2022 kick off

Here we go again and the early news is that the rustic bunting has decided not to be on anyone's 2022 list. It was seen on December 31st and hasn't been seen since. David and I were doing our dawn to dusk birdathon on New Years Day so we were not looking for it, but others looked in vain. 

Our trip round Strangford Lough was different this year in that we hit a high spring tide on the Lough plus a force 5/6 southerly breeze so we missed out on quite a few species we would normally get like wren, dunnock, gadwall and greenfinch. Despite the breeze the temperature of 12 degrees gave an unseasonable spring-like air to the trip. Our total of 58 was the lowest for ten years but having said all that it was a good day and there were a few goodies on the list. Top of the pile was a mixed finch/sparrow flock feeding on a weed crop specifically sown for birds. probably around 80 birds most of which were house sparrows it also had tree sparrows, chaffinches and 15 yellowhammers. I am struggling to recall the last time we saw yellowhammers on a new year list, and until 2021 when I saw two its at least 8 years since I have seen any in Northern Ireland. We also picked up two groups of whooper swans, a sparrrowhawk, a carrion crow and two lots of pintail  as well as all the usual suspects. I have tacked the list on at the end for my records, don't feel obliged to wade through it. The hide at Castle Island is still locked - apparently they do not have enough staff to maintain it!! The high tide forced the ferry to use the auxiliary slipway at Strangford and water levels a the Quoile were so high the riverside path was flooded. We also noted a daffodil in full bloom, and significant bird song in sheltered inland areas.

It's on the wrong slipway (D Miller)

Here's why, too high a tide.

Reversing out

High water on the Quoile (D Miller)

I see no birds!! (D Miller)

Yellowhammers (D Miller)

Pintails (D Miller)

A serenity of swans (D Miller)

Sparrow central - tree and house (D Miller)

Inspiration for a Wordsworth poem perhaps? (D Miller)

The garden list also kicked in with a couple of blackcaps the main attraction, although a pair of bullfinch was nice. Everything else was as expected. The garden started off the local patch with 16 and a walk round the coastal path today (3rd) added another 16. The main event was the three purple sandpipers on a little stony beach - their high tide roost was covered! I finally got a dunnock as well plus the lapwing flock has had the decency to hang around till 2022, unlike the rustic bunting. 

2022: Little grebe, cormorant, shag, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, whooper swan, brent goose, shelduck, wigeon, teal, mallard, shoveler, pintail, tufted, eider, goldeneye, red-breasted merganser, sparrowhawk, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, ringed plover, lapwing, dunlin, snipe, black-tailed godwit, curlew, redshank, black-headed, herring, common and great black-backed gulls, wood pigeon, collared dove, rock pipit, pied wagtail, robin, blackbird, song & mistle thrush, redwing, coal, blue and great tit, magpie, jackdaw, rook, magpie, hoodie, starling, house & tree sparrow, chaffinch, goldfinch, linnet, bullfinch and yellowhammer. (58)

59: Blackcap

60: Purple sandpiper

61: Turnstone

62: Black guillemot

63: Dunnock

NDCP: Cormorant, shag, mallard, eider, oystercatcher, ringed plover, lapwing, purple sandpiper, dunlin, redshank, turnstone, black-headed, common and herring gulls, black guillemot, woodpigeon, collared dove, rock pipit, pied wagtail, dunnock, robin, blackbird, blackcap, coal, blue and great tits, magpie, jackdaw, hooded crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, goldfinch and bullfinch. (34)