July is usually a fairly quiet time bird-wise here at Langford, with the breeding season pretty much over, some of our summer visitors such as cuckoos have already departed and winter visitors are still a long way off! However, July is often considered the first month of autumn when it comes to birdwatching, as waders start to make their migrations from northern breeding grounds southwards and can often stop off at Langford on the way.
Recent sightings include two green sandpipers on Phase 1, 3 dunlin on the old silt lagoon 7, a curlew on Phase 1, a stunning group of 18 black-tailed godwits on Phase 2 (still in breeding plumage as well!) and a greenshank on Phase 3. Previous years have produced scarcer species such as spotted redshank, grey plover and curlew sandpiper, so keep your eyes open from the viewing screen in the next few weeks and do let us know of any sightings.
Also on site in the last couple of weeks -
2 barn owls hunting over Phase 1
up to 15 little egrets on Phase 2
14 common terns fishing on Phase 1
and around 100 lapwing on Phase 1 this morning.
And 3 Common Sandpiper (seen last Saturday evening)