No frozen pond - yet

A mild month with a long dry spell means we are still waiting for a cold snap. Bangor is near the sea so we don't have a lot of frost or snow. I judge the winter by how many times the pond freezes, last winter it froze four times, this winter so far, zero. With temperatures up at 10 - 12 degrees there is birdsong, dunnock, robin, great, blue and coal tit as well as song thrush. A recent walk along the coastal path had 5 singing song thrushes in a mile and a half. We have been out and about a fair bit and the 2022 list and the patch lists are ticking over nicely. Obviously there are a few omissions but hey we have only had a month. A bit of twitching produced a green-winged teal, and a kingfisher at Castle Espie, a glossy ibis (Portmore Lough) and a great spotted woodpecker. These are increasing in Northern Ireland but still hard to find. I went chasing bramblings in a local wooded area and lo and behold I hear and see a drumming woodpecker. Happy days. (The last time I saw a green-winged teal was at WOW in September 2011.)

Green-winged teal with a European cousin at Castle Espie

WOW  has been quiet bird wise and visitor wise. The birds are still tending to stay on the far side and hide 2 remains the best option for the roosting waders. The feeders are now on the lagoon side of the observation room so there is always something to look at if the ducks and waders are distant. The patch list is now on 59 with the addition of an unexpected pintail. They drop in occasionally but we haven't seen one for a while. The lesser black-backed gulls have returned and numbers of black-headed gulls are starting to build. We are lacking wigeon and tufted duck  but shelduck, teal, mallard and gadwall are present and coot are drifting in. Here's a few recent pictures.

Pintail

Greenfinch

Grey wagtail

Teal

Goldfinch

The garden pulled in a wren, long-tailed tit and a goldcrest to join the usual suspects which still include linnets and bullfinch. I have also had a song thrush at the back of the garden but too flighty to get a shot.  A raven on the top of First Bangor Presbyterian church in Main Street was a bit of a bonus seeing as I didn't get one on the patch last year. The coastal path has not produced anything stunning, if you pass on the annual flock of Brent geese,  but it is always a pleasant walk, and it will deliver in time. Here's a few garden shots.

Blackcaps still visiting

One of three males

Linnet

Have had up to nine

Breeds in the chimney

God willing we're off to England this week. We are planning a trip to Northumberland and are planning a dawn to dusk around Cresswell, Druridge and East Chevington. Most of the time involves child care in Bolton so hopefully we'll get to Elton, Pennington Flash or Martin Mere. Might even take the scenic route through the Dales en route, never know what you might see. At least I don't have to worry about woodpecker this year, seen and heard in Clandeboye Wood. 😍😍

2022

85: Jay

86: Bar-tailed godwit

87: Pheasant

88: Goldcrest

89: Glossy ibis

90: Pochard

91: Great spotted woodpecker

92: Green -winged teal

93: Kingfisher

NDCP

39: Brent goose

40: Great black-backed gull

41: Song thrush

42: Raven

43: Grey heron

44: Long-tailed tit

45: Goldcrest

46: Sparrowhawk

47: Wren

Belfast RSPB

46: Ringed plover

47: Turnstone

48: Bar-tailed godwit

49: Song thrush

50: Coot

51: Grey heron

52: Eider

53: Sparrowhawk

54: Linnet

55: Little grebe

56: Blackbird

57: Red-breasted merganser

58:Lesserblack-backed gull

59: Pintail