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Northern Ireland Local Patch (1 Viewer)

Hi Everyone,

Waxwings may be old hat by now but, I saw my first NW waxwings this morning. 3 flew across the road and perched in a roadside tree, at the city end of Foyle Bridge, while I was waiting in traffic on my way to work.

Rgds Roger
PS

Nice shots of the rock pipit, Tully
 
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hello everyone

hello everyone. i'm a northern ireland birder new to the forum. i'm beginning to visit oxford island more and more often as it is really my local patch, so i was very interested in all the sightings some of you have had there ;)

I was there on 5th April early in the morning and saw 33 species, the pick of which were; 10+Redpoll
2WillowWarblers
1maleBlackcap
2Shelduck
Whooper Swans
c.50Greylag Geese
displaying G.CrestedGrebes
There were also 35+Rabbits, some of which were quite tame and allowed great close up views. I spotted a Fox scat in the woods and have been told that foxes are commonly seen on the reserve at dusk.

I also noticed that some of you visit Donegal. I would recommend the Sheskinmore Reserve, near Ardara/Portnoo. The site is composed of sand dunes, machair, reedbed, scrubland and estuary. It is quite remote and has few facilities but is excellent for divers; geese(whitefronts, barnacles and brents); waders; and raptors(buzzard, kestrel, peregrine, sparrowhawk and merlin all possible). Its also brilliant for mammals with hundreds of rabbits and a few seals being the most obvious species. Foxes, Badgers, Otters and Mink are present, but your best chance of a sighting of these would be early in the morning.
 
s. james said:
hello everyone. i'm a northern ireland birder new to the forum. i'm beginning to visit oxford island more and more often as it is really my local patch, so i was very interested in all the sightings some of you have had there ;)

I was there on 5th April early in the morning and saw 33 species, the pick of which were; 10+Redpoll
2WillowWarblers
1maleBlackcap
2Shelduck
Whooper Swans
c.50Greylag Geese
displaying G.CrestedGrebes
There were also 35+Rabbits, some of which were quite tame and allowed great close up views. I spotted a Fox scat in the woods and have been told that foxes are commonly seen on the reserve at dusk.

I also noticed that some of you visit Donegal. I would recommend the Sheskinmore Reserve, near Ardara/Portnoo. The site is composed of sand dunes, machair, reedbed, scrubland and estuary. It is quite remote and has few facilities but is excellent for divers; geese(whitefronts, barnacles and brents); waders; and raptors(buzzard, kestrel, peregrine, sparrowhawk and merlin all possible). Its also brilliant for mammals with hundreds of rabbits and a few seals being the most obvious species. Foxes, Badgers, Otters and Mink are present, but your best chance of a sighting of these would be early in the morning.
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Welcome to the NI patch of BF. Look forward to your input, especially on Oxford Island which is close to me too
 
Welcome S.James

s. james said:
hello everyone. i'm a northern ireland birder new to the forum. i'm beginning to visit oxford island more and more often as it is really my local patch, so i was very interested in all the sightings some of you have had there ;)


I also noticed that some of you visit Donegal. I would recommend the Sheskinmore Reserve, near Ardara/Portnoo. The site is composed of sand dunes, machair, reedbed, scrubland and estuary. It is quite remote and has few facilities but is excellent for divers; geese(whitefronts, barnacles and brents); waders; and raptors(buzzard, kestrel, peregrine, sparrowhawk and merlin all possible). Its also brilliant for mammals with hundreds of rabbits and a few seals being the most obvious species. Foxes, Badgers, Otters and Mink are present, but your best chance of a sighting of these would be early in the morning.
Click to expand...

Hello S.James and welcome to the bird forum. Sheskinmore reserve sounds like a great place to visit. We look forward to hearing more of your sightings and interesting places to visit.

Norma
 
ok, thanks for the welcome everyone. I was down at oxford island again this morning (7th april 2005) and got a few good sightings. First of all a FOX at 07.17, it was large with a white tail tip and gave a good view before bounding off into the woods.

The REDPOLLS and a BLACKCAP were seen again. Got a brief glimpse of a SPARROWHAWK gliding over the meadows. Also found two COMMON SCAUP (1male1female) and 4 RUDDY DUCKS(3males1female) in front of the Kinnego Hide. The conservation workers told me that there have been 2 HEN HARRIERS sighted in the area recently so keep your eyes out for those!
 
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s. james said:
I also noticed that some of you visit Donegal. I would recommend the Sheskinmore Reserve, near Ardara/Portnoo.
Click to expand...

Hello and welcome

Sheskinore is a wonderful place, and I have been there a few times, although not in recent years. I had plans to go in January but the weather was awful, so I gave it a miss. It is not the place to be in bad weather as the visibility can be non existent.

I can remember seeing Hen Harrier in the area, so rare nowadays.

Must go again.

Rgds Roger
 
Hello S!
If you are about Oxford Island keep an eye out for the Scaup as they have bred in that general area before.The Ruddy Duck are super little birds but do spend a lot of time sleeping!
All the best
Derek
 
Hi Norma. Sounds like a good day out. Oxford Island's a great place.
I'm currently living in England but am Co. Down born and bred, and get back across the water regularly. My favourite sites are Carlingford Lough (both sides of the border) and the South Down coast - this tends to be where I spend most of my birding time when I'm at home. The coast can be great for sea duck, grebes and divers in the winter and spring, as well as lots of brent geese, waders and other stuff. Last time I was there I saw 2 Little Egrets in Mill Bay (near Greencastle), as well as 2 peregrines and lots of Great Northern Divers and a few long-tailed ducks.
You've inspired me to get back to N.I. soon and check out a few of my old haunts!
 
yes, i forgot to mention in one of my previous posts that there are also H.Harriers present at Sheskinmore. Might even be the chance of a Golden Eagle now after the recent reintroductions to Glenveagh. (that means Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Merlin, Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Peregrine and Golden Eagle all possible sightings!) I've seen all of them there apart from the eagles.
 
Hi Everyone,not much to report today.Just took my weekly run to Belfast rubbish dump and was surprised to find at least 11 Iceland and 2 Glaucous Gulls present.Had a bit of a scare when i thought i may of had a Caspian Gull but it was just a Scandanavian Herring Gull.Must try and get a life and look at other things rather than gulls!
All the best
Derek
 

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Hi all,
Today we took a trip to Carlingford (south side) but the tide was too far in at 2 hours before high tide. Decided you need to be there about 4 hours before to get a decent look at the birds. ...Sav what do you suggest?

There was hardly anything about in the line of waders except for the usual common ones - redshank, oystercatcher, curlew and turnstone. Out at sea were gannets & guillemot - common and black.

So the next stop was Greencastle and the first birds we saw were 3 little egrets with brent geese and wigeon. They were really easy to see from the side of the road.

All in all the muddy foreshores seemed devoid of anything but the above mentioned birds. Loads of brent geese gathering at Killough - say 300+. It must be getting near the time for moving North.

Norma
 
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Hello Everyone,well i followed my own advice and headed for the south down coast.I started just outside Killough at a little place i always thought might be good for migrants.None today but good views of Meadow Pipits,Blackbird,Greenfinch,Dunnock,Robin,Wren and Starling all busy getting on with the business of nesting.
At nearby St Johns Point migration was more noticeable.Brent Geese were going by in small parties heading North,Gannets were trickling by and about 50 Manx Shearwaters went skimming by just offshore.One Common Tern was my first of the year and Sandwich Terns are back in good numbers.
2 Red Throated Divers went North together and about 10 minutes later 1 flew back south! Probably the female who had forgotten her hangbag! 2 Whimberals went whistling by and the highlight was a Merlin which went rocketing along the shoreline.A super bird.
The strangest thing though was watching some Magpies presumeably trying to migrate.I counted 28 high in the air,they flew in a loose flock out past the lighthouse until about 100 yards offshore and then came back and flew along the shore toward Dundrum.
A sad part to this is that about 80% of the Gorse Bushes at the point have been ripped out by the local farmer,a scandal!
Linnets and Stonechats added to the the tally for the day.
At Killough i counted 712 Brent Geese all busy feeding before they fly North.
I then went to the Quoile Pondage where the highlights included 104 Teal in collectors bay and 18 Black Tailed Godwits.
I off course had to call in at Belfast dump{its on my way home!} and saw 16 Iceland 2 Glaucous and 1 Scandanavian Herring Gull!
Finally 7 Waxwings on the Antrim to Ballymena Dual caariageway to end a find day out!
Also some photos today that are not gulls!
All the best
Derek
 

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Del Charles said:
Hello Everyone,well i followed my own advice and headed for the south down coast.
Derek
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Hi Derek
I wasn't out today because I had to go to Cookstown...spotted a swallow near the town.
What a brilliant day you had! We have been meaning to go to St John's point but so far haven't made it yet.
As for the female diver forgetting her handbag...I'm sure it was the male going back for his "one for the road" drink!
Generally the waders are a bit thin on the ground these days but glad you found some black tailed godwits.
Did you see them in full plumage this evening on Bill Oddie's trip to Iceland? and what about the snipe and redshank sitting on the fence posts!
My friend saw the spotted redshank at Dundrum today with the common redshanks but much darker on the belly.

regards

Norma
 
Hello Norma,
Did not see the Bill Oddie show but all his programmes are very good.
Most of the Godwits today were in summer plumage or very close to it,but you are right all waders are thin on the ground at the moment but over the next month more should be arriveing hopefully bringing the odd goody with them! The Spotted Redshank must also be comeing into summer plumage as well.They look really good in their nearly all black summer wear.
Saw my first House Martin in Randlestown this evening.
Still think the diver was a female as i detected a bit of blonde hair on the forehead!
All the best
Derek
 
Hi derek and norma, sounds like a good few days! I must get down to the coast sometime soon. I heard Quoile Pondage was a good site. the bill oddie show was great, the ducks in iceland are amazing. I'm lucky to have seen snipe perched on fenceposts at sheskinmore, they usually do it there at june. Strangely the snipe there perform their bleating display right into july, i presumed they would do this more in early spring.
 
Hello S! The Quoile Pondage is a must visit place.It is fantastic and this time of year is as good a time as any to visit.But keep your eyes peeled as it has a habit of turning up very interesting birds,This time last year there was a Greater Yellowlegs!
All the best
Derek
 
Hi all. Been away for donkeys (not literally!), don't get much time to bird anyway. There have however been a few highlights in recent weeks. I sighted my first swallow by the lough in Holywood on Easter Tuesday.

Driving in Bangor last Monday 3rd at around 8.30 pm, I saw a Barn Owl (*lifer) chasing a moth (I assume - didn't actually ID the moth) across the Newtownards Road towards the cemetry.

On my birthday, Friday 8th, spotted 40 Waxwings on Telephone wires, again in Bangor, again while driving. They looked just that little bit bigger than starlings, enough to stir my curiosity and make me reverse the car to go back and have a look.

As a birthday treat on the Saturday payed a visit to Scrabo Tower - another lifer and it was free! Walked down the path to the viewing point of the quarry. Fortunately a kindly gentleman gave us a look through his scope which he had set on the loan male Peregrin (*lifer). Happy days! I wonder if he is still on his own?

@
 
The kind gentleman could well have been Harry, a regular, whom I met there a couple of weeks ago. We watched the female and while there, along came a pair of Kestrels. A short while later, last year's juvenile female appearred and proceeded to taunt the adult female. She was followed by a new male. The resident pair had had enough by this stage and both saw off the intruders in no uncertain terms.
Also seen in that half hour on my way to a horse event were a Stock Dove and Goldcrest.
Very memorable morning

Will post a pic of the juvenile if I get time later
 
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