1
Stock Dove, 1
Coot, 8
1 on nest
Oystercatcher, 2
perched on top of Sand Martin nest boxes, later by water
Lapwing, 12
Little Ringed Plover, 3
Whimbrel, 2
Curlew, 10
Redshank, 2
Sand Martin, 2
Long-tailed Tit, 1
Chiffchaff, 1
singing
Blackcap, 2
both seen and heard
Blackbird, 0, m
Wheatear, 2
Dunnock, 1
White Wagtail (alba), 1
Greenfinch, 2
Gadwall, 2, (Gareth Powley)
Teal, 2
Little Grebe, 2
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Only 2 seen this morning
Whimbrel, 1
From Central Screen at 09:45. Located by Tony and Ash Cooper
Curlew, 4
Sand Martin, 20
Minimum count
Swallow, 2
Blackcap, 1, Male singing at Central Screen
Wheatear, 2, Males
On grass re-seed 100m from middle gate
White Wagtail (alba), 1

13th April 2025

Shoveler, 1, (Gareth Morgan)
Oystercatcher, 6
Lapwing, 20
Mainly in fields
Little Ringed Plover, 4
Common Sandpiper, 1
Redshank, 4

5th April 2025

Canada Goose, 2, (Muhummed H)
Mute Swan, 2
Shoveler, 2
Teal, 10
Tufted Duck, 2
Coot, 4
Little Grebe, 1
Oystercatcher, 2
Lapwing, 6
Little Ringed Plover, 4
Curlew, 9
Snipe, 1
Willow Warbler, 1
Chiffchaff, 2
Wren, 1
Pied Wagtail (yarrellii), 1

28th March 2025

Mute Swan, 2, (Peter Sharples)
Shoveler, 8
Gadwall, 8
Teal, 10
Tufted Duck, 10
Lapwing, 30
Curlew, 76
Dunlin, 2
came in with the Curlew
Snipe, 40
flushed by person in hi-viz
Redshank, 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2, pair
Sand Martin, 12
Swallow, 2
feeding over main lagoon
Chiffchaff, 1, male
Pinfold Lane

23rd March 2025

Mute Swan, 2, (Paul Olivant)
Shoveler, 2
Gadwall, 1
Teal, 1
Tufted Duck, 2
Stock Dove, 4
in field
Woodpigeon, 4
Coot, 3
Oystercatcher, 2
Lapwing, 20
Snipe, 1
Redshank, 1
Sand Martin, 3

22nd March 2025

Shoveler, 10, (Gareth Morgan)
Gadwall, 6
Stock Dove, 7
On field
Oystercatcher, 2
Lapwing, 21
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Snipe, 40
Meadow Pipit, 2
Little Ringed Plover, 1, Male, (Gareth Powley)
Located by Gavin T from Central Hide (several more on Res No 2)
Sand Martin, 5
Minimum
Fieldfare, 20
Flying around newly reseeded grassland
Little Grebe, 2, (Glenn Higgins)
Little Ringed Plover, 1
Snipe, 26
Redshank, 4
Common Gull, 6
Redwing, 1
Greenfinch, 5

20th March 2025

Mediterranean Gull, 20, (Gareth Powley)
At least 16 on the water with at least 4 on the old maize field (no telescope!) behind tractor

11th March 2025

Shoveler, 8, (Peter Sharples)
Gadwall, 2, pair
Teal, 16
Tufted Duck, 4
Oystercatcher, 6
Lapwing, 43
Curlew, 119
Snipe, 6
Redshank, 2
one on main lagoon,one in stubble field
Black-headed Gull, 400
on main lagoon and in stubble field
Mediterranean Gull, 13
Common Gull, 9
Lesser Black-backed Gull, 42

8th March 2025

Little Grebe, 2, (Gareth Powley)
Oystercatcher, 2
Lapwing, 62
Curlew, 26
Mediterranean Gull, 4
2 possible pairs loafing on north bank at 10:00hr
Common Gull, 7

2nd March 2025

Shoveler, 2, (Glenn Higgins)
Gadwall, 4
Coot, 29
Little Grebe, 1
Lapwing, 58
Curlew, 10
Snipe, 1
Mediterranean Gull, 4
Barn Owl, 1

27th February 2025

Shoveler, 6, (David Bickerton)
Gadwall, 5
Teal, 12
Oystercatcher, 2
Lapwing, 68
Curlew, 44
Snipe, 13
Redshank, 1
Mediterranean Gull, 2

26th February 2025

Pink-footed Goose, 36, (Peter Sharples)
over west,with Gavin Thomas
Gadwall, 1
Pintail, 1, drk
Goldeneye, 1, female
Stock Dove, 10
stubble field
Curlew, 7
Common Gull, 5
Buzzard, 2
Kestrel, 1
Skylark, 6
over south
Meadow Pipit, 2
Shoveler, 12, 10 M + 2 F, (Gareth Powley)
Teal, 10
Tufted Duck, 2
Coot, 22
Little Grebe, 2
Curlew, 10
Mediterranean Gull, 4
Loafing with BHGs at 13:45 hr

24th February 2025

Shelduck, 2
Shoveler, 7, 1 female
Gadwall, 4, Drakes
Teal, 10
Tufted Duck, 6, 3m + 3f
Moorhen, 2
Coot, 25
Oystercatcher, 2
Lapwing, 80
Minimum
Curlew, 100
Minimum at 13:45
Snipe, 4

8th February 2025

Shelduck, 2
Curlew, 10
Central screen

5th February 2025

Shelduck, 2, pair, (Peter Sharples)
Shoveler, 4, 3 drakes
Teal, 12
eastern screen
Tufted Duck, 2, both drakes
Coot, 12
Lapwing, 165
Curlew, 30
Black-headed Gull, 50
Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1

31st January 2025

Jack Snipe, 1, (Gareth Powley)
Snipe count walk; Gavin, Geoff and Tony
Snipe, 161
Snipe count walkover

2nd January 2025

Shoveler, 2, Drakes
Teal, 25
Snipe, 100
Absolute minimum count - flushed by Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk, 1
Flushed many snipe and then sat on north boundary fence
Peregrine, 1
On pylon
Great Tit, 2
Long-tailed Tit, 1

29th December 2024

Snipe, 188, (Gavin Thomas)
Counted in rushes using thermal imager