Bangor West Patchwork Challenge: December 2018

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Ton up at WOW

Surprisingly last week bird number 100 on the WOW patch was a kestrel which flew over and away. I have seen kestrel there but not for some time although one was spotted in the autumn by one of the regulars over the waste ground to the east. This was one of 29 species including all the regulars plus buzzard, redpoll, snipe and a male pochard. Water levels continue to rise and there has been more rain this week. We are down to two Koniks and they are on their last hurrah as they are to be replaced by Dexter cattle next autumn.

The millet is pulling birds up to the window and one of the eight snipe we saw came over and gave excellent views to a visiting bird group.

Teal

Matching teal

Snipe

Sod's law, best snipe shot photo-bombed by a moorhen.

Common snipe, note central cream stripe on head

Wigeon

Spring shot of Koniks for old times sake.

Heading off to Bolton for a week and hopefully nuthatch and water rail providing I get a morning at Pennington Flash. Should get a post towards the end of the year with summaries and totals. Happy Christmas. 🎅 🎄 🎅

2018
157: Twite

Bangor West
71: Curlew

Belfast WOW
100: Kestrel

Saturday, 1 December 2018

WATER

Now you have the answer to the clue as WOW is now back to normal and water levels are slowly rising to the accepted level. There have been good numbers of birds around the reserve and counts have been 30+ each Thursday morning. First an update on the younger of the two black-tailed godwits mentioned in the last post. This is the eleven year old bird which was ringed in Iceland and has been a regular winter visitor to WOW and also across Belfast Lough in Whitehouse Lagoon.It goes by the quaint title of GG - ORf which translates from the Icelandic as green, green (Left leg) - Orange, red flag (right leg)

Here is the sighting history from its ringing in Iceland in July 2007

16.7.2007 Iceland,N Ice,Skagafjarðarsýsla,Fljót,Langhús 66.0610 -19.121

8.9.2007 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

12.10.2007 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Down,Strangford Lough,Castle Espie 54.5324 -5.6901

15.10.2007 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Down,Strangford Lough,Castle Espie 54.5324 -5.6901

17.5.2008 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

16.4.2009 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

15.4.2010 Iceland,W Ice,Mýrasýsla,Mýrar,Vogalækur 64.5296 -22.205

16.4.2010 Iceland,W Ice,Mýrasýsla,Mýrar,Vogalækur 64.5296 -22.205

19.4.2010 Iceland,W Ice,Mýrasýsla,Mýrar,Vogalækur 64.5296 -22.205

21.4.2010 Iceland,W Ice,Mýrasýsla,Mýrar,Vogalækur 64.5296 -22.205

23.4.2010 Iceland,W Ice,Mýrasýsla,Mýrar,Vogalækur 64.5296 -22.205

26.4.2010 Iceland,W Ice,Mýrasýsla,Mýrar,Vogalækur 64.5296 -22.205

14.2.2012 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

25.2.2012 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

14.4.2012 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

6.3.2013 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

17.4.2013 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

18.4.2013 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

17.4.2014 Iceland,E Ice,S-Múlasýsla,Álftafjörður,Starmýri 64.5345 -14.552

21.3.2015 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

25.2.2016 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

6.3.2016 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

31.7.2016 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

5.10.2016 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

26.10.2016 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

27.10.2016 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

10.11.2016 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

10.12.2016 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

4.10.2017 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

23.12.2017 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

5.4.2018 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Down,Strangford Lough,Castle Espie 54.5324 -5.6901

17.4.2018 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Down,Strangford Lough,Castle Espie 54.5324 -5.6901

19.8.2018 Northern Ireland,E N-Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Whitehouse Lagoon 54.6538 -05.909

8.11.2018 Northern Ireland,E N-Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Whitehouse Lagoon 54.6538 -05.909

10.11.2018 Northern Ireland,E N-Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Whitehouse Lagoon 54.6538 -05.909

11.11.2018 Northern Ireland,N Ire,Antrim,Belfast,Belfast harbour RSPB 54.6538 -05.909

39 records

As you can see it is a much travelled bird with a good sighting history and we were delighted to be able to help in scientific research and can only imagine the delight of the ringer when they get a sighting. Other than that not a lot to report, but birds are closer in.

Moorhen

Teal

The rising water levels at WOW meant that the staff decided to float the tern islands back to their winter quarters.This disturbed a young female peregrine which was snacking near the swift tower. It hung around and gave good views especially when it had a go at the local buzzard.They also shifted about 600 wigeon, 60 moorhen, 60+ wigeon and 40+mallard. The second tern island re-location took an interesting "turn" with a hint of a Rod Stewart number about it.

Clear the furniture

Wait for the assistant to return

Pretend we are on the Cam punting

Suddenly realise there is a brisk westerly wind, so open the sails and cruise across the lagoon to a Rod Stewart soundtrack, "We are sailing"

It actually worked very well and they made good progress before they had to down sails and head north to winter quarters with the poles and a bit of a push. As you can see WOW is still stuck on 99 and has been since early October, I need a diver or a sea duck and I need it soon. Keep looking!!

2018
157: Twite

Bangor West
71: Curlew

Belfast WOW
99: Jay