Northern Ireland Local Patch (1 Viewer)

[rdspalm]

Siskins

Watched a flock of siskins eating the cones of my Korean fir trees. Hope they come to the nut feeders like last winter. Just a bit too far away to photograph at present.

 

[s. james]

spotted a kingfisher at oxford island today which is a first for me at this location. Anyone else seen them here ?.

John.

Yep I've seen them shooting past the Kinnego Hide once or twice.

Lidls scope is dissapointing. Small field of view and dull image. The free tripod's no use either. Opticron a much better make for good value 'scopes.

Good to hear bout the peregrine at Derrytrasna! Whereabouts was it? Have to get down there again soon.

Whereabouts were those Bewick's Derek- across the Closet River where the whooper's normally are? Still never seen any at Oxford. (Need a better 'scope!)

 

[Chkm8]

Thanks for the update on the scope.
The peregrine was east of reedy flats flying from the lough side to the field across the road setteling on a fence post at the bottom of the field. Very close to where the male harrier is usually seen. The female tends to stay more to the shore side.
Keeping the fingers crossed the corncrake will return this year. There were unconfirmed reports they bred but numerous reliable sources that they were about last year.

John.

 

[Derek Polley]

Yep I've seen them shooting past the Kinnego Hide once or twice.

Lidls scope is dissapointing. Small field of view and dull image. The free tripod's no use either. Opticron a much better make for good value 'scopes.

Good to hear bout the peregrine at Derrytrasna! Whereabouts was it? Have to get down there again soon.

Whereabouts were those Bewick's Derek- across the Closet River where the whooper's normally are? Still never seen any at Oxford. (Need a better 'scope!)

Yes I think they were there. We crossed the cattle grid near the old info centre - now an education resource - pulled off the road to look at whoopers where i have seen them before and there were three bewicks with them, and a mute. Another 7 whoopers flighted in so we had two groups of Whoopers with 3 Bewicks in between them. We did the hides and the walks and walked up to the road from the Kinnegoe hide and saw them again. The rationale being that we needed a good look as we had no idea when we would see Bewicks again. They were lifers for two of the visitors from England. Still never seen a kingfisher there though, and i missed the treecreeper - too busy looking at redpolls.

 

[s. james]

Saw the Bewick's yesterday at Oxford! Think there were four. They were feeding beside the mutes and were just over half the size I would say. The greater area of black on the bill was noticeable compared to whoopers.

I know they're not birds but I also saw 2 foxes crossing the Closet meadows in broad daylight. Think it was a male and female- this is their breeding season and the time of year when you are most likely to get a sighting. The male was massive- looked more like a wolf! The stonechats weren't too pleased at the foxes crossing their field!

 

[Derek Polley]

Glad you got the Bewicks they are not that common now. Walked round Killard Point today and scoped the Narrows on the way there. Never been there before and cant quite work out why not? Will definitely be back in Spring/summer to see what it is like. Birdwise it was fairly quiet with one RTD off shore, a couple of pairs of stonechats and most of the usual suspects. Lots of black Guillemots which are starting to come into breeding plumage ie less scrubby grey and more black.No large finch flocks seen and only one kestrel. There was a carrion crow in Strangford village and 3 Slav grebes in Greyabbey Bay South along with Goldeneye and merganser.

 

[nepp]

Started this morning with a visit to Groomsport to look for the female black redstart along the shore toward the South. We stayed for an hour and a half and sadly it didn't appear. It had been reported over the new year and was there for 2 weeks flitting between the last house, named Spindrift, and the shore.
To compensate we had great views of purple sandpipers on the rocks some of them being quite active instead of just sleeping. They are incredibly well camouflaged!
Then drove to Oxford Island to look for the Bewick's swans but only saw a few whoopers and mutes. Met Mark in the Kinnego Hide who says he might join Birdforum!! Cmon Mark..sign up!

 

[rdspalm]

Siskins and more Siskins

Was stuck in revising for an exam this weekend, but was entertained by large numbers of Siskins feeding on the nuts and fir cones in the garden.
Managed a few pictures before the light fell too much. Here is one.

Richard

 

[Derek Polley]

Had another day out round Strangford Lough yesterday (Wed). 71 species in total, the highlights were a treecreeper at the Qouile Pondage, 5 little egrets, 1greenshank and 5 grey plover from the Montgomery hide at Castle Espie. We hit this on a rising tide and it was just so good as the tide pushed the birds up towards us. Still good numbers of Brent and Shelduck about but the whoopers were not in evidence at all. Islandhill had about 60+ skylarks feeding in stubble. Water levels at the Quoile were very high, the path is two feet deep in water and the wildfowl numbers are low. Is it just me or did numbers usd to be a lot higher here? Not sure whether to blame high water levels or warmer winters further North, but I am sure I got better numbers of ducks and geese 15 - 20 years ago? Anyway we had a good day despite driving rain in the afternoon when we were on the ferry.

 

[s. james]

Met Mark in the Kinnego Hide who says he might join Birdforum!! Cmon Mark..sign up!

I see Mark the odd time too. Told me he was going to sign up the last time!

O.Island today...

90+ whoopers
1000's lapwing
210+ cormorant
25 ruddy duck
1 sparrowhawk (behind Kinnego Hide)
1 buzzard
2 raven
9 great crested grebe

The g.c. grebes were quite far out but a few looked like they were in summer plumage and there was even a bit of (half-hearted) displaying! Goldeneyes have been displaying on my past few visits too. I've also heard a lot of great tits singing in the past week. Is all this behaviour usual at this time of year?

Also might've asked this before but does anyone else see ravens regularly in a lowland setting? There's been a pair resident at OI for the past few years.

 

[Chkm8]

A pair of ravens bred on coney island (2006). Didn't reapear in 2007 though.

John.

 

[nepp]

There's a pair of ravens breeding near me in Saintfield. I often see and hear them flying over the woodland.

 

[Derek Polley]

Ravens breed around Scrabo and can be seen in the area. I have seen them occasionally at the Quoile as well. Walked from Portavoe to Ballyholme today via the Stables for lunch! No redstart, but 6 purple sandpipers, a pair of stonechats, rock pipit and a first for 2008 grey wagtail. Small parties of brent but again Brigg's Rocks was gull-less and duck-less which seems to suggest a lack of feeding caused by clean sewage outfall. Can we lobby our Assembly members for more untreated sewage in our coasts so as we can get a bit of decent bird watching again? Apparently Culmore Tip in Derry is going the same way, we need to have a few less stringent pollution laws as the place is getting far too clean:eek!:

 

[Derek Polley]

Garden birdwatch

Did the garden birdwatch over the weekend and got most of the usual stuff. The most notable was 4 blackcaps - 3 male and 1 female This morning I wandered in to the room and glanced out to see what i thought was a woodpigeon drinking from the pond - a fairly common occurence - but to my amazement it was a male sparrowhawk which stayed long enough for a quick shot. Absolutely stunning bird which I think failed to strike as there were no feathers anywhere. I also submit a poor shot of the Barrows Goldeneye taken last week in poor conditions ie very windy theefore too much shake!

 

[Chkm8]

did the garden birdwatch myself. Nothing out of the ordinary though but the goldfinches and tree sparrow numbers were up last few weeks. Nothing as special as a sparrowhawk though. Well done getting the picture.

John.

 

[fisi7chella]

Did the garden birdwatch over the weekend and got most of the usual stuff. The most notable was 4 blackcaps - 3 male and 1 female This morning I wandered in to the room and glanced out to see what i thought was a woodpigeon drinking from the pond - a fairly common occurence - but to my amazement it was a male sparrowhawk which stayed long enough for a quick shot. Absolutely stunning bird which I think failed to strike as there were no feathers anywhere. I also submit a poor shot of the Barrows Goldeneye taken last week in poor conditions ie very windy theefore too much shake!

i think most of us have seen a sparrowhawk in our garden,but with the very limited time they stay about it takes a sterling effort to get a shot as good as that!!

 

[Derek Polley]

Siskin and redpoll

Never had so many siskins in the garden. I usually get a couple off and on and sometimes not until March but have had around a dozen for the last month and yesterday about 30+ although they were hard to count. Also noticed a pair of redpoll with them They were feeding behind stuff and very mobile so the shot isn't that good, but they are definitely redpoll.

 

[breffni]

Hard to tell but the bird on the left seems to have light coloured wing bar which could suggest mealy (with other marks)...always worth checking!

 

[brianfm]

Never had so many siskins in the garden. I usually get a couple off and on and sometimes not until March but have had around a dozen for the last month and yesterday about 30+ although they were hard to count. Also noticed a pair of redpoll with them They were feeding behind stuff and very mobile so the shot isn't that good, but they are definitely redpoll.

Interesting that you have so many Siskin visiting Derek. As you know we saw a few on our trip to N Ireland in January. Since returning to the N E England I have had several sightings in larger numbers than I usually see. The BTO Migration Atlas suggests that numbers visiting gardens in winter is linked to the relative success of the food crop rather than breeding success. i.e. high numbers coinciding with a poor cone crop.

 

[rdspalm]

I have lots of Siskins in the garden too. Usually 6 -10 at a time. Occasionally see a female Redpoll with them. Saw a male once. The Siskins feed on the nuts and fat for hours. They're great to watch.