As promised, here is an update from two trips Rathlin Island and the Gobbins by boat. We spent three days on Rathlin and did three walks - Craigmacagan, West light to the harbour and Roonivoolin/Rue Point. Weather was ideal and views were superb. Totalled 63 species in three days including cuckoo and sparrowhawk - both firsts for Rathlin - corncrake, puffin, great skua and wheatear. I had a look back at previous Rathlin visits and noticed a few changes over the years since my first visit in 1981.
Lapwings used to be regular in good numbers, but seem to have gone
Spotted flycatcher around the church is a memory
Chough have vanished
Swifts no longer come over to feed
Haven't seen kestrel for some time, but then haven't seen them anywhere else either.*
Goldfinch now regular
Tits are hard to see/find
Corncrake has returned
Great skua now established
Buzzards do not seem to be as widespread as they once were
It is still a magical place to visit so here are a few scenes to savour and whet your appetite for a visit. Best to book the ferry ahead of time, the days of turning up and getting across are like choughs and flycatchers - long gone
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| Fulmar nest |
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| West light |
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| Mill Bay seals |
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| Mill Bay |
The weather held for the Gobbins trip from Bangor, courtesy of Jim Wells. We had all the usual suspects including peregrine falcon. My shots are mostly scenic, but I have put a link to the Facebook site J Birds - Birding by Boat where the good photographers have posted their usual range of stunning images. Look for Albert Boyle, Paul Hilton and Stephen Gorman in particular.
* We saw a kestrel at the Gobbins, first I have seen in Northern Ireland this year, there is a photo on Paul's JBirds post
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| Blackhead |
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| Fulmar |
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| Guillemot |
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| Auks and kittiwakes |
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| Razorbill |
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| Shags |
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| Muck Island |
I also managed to add Manx shearwater to the 2023 list and the North Down patch. Setting sun, warm evening, mill pond sea, coastal path and spotted six shearwater about 400m out - magic as the following pictures show.
2023
145: Manx shearwater
NDCP
66: Manx shearwater
WOW
83: Kittiwake
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