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Northern Ireland Local Patch (1 Viewer)

Hello Everyone.I had a breif look for the Snowy Owl today but with no success.Other birdwatchers said the farmer had been chaseing swans off his field all morning so it is probably just lying low somewhere!
So i went to Culmore and saw approx8 Icelands and 6 Glaucous Gulls and a first winter Kumliens Gull! I have been waiting so long for one.
All the best
Derek
 
Derek
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ONLINE AT 5.30 IN THE MORNING
Anyway glad you got your Kumlien's, might head down to dump tomorrow morning, as the Snowy was not seen all day, despite the lanes, around where it had been, being flogged.
Did you get any photos of the Kumliens???

Rgds Roger
 
where should I go?

Hi All
I have a friend who lives in Eglinton so I could stay there and be up early. Where would you suggest I go to see the divers, the geese and some Bewick swans? I was going to add the snowy owl but it sounds like she has moved on. I probably need good directions.
(by the way Roger I did see white fronted geese (32) on the River Blackwater, Caledon). However I'd be happy to see them anywhere else too.


Thanks

Norma
 
Hello Norma.Firstly if you are up at Eglington,go to Donnybrewer and have a look for the owl.It is only a few miles away and it could well still be in the area.As far as i am aware very few Bewick Swans have been seen this winter so you might not have any luck with them.You need a day with very little wind for Divers and a telescope comes in handy too.Probably the best area on the Foyle for Geese,Swans,Divers and Grebes is Myroe Levels.
The best directions i can give from Eglinton is to head through Ballykelly towards Limavady.About3 or 4 miles on the left hand side is a road called Broighter road.From here on swans and geese can be in any of the fields.Travel along this road to a tee junction.{about 1-2miles}.Here turn left and travel for about another half a mile until another t junction{there was a lot of swans in this area Saturday}.The levels and sea wall are now faceing you.Turn left and travel another few hundred yards and turn right.You will then go over the railway tracks and continue on down to the sea wall.Depending on the tide you may well see Brent geese,waders,gulls etc over the sea wall.I have had small numbers of Slavonian Grebes and divers here.When you arrive at the sea wall turn onto the track on the right and travel along the sea wall.Most of the geese where in the fields to the right on Saturday.One word of warning is if you get close to the Geese.do not get out of the car.They wont tolerate this and will scarper! Swans are a lot more approachable.But if you stay in the car you will be ok.
Drive along the track for about a mile until it meets a road.If there are no geese in the immediate vicinity get out of the car and look over the sea wall.This is the best place on the lough for divers and grebes.I have had double figue counts of RTDiver,GNDiver,Slav Grebe and seen Btdiver and Bn grebe from here,You can then follow the road round back to where you started,Hope this helps,it will all become clear when you see it.
Good Luck Derek
 
Hi Norma,

for best chance to see divers you will have to go coastal, either Mountcharles/Donegal Bay in the west, or closer to the city, Trawbeaga bay on the way to Malin Head - where they also turn up; not many are seen in Lough Foyle at this time of year, although Myroe does turn them up in Autumn.

For geese the Eastern shores of Lough Foyle at Myroe, Ballykelly or Faughanvale/Greysteel are as good as anywhere.

Bewick's are another problem altogether, there numbers having been slowly dwindling and this Autumn/Winter the only places that I have seen them are Inch Levels and Blanketnook on Lough Swilly, Co. Donegal.

If your friend in Eglington does not know where these are, let me know and I will give directions.

Rgds Roger
 
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brilliant directions

Derek,
With your wonderful and very clear directions I really have no excuse now! I believe our bird class is going to the Foyle on Sunday . I may even have a chance to drive along the road you describe...can't wait!

Norma
 
Del Charles said:
Hello All,welcome Tully.Fabulous story today.I took my mother shopping in Ballymena this morning when near 9.30am i got a call from my friend Mike.I could not take it in what he said"there is a Snowy Owl at Longfield point"
Talking of mothers, the temptation to pay a flying visit home this weekend is almost irresistable. But if I turned up, borrowed the car and went haring off to twitch the owl, I don't think I'd be in the good books.
 
Hello Breffni! Many thanks for your post.The photo on your site reminds me of a great day many years ago that i saw both a Lesser Yellowlegs and a Wilsons Phalarope from that pier.Breffni how many years ago was that [10? perhaps]Anyway folks i agree with Breffni that Dundalk is a fantastic place for birds with fantastic numbers of waders,wildfowl,gulls,divers etc etc.It really is somewhere us birdwatchers should go more often as it is not that far away.I am as quilty of anyone and hopefully i will make a trip down soon and maybe enen meet up Breffni.
All the best
Derek
 
Hello Everyone,well news broke last night of a Killdeer in Fermanagh.Only the second recorded in Northern Ireland,so this morning found us at Crom,County Fermanagh and after an anxious few moments wait the bird revealed itself,it really was a little corker.I spent several hours observing and takeing photos!
Two fabulous and extremely rare birds in Northern Ireland in a week!
We had an added bonus of 90 Waxwings on the way home!
All the best
Derek
 

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Hi,
got down to Myroe this morning
600+ Greylag
18 Whitefronted
70 Brent
16 Red-breasted Merganser
Teal
Mallard
6 Goldeneye (Males displaying to females)
200+ Lapwing
Curlew
Redshank
2 Greenshank
MERLIN
Usual crows, gills and passers with some Mippits singing.

Hope the Kildeer hangs around for a few days as it is likely to be next weekend before I can head down to Fermanagh.

Rgds Roger
 
Hello Roger,nice day out yesterday,did you get close to the Geese,600 sure is an impressive number.Are they birds which have wintered on Lough Swilly or further south?Merlin is a good find nowadays,i have only seen one all winter! Did you see it sitting?
All the best
Derek
ps,i have rung my server and they said they had problems before with your server but hoped to have everything sorted by tomorrow!
 
Hello everyone,well i started the day trying to photograph Waxwings in Whiteabbey,i had a bush staked out where they were feeding,when a lady with a labrador came over and started asking the usual questions! She then proceeded along with rover to go over to the bush to see them as she had no glasses with her! Labradors and Waxwings do not mix! It was so funny!
I then went round to see the Snow Buntings and Twite at Dargan and was rewarded with stunning views from the car.Only one male/imm male Snow Bunting present but it was the best views of Twite i have ever had.Two Skylarks and Meadow pipits made it a lovely morning.
All the best
Derek
ps,Norma in case your interested 12Iceland and 6 Glaucous Gulls in the area!
 
Del Charles said:
Hello Roger,nice day out yesterday,did you get close to the Geese,

Hi Derek,
Yes quite close about 50 yards from the nearest, they were in a field across the drainage ditch, and stretched away at an angle in a fairly thin line (about 15 deep). As to whether they are local or not, it is certainly the biggest total that I have seen this winter so I suspect that the locally wintering birds have been supplemented by others from further south.

As for the Merlin, it was a female and put up the Lapwings before settling for a couple of minutes on a fence post, giving me a really good view. Its the third time I've seen one in Myroe this autumn/winter.
 
Good Weekend

Well done on the Killdeer Derek. I got to Oxfrod Island and Belfast Lough where I had all the usual suspects
Oxford Island
Coot
Tufted Duck
Grey Heron
Cormorant
Golden Eye
G Crested Grebe
Pochard
Lapwing
G Black backed Gull
Belfast Lough
Some of above plus

Redshank
Black tailed Godwit
Curlew
Teal
Shelduck
Shoveler
Widgeon
Variety of Guls including 1 Iceland, shown to me by someone who knows

But the highlight for me was the Peregrine at Scrabo pic attached I hope

I got some nice pics of the Snow Bunting, Twite and Linnet last week.

Hope the attached pic is OK as it is straight out of the camera. My PC with PS software is in Hospital!
 

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Hi Tully,

excellent shot of the peregrine, have you thought of submitting it to the gallery; it would more than hold its own.

Rgds Roger
 
Oxford Island + Lurgan Park Lakes

Hi All
Didn't make it to the Foyle after all and instead went to find the ferruginous duck that has been reported back at Lurgan. However no sight of it. The single male smew was showing very nicely.

West of Oxford Island on the road to Ardmore we spotted a field full of swans and geese. Approx 400 greylag, 2 pink footed geese, 100+ whoopers and a single Bewick swan.

On the path to the Kinnego hide we found a heap of feathers and a mangled body. ...a water rail. I couldn't believe how tiny it was.

Norma
 
Del Charles said:
Hello everyone! Tully great shots of the Peregrine.I think you should send it to [email protected] for inclusion in the monthly,Northern Ireland Bird Report!
All the best
Derek

Hi Derek
Is the monthly report you mention available online?

Norma
 
Hello Norma,The Northern Ireland Birdwatchers Association{NIBA},do a monthly email report of both common and rare birds in Northern Ireland.They also produce a yearly report packed full of interesting articles,reports and photos.It costs only £10 to join.All birders are very welcome,whether you are a novice,expert or in between.It is a very freindly organisation and i really recommend that everyone should join.
You can contact George Gordon at [email protected]
for details.
Iwill email you a couple of reports Norma for you to have a look at,you need acrobat reader but if you have not got it you can download it easily.
All the best
Derek
 
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