From Opus

This article is incomplete. This article is missing one or more sections. You can help the BirdForum Opus by expanding it.

Photo by rdspalm
Large flock of Brent at Greysteel Lough Foyle

Northern Ireland

[edit] Overview

This reserve in County Londonderry covers the south-eastern shores of Lough Foyle from Longfield Point to the estuary of the Roe. It consists of large areas of mudflats with saltmarsh and shingle ridges and is surrounded by arable farmland. This is one of Northern Ireland's most important estuarine areas.

[edit] Birds

The area is best-known for its wintering waterfowl and in particular, Whooper Swan and Bewick's Swan, with large numbers of Eurasian Wigeon and up to 4,000 Pale-bellied Brent Goose feeding on the eel-grass beds. Also present in winter are Greater White-fronted Goose and Greylag Goose, Northern Pintail, Common Teal and other ducks. Slavonian Grebe is regular in small numbers and usually most easily seen in the Roe Estuary.

Wintering waders include Oystercatcher, Golden Plover and Grey Plover, Common Redshank and Eurasian Curlew. Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Spotted Redshank occur on passage. Sanderling winters on the sands of Magilligan Point.

Snow Bunting is usually present in winter, sometimes also Lapland Bunting.

Raptors regularly seen at this time include Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard, Merlin and Peregrine Falcon. Black Brant has been seen in several recent winters at Lough Foyle.

[edit] Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Great Crested Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Bewick's Swan, Whooper Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Northern Lapwing, Red Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Arctic Skua, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Eurasian Linnet, Twite, Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting

[edit] Other Wildlife

To do

[edit] Site Information

[edit] History and Use

To do

[edit] Areas of Interest

Just to the north and beyond the reserve is Magilligan Point a sandy peninsula which juts out into deeper water and attracts divers and grebes. Skuas and terns can also be seen from here in summer and autumn.

[edit] Access and Facilities

The reserve is open all year and there are good viewpoints at Longfield Point, Faughanvale and Ballykelly, reached by minor roads off the main Limavady-Londonderry road.

Grid Ref: NV714858

[edit] Contact Details

Tel: 028 9049 1547 (RSPB)

[edit] External Links

• RSPB: Lough Foyle
• Location of Lough Foyle on Google Maps

Content and images originally posted by Steve