Northern Ireland Local Patch (1 Viewer)

[nepp]

Ards peninsula

a barrows is back at the quoile, would this more than likely be the same as last year, and if so does it mean the duck is less likely to be a 'real' barrows, as it keeps visiting the same area, assuming its the same one?

I saw the Barrow's Goldeneye today from the wee pier past the Quoile countryside centre (after the second car park). Also 8 pink footed geese and a single whooper swan that seems to have been around for some time.

At RSPB Harbour reserve spotted a white rumped sandpiper, a little stint and a bar headed goose which I hear has been in residence there!
Lovely close views at high tide in Newtownards of Brent, pintail, eider, knot, merganser, dunlin.
Driving towards Cloughey saw a hedge full of tree sparrows feeding off a maize setaside field. Ringed plover, dunlin and golden plover in the bay at Cloughey.
Has anyone heard of an alternative name for a shag.. " a willy dipper?" A local farmer named it thus!

 

[DEREK CHARLES]

Hello Cidereduck,

I would think there is little doubt that the Barrows Goldeneye is the same bird as last winter. It arrived at virtually the same time last year and seemed to migrate north with the Goldeneyes in springtime. We will never know if it is a wild bird, however this behaviour strengthens its credentials of being a wild bird. Go and see it anyway it really is a lovely duck.
Here is another pic of the Green Winged Teal at the reserve that Norma mentioned.

All the best

Derek

 

[s. james]

Has anyone heard of an alternative name for a shag.. " a willy dipper?" A local farmer named it thus!

I've never heard that one but here are a few ''Norn Iron'' bird names I've heard or read,

gowk=cuckoo
peesweep=lapwing
whaup=curlew
moss-cheeper=meadow pipit
heron-cran= grey heron
yellow-yorlin=yellowhammer

 

[Enda]

Hello Cidereduck,

I would think there is little doubt that the Barrows Goldeneye is the same bird as last winter. It arrived at virtually the same time last year and seemed to migrate north with the Goldeneyes in springtime. We will never know if it is a wild bird, however this behaviour strengthens its credentials of being a wild bird. Go and see it anyway it really is a lovely duck.
Here is another pic of the Green Winged Teal at the reserve that Norma mentioned.

All the best

Derek

I think Derek has answered the question quite well.while we cant be certain,I think the birds movements point towards it being a wild bird

 

[cidereduck]

I think Derek has answered the question quite well.while we cant be certain,I think the birds movements point towards it being a wild bird

thanks all. went out to the quoile on tues, and lo and behold, it was the very first duck I spotted, definitely better situated than last year. we reported it to Birdguides.com over the phone and they told my dad that this is (or at least last years duck is) the first accepted Barrows in the UK....they're still unsure about the few there have been elsewhere....

 

[DEREK CHARLES]

Hello Cidereduck,

Birdguides have given you incorrect information. As yet, this record has not been accepted by the NIBA as a wild bird. Enquiries are still being made. There is one accepted record from the UK, i don't have the exact date to hand i think it was 1979. One other UK record is still under review as far as i am aware.

All the best

Derek

 

[cidereduck]

Hello Cidereduck,

Birdguides have given you incorrect information. As yet, this record has not been accepted by the NIBA as a wild bird. Enquiries are still being made. There is one accepted record from the UK, i don't have the exact date to hand i think it was 1979. One other UK record is still under review as far as i am aware.

All the best

Derek

I had wondered about that......ta

 

[rdspalm]

Weather must have been too bad to get people out recently.

I was down at Longfield Point and Greysteel on Wednesday. Not that many Whoopers to be seen. Large numbers of Oystercatchers and a couple of Gt Crested Grebes. Plenty of Brent at Greysteel.

I was out with a school group so it was an enjoyable morning for all.

 

[s. james]

The woodland birds at Oxford Island are really tame at this time of year. Buy some seed at the Discovery Centre and feed them on the west shore path by the Croaghan Hide. Great tits and blue tits were eating off my hand today!

Other good sightings were 1 Jay, 1 Kestrel and 4 Siskin. Fox spotted twice on the west shore path, apparantly it is also quite tame!

I haven't seen any whoopers here yet either although there are usually a few at Portmore Lough.

 

[JamesT]

Does anyone know a surefire place to see tree sparrows within a short cycle ride of Belfast? Embarassingly i have never seen one.

 

[cidereduck]

would anyone here know of where abouts in Killyleagh the great northern and red throated divers were spotted on Sunday?

 

[s. james]

Does anyone know a surefire place to see tree sparrows within a short cycle ride of Belfast? Embarassingly i have never seen one.

Not really a short cycle ride but tree sparrows are a certain sight at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve.

Details here...

Portmore Lough

How to get to Portmore

Flocks of around 100 can be seen from the car-park!

 

[salar53]

Hello!
At quarter to midnight in the centre of Derry (Carlisle Road) last night, Tuesday 19th December I spotted a pied wagtail. It seemed to be feeding away merrily. Does anybody know if this is unusual?

 

[Roger&out]

Hello!
At quarter to midnight in the centre of Derry (Carlisle Road) last night, Tuesday 19th December I spotted a pied wagtail. It seemed to be feeding away merrily. Does anybody know if this is unusual?

It's not really, I have a pair that frequent my garden (at Lisnagelvin) and I often see them feeding at night, by the light of a streetlight.

Roger

 

[salar53]

Wagtail by Night

Thank you, Roger.
Yes, the streetlights were very bright, especially at this time of year, I suppose.
Still, it's interesting.
Peter

It's not really, I have a pair that frequent my garden (at Lisnagelvin) and I often see them feeding at night, by the light of a streetlight.

Roger

 

[rdspalm]

Lets see your local patch

I was looking at this thread and people were uploading photos of their local patches. So, here is a hazy image of Longfield Point hot from Google Earth.

Happy Christmas everyone!

Richard

 

[billdoor79]

Hi

I am trying to identify a bird that I saw about a dozen of at Jordanstown Loughshore.

It is about half the size of an oystercatcher, white belly, black (possibly also speckled, it was raining) back with a white zig-zag on the side.

In flight it has a curve of white at the end of the tail, then a curve of black, then more white.

Any suggestions would be great so that I can find pictures and hopefully find the bird I saw!

Thanks.

 

[Pluvius]

Hi

I am trying to identify a bird that I saw about a dozen of at Jordanstown Loughshore.

It is about half the size of an oystercatcher, white belly, black (possibly also speckled, it was raining) back with a white zig-zag on the side.

In flight it has a curve of white at the end of the tail, then a curve of black, then more white.

Any suggestions would be great so that I can find pictures and hopefully find the bird I saw!

Thanks.

I think it maybe a Turnstone. Heres a photo of a group of them. There is one Purple Sandpiper in the middle of photo

 

[billdoor79]

I think it maybe a Turnstone. Heres a photo of a group of them. There is one Purple Sandpiper in the middle of photo

Thanks Pluvius, I also posted this in the Sea Watch section as I hadn't noticed that, and a lady there suggested the same thing.

I believe this is correct having checked my books also, looking forward to returning for another look!

Thanks again.

 

[billdoor79]

Thanks Pluvius, I also posted this in the Sea Watch section as I hadn't noticed that, and a lady there suggested the same thing.

I believe this is correct having checked my books also, looking forward to returning for another look!

Thanks again.

Just to say that I returned this lunchtime and they're definitely Turnstones, lovely little things!