Sunday 31 December 2017

2017 Over and out!!

2017 is all done and dusted and the totals haven't changed despite two spells at WOW and two coastal walks. WOW the week before Christmas was fascinating, not only could we not see the Rathcoole Flats, we couldn't see the other side of the reserve!! This week it was again a trifle icy.

No Stena boat - and it was there!
Looking to Hide 2?

Cranes and a tanker on our side of the channel!!
What buzzard tree?
Teal on ice
Teal on ice (2)
Normal visibility
Green plover/peewit/flapwing
Tomorrow is another year and three new lists, watch this space.

2017
212: Short-toed treecreeper
Bangor West  
67: Greylag  
Belfast WOW
99: Razorbill

Tuesday 19 December 2017

Morelli time

Those of you familiar with Morellis of Portstewart will know all about the legendary "99", a vanilla cone with a chocolate flake. You may also know that the founder of the company passed away at the age of 99, an apt and fitting time to go. If you have been following this blog you will know that I am marooned on 99 at Belfast WOW/Kinegar with only 12 days to go. Last week I went in to help with a school only to be told by the other two helpers that long-tailed tits were around the building. You guessed it they vanished. (The reserve was completely iced over so the pupils struggled to see many birds.) The white wagtail was a pied wagtail and the shags are all cormorants!! Anyway enough of my complaints I still have two visits to WOW in 2017. Light recently has not been good so pictures are limited and I have not been anywhere else as I try to shake off the cold. I cannot remember the last time I walked the coastal path either - too busy in the run up to Christmas. Anyway here are a few pics taken since November 20th.

Still moorhen central

Birds, what birds?

Photogenic teal

You can barely see the Stena Terminal............

............ never mind Rathcoole Flats

There they are!!

Wigeon close in

Buzzard lunching on a shoveler

Shoveler keeping its head down

Close in male, usually they are further away.

Teal pair looking for millet



Will hopefully see something and push the totals up, last sighting at WOW was in October while the coastal path delivered in late September, so no change to the totals.

2017
212: Short-toed treecreeper
 
Bangor West  
67: Greylag
 
Belfast WOW
99: Razorbill