Northern Ireland Local Patch (1 Viewer)

[Roger&out]

Birdwatch Magazine has reports from both N Ireland and the Republic.

Roger

 

[Derek Polley]

Birdwatch magazine takes its reports from the NIBA Flightline. If you join the NIBA for £10 you get the monthly report e mailed to your in box pronto instead of reading it in a magazine 2/3 months later. You also get the annual report when it comes out and all this is a lot cheaper than a magazine costing £3.60 per month. Having bought both for the last 4 months I prefer Birdwatching as I feel it is pitched at people like myself who struggle with meadow and rock pipits or basic juvenile gulls. Birdwatch seems to be pitched at the expert who wants to tell a Blyth's pipit from a Richard's pipit and scans 2000 gulls to find a Kumlien's gull in 2nd winter plumage!

PS My greenfinches have returned and I am back to filling the feeder every other day.

PPS Was at the Long Hole in Bangor last Thursday and spotted turnstones up on the rocks at high tide. Closer inspection turned up ringed plover and purple sandpiper. When the wash from the HSS hit the rocks they shifted to the landward side of the rocks and I was able to get a couple of shots.

 

[Vogeljung]

Thanks for all the advice re: Magazines

Where I live (Derry/Donegal border) I've noticed a large increase in the number of Buzzards this year. I also don't seem to have noticed any decline in Greenfinches despite reports of Tricho virus spreading through the population. But I've no Chaffinches whatsoever -: perhaps that's due to the time of year?

 

[rdspalm]

Not much in my garden at present. Suspect the autumn feeding is good elsewhere. Very low activity on garden feeders this week. however I'm away from 7.00 until 18.00 so don't have much time to see very much Mon - Fri.

 

[fisi7chella]

Hi all,
Just introducing myself as a new member of the forum.
Really not a "birder" in any form but rather just someone who over the last year or so has taken an interest in trying to identify what the birds are in my garden as well as those I see on holiday.
I stumbled accross this site quite by accident and have been reading a number of the posts as a guest over the last couple of weeks.
My interest probably started last year in Donegal trying to find out what the birds were on the beach beside my caravan and it is interesting to see that another contributer also seems to have a van at Tramore? (I have been down to Sheskinmore regularly but don't really know what I am looking at!!)
The garden comments are probably of a greater interest to me at the moment and a recent posting noted an absence of greenfinches. This happened to me over the summer when despite the continued feeding there were none for about 3 months. They have however now reappeared (from about Sept) and I had over a dozen in the garden on Sat morning. (don't know if this is good or bad!!). Still trying to attract different species.
So, maybe this becomes an addiction that starts here.
In the meantime I will continue to read the comments with interest and no doubt continue to learn.

i will be at sheskinmore this weekend and no doubt i will see something that
will have me studying my collins bird guide,but i guess everytime you go out
you get more knowledgable!!!!!!!!!

 

[s. james]

The Loughview Road, (Antrim Borough- few miles south of Antrim town on the east shore of Lough Neagh) is an excellent spot for raptors. There's a stretch of rough grassland/scrub/woodland that runs for maybe 3 miles between the road and the lough.

The last time I was up there I saw sparrowhawk, buzzard and kestrel and today I saw 4 buzzard and 2 sparrowhawk. One of the sparrowhawks(large female) even perched giving me better views than the usual ones that just scoot past!

Also 100+ golden plover and 50+ lapwing- numbers building up again. Looks like good warbler habitat for the summer too.

Whoopers, buzzard and teal at Portmore today too.

I've sent you a private message re. Sheskinmore, Chis. Hope you enjoy it Fisi7chella.

Chkm8 I am not surprised at the response from MP's etc. they're b****y useless.

"Birdwatch" magazine has sightings for NI and Rep. "Birdwatching" pretty much ignores us although this creates a dilemma cos I think it's the better mag. I usually buy both!

 

[Vogeljung]

I agree that the best bet is to buy both magazines!

Did Birdwatch do the free bird calendar this year?

 

[s. james]

Not sure about the calender vogeljung.

Oxford Island today- hundreds of woodpigeon flying east in groups of 50-100 (not sure where they were going), at least 5 jays, 2 buzzard, 3 whoopers and 2 stonechat.

The stonechat pair were a good find cos I've never seen them at OI before. About 230 pochard in Kinnego Bay but only about 30 tufties.

At Reedy Flat- 12 curlew, 2 fieldfares, 3 whoopers plus loads of distant wildfowl and waders. I was talking to a birdwatcher at OI (Mark from Portadown) who saw a hen harrier and merlin at Reedy Flat last week- I did get a glimpse of a small raptor but it could just have been a male sparrowhawk. No sign of the harrier this evening.

Best sighting today was actually of a fox that crossed right in front of me at OI while I was standing quietly scanning the Closet fields. It paused and looked at me before dashing away into the woods.

 

[fisi7chella]

Just back from a stormy weekend in ardara,thanks to stephen for the
directions over the fields from sandfield to the bird hide{if you could call it that!}at sheskinmore.
I noticed a 2 storey building called the "mcglinchey house field study centre"
but with no more details about what goes on there,but it appears to be lived in.
Any way the weather was that bad we only got an hour of respite from the
horizontal rain .Why anyone would build a hide 5 feet high is beyond me but at
least it was dry!
As for birds it was our 1st sighting of greenland white fronted geese,about 20 of them and very wary they were,as for the rest:
lapwing {25}
curlew{2}
whooper swan{2}
bullfinch,goldfinch,meadow pipit,stonechat,mallard,teal,tufted duck,mute swan
song thrush,robin and rook!

 

[rdspalm]

Went for a walk at Inch Lake Co Donegal. Huge numbers of duck, teal, tufted, widgeon and mallard. Did not have a scope with me so difficult to get a good view of distant wildfowl. Large numbers of Whooper Swan and Brent Geese.

 

[nepp]

Went for a walk at Inch Lake Co Donegal.

Hi Richard
We might be up at Inch on Friday. Obviously we'll bringscopes - is there still a surf scoter about?
Can you give me directions?

Norma

 

[rdspalm]

Hi Norma,

I have not heard about the Surf Scoter, if I can find out anything I'll let you know.

Directions: Leave Derry via Buncrana Road go to border, at roundabout after the border (Bridgend) bear left for Letterkenny. At Burt Chapel (very distinctive round church) turn hard right on minor road. (May be signposted Buncrana) Go as far as the sharp right bend (600m approx) turn down narrow lane and drive over potholes etc until you reach a little bridge at the end of the lane. Park there and walk left until you reach the bird hide.

Regards,

Richard

 

[s. james]

I noticed a 2 storey building called the "mcglinchey house field study centre"

Why anyone would build a hide 5 feet high is beyond me but at
least it was dry!

bullfinchQUOTE]

The McGlinchey house has just recently been done up. The hide's tiny- you were lucky, until a couple of years ago there was no roof at all!

Where'd you see the bullfinch? In 5 years I've only ever seen one at Sheskinmore.

On Wednesday I was up at Lough Beg. I walked out to Church Island and then Coney Island. It was very wet underfoot! There were loads of teal, widgeon, mallard, lapwing and golden plover. Also about 20 whoopers, 40 curlew and 11 black tailed godwit.

I got two excellent views of a hen harrier, (female or maybe a juv. it looked a bit orangey underneath) quartering over the lough shore. A peregrine also dashed in and chased the waders and wildfowl for a bit before landing on a post.

I'd no scope with me so I don't know if there was anything rare about or not! There were a lot of wee dunlin-like waders flying about (most probably dunlins!).

There was another birder across the bay from Coney Island wearing a green jacket and carrying a scope. He would've got great views of the harrier and peregrine. Was it any of you lot?

 

[fisi7chella]

I noticed a 2 storey building called the "mcglinchey house field study centre"

Why anyone would build a hide 5 feet high is beyond me but at
least it was dry!

bullfinchQUOTE]

The McGlinchey house has just recently been done up. The hide's tiny- you were lucky, until a couple of years ago there was no roof at all!

Where'd you see the bullfinch? In 5 years I've only ever seen one at Sheskinmore.

On Wednesday I was up at Lough Beg. I walked out to Church Island and then Coney Island. It was very wet underfoot! There were loads of teal, widgeon, mallard, lapwing and golden plover. Also about 20 whoopers, 40 curlew and 11 black tailed godwit.

I got two excellent views of a hen harrier, (female or maybe a juv. it looked a bit orangey underneath) quartering over the lough shore. A peregrine also dashed in and chased the waders and wildfowl for a bit before landing on a post.

I'd no scope with me so I don't know if there was anything rare about or not! There were a lot of wee dunlin-like waders flying about (most probably dunlins!).

There was another birder across the bay from Coney Island wearing a green jacket and carrying a scope. He would've got great views of the harrier and peregrine. Was it any of you lot?

hi stephen
we saw the bullfinch in the bushes to the left of the lane before the
field study centre

 

[fisi7chella]

faughanvale foyle estuary.

we walked for an hour on the foyle estuary on sunday morning seen approx.
500 brent geese
300 oystercatcher
100 curlew
40 lapwing
30 wigeon
12 grey heron
4 cormorant, and many others including a kestrel.
Has any one recorded sightings on the bird track ireland website?Its is accessed
by the BTO and is very good holding all your records of your fave patch.
You can record just as often as you find the time!

 

[s. james]

Has any one recorded sightings on the bird track ireland website?Its is accessed
by the BTO and is very good holding all your records of your fave patch.
You can record just as often as you find the time!

Yep I put all my sightings on to Bird Track. Interesting about the bullfinch, the only one I ever saw there was over in the scrub on the north side of Sheskinmore Lough. I don't often walk up past the McGlinchey house though so that's probably why I don't see them.

Forgot to mention that at Lough Beg on Wednesday there was also a barnacle goose with about 40 greylags. Was it more likely an escape or a wild bird?

 

[erne]

hello n. ire birders. ...just returned to this site after ages away and cant work it . will keep trying

 

[erne]

was at foyle on fri last trying to find my way around balls point. ballykelly magilligan etc. ferry from greencastle. very interesting.time ran out but intend returning again
.

 

[nepp]

Weekend in Donegal

Reporting back from a weekend in Donegal..started off at Inch (I) and Blanket Nook (BN) (thanks for directions Richard)
If not marked seen at both sites

little grebe BN, gt crested grebe BN, cormorant I, heron, mute swan, greylag, canada goose (2) I, wigeon, gadwall BN, teal, mallard, pintail I, pochard I, tufted duck, 13 greenland white fronted geese in the air flying NE to SW, goldeneye BN, water rail heard BN, moorhen I, lapwing, golden plover, dunlin BN, ruff I, snipe BN, bard tailed godwit BN, curew, redshank, greenshank, turnstone BN, Blk headed gull, common gull I, herring gull I, gt Black back, woodpigeon, skylark (huge flock near Inch), redwing I, mistle thrush, blue tit, magpie, starling, linnet, twite BN) redpoll BN, bullfinch BN
What a lovely place to watch birds - you lucky folk who live nearby!!

 

[Keith Glasgow]

S E Owl

Hi all, a neighbour gave me a dead Short-eared owl at the weekend. I would estimate that it had been dead for 3 or 4 days. He picked it up in the Larne area. I've never actually had the pleasure of watching a live one!

Keith.