Bangor West Patchwork Challenge: Spring at last (and migrants)

Thursday, 20 April 2023

Spring at last (and migrants)

I think we have finally left winter behind and are looking forward to the increasing temperatures and the flood of migrants heading our way. The coastal path added lesser black-backed gull and sandwich tern, while WOW pitched in with a sandwich tern and a sand martin or two. Comber turned up a hoopoe which had seriously overshot and took two visits to get a not very good photo. Another record shot I hear you say? Then it was off to England for family time and two walks round Elton Reservoir which is my go-to birding site when I am in Bolton.

I have a few from WOW over the past few weeks, nothing startling but some of interest to those who like bling.

Pintail

Black-tailed godwit just starting to colour up

Ringed black-headed gull
(Courtesy of John Fraser)

2LC3
(Courtesy of John Fraser)

Shoveler

Flotilla of tufties

Ringed godwit

Well into breeding plumage

Pair of posing Mediterranean gulls

The godwit was one of over 20 ringed at WOW in April 2021 and has been re-sighted here regularly. The young black-headed gull was ringed in S Scotland last year and this was the first re-sighting. Also finally got a starling, willow warbler, blackcap and a grey plover. I have seen grey plover at WOW before but not recently and it remains a not very common species at WOW. I have absolutely no idea how I got to April 20 without picking up starlings. Could have missed them earlier in the year but when I realised they hadn't been seen and starting looking they just weren't there.

The hoopoe pitched up in a cemetery in Comber and gave good views. Unfortunately it was harassed a bit by photographers and became a bit flighty. I went twice and stayed well away so the photographs are not the best, but hey, it ticked three boxes - County Down, Northern Ireland and 2023. Could have added it to a UK or British Isles list if I had them, but I don't.

Initial view was distant

Closer but behind a bench

Walking away!

Closer in

At this point the camera battery packed in - should have charged it but forgot.

I managed two walks round Elton reservoir - see first photo - during Easter week and both walks added spring migrants to the list. Willow warbler and chiffchaff were common and I finally added house martin and swallow - one of each. I also managed to see a great spotted woodpecker on the nut feeder at Elton and then heard one drumming in the area six days later. Elton has had a run of good birds recently but it's a matter of right time right place, and the alpine swift had moved on. The second photo shows the River Irwell just below Elton, the third photo shows "The dip" and on a warm misty morning I was listening to song thrush, blackbird, robin, dunnock, chiffchaff, great tit, goldfinch and willow warbler all topped off with a drumming great spotted woodpecker - magic!!