I spent the day around Lough Swilly today. First stop was Fern Lough. Very poor numbers of diving duck maximum 50 Pochard,Tufted Duck and Goldeneye. No sign of the small flocks of yanks this year
. Better numbers of diving ducks at Dunfanaghy New
Lake about 500 or so with a hundred plus coot also. Most were too far to get a good look at but no ring necks. Only 500 grey geese at Big Isle, not the 1500 hundred expected, and no sign of the Blue Snow Goose. A discrete flock of 24
Pink footed Geese was a nice surprise. I heard a couple of Redpoll in the alder over looking the geese at the picnic spot but when I went to scan the trees they were gone. Is this where the Mealy Redpoll was found?
Inch Lake had a few dozen diving duck, the best a few scaup and the male
Smew. No time for Inch Island and got lost looking for Blanket Nook so will have to go another day. A nice day trip.