South Down
Hi Derek,
I've a feeling that the police might have advised people to stay indoors today because the wind was so strong. Yesterday when I was watching the snow buntings there was fork lightning and thunder. I hear that early this morning a man was lucky to be alive when lightning wrecked his house, bringing down the upstairs ceilings and blowing his electric appliances off the wall.
So despite that sort of weather our bird class still braved the elements.
We started with the snow buntings which weren't performing so well as yesterday although they were joined by a grey wagtail.
Warrenpoint produced some great crested grebes, brent, little grebe and common guillemots. ...and 5 scaup which were a first for me so I like your picture especially today!
Greencastle was terrible yet beautiful in the storm. The sea was completely white tossing the anchored lifeboat and some fishing boats fiercely in the choppy sea. I wish I'd had my camera. Spotted greenshank, brent geese and wigeon were about all we could see through the spume.
Dundrum Bay was slightly more sheltered and apart from the usual waders we saw a red legged bird with a mottled back. Long thin bill - pale below and paler than redshank....yes it was a single spotted redshank. Don't think I'd have picked it out on my own.
At the Quoile Pondage hide were greenshank, o'catchers, greylag, goldeneye, pochard, wigeon, teal, mallard and gadwall. Also black tailed godwit and lapwing.
Total for the day was 49 and that wasn't counting blackbird or thrushes.
Norma
Hi Derek,
I've a feeling that the police might have advised people to stay indoors today because the wind was so strong. Yesterday when I was watching the snow buntings there was fork lightning and thunder. I hear that early this morning a man was lucky to be alive when lightning wrecked his house, bringing down the upstairs ceilings and blowing his electric appliances off the wall.
So despite that sort of weather our bird class still braved the elements.
We started with the snow buntings which weren't performing so well as yesterday although they were joined by a grey wagtail.
Warrenpoint produced some great crested grebes, brent, little grebe and common guillemots. ...and 5 scaup which were a first for me so I like your picture especially today!
Greencastle was terrible yet beautiful in the storm. The sea was completely white tossing the anchored lifeboat and some fishing boats fiercely in the choppy sea. I wish I'd had my camera. Spotted greenshank, brent geese and wigeon were about all we could see through the spume.
Dundrum Bay was slightly more sheltered and apart from the usual waders we saw a red legged bird with a mottled back. Long thin bill - pale below and paler than redshank....yes it was a single spotted redshank. Don't think I'd have picked it out on my own.
At the Quoile Pondage hide were greenshank, o'catchers, greylag, goldeneye, pochard, wigeon, teal, mallard and gadwall. Also black tailed godwit and lapwing.
Total for the day was 49 and that wasn't counting blackbird or thrushes.
Norma