Friday 17 June 2022

Approaching the equinox

Hard to believe we are nearly at the end of June but I have noticed a decline in bird song as the parents are feeding young and too busy to entertain us. I have had some good sessions at WOW and a boat trip to the Gobbins from Bangor. Not much walking along the coastal path due to a sciatic related muscle problem in the hip area. Hopefully it is on the mend and I will be able to get out and about a bit more. It is getting to be a bit frustrating not being able to walk 3 or 4 miles without thinking about it. I still managed to add Manx shearwater and house martin. Here are a few shots from WOW. Star bird was a male garganey closely followed by arctic terns. There are still non-breeding black-tailed godwits around while shovelers are going into eclipse plumage. My fellow volunteer John Fraser got a good shot of the garganey, thanks to him for permission to use it. 

John Fraser's garganey shot

My garganey shot
Arctic tern

Arctic tern
Black-tailed godwit

Common terns getting jiggy-jiggy

Common terns 

Eclipse shoveler

Obligatory Med gull

Shelducklings

The Gobbins trip gave good views of the seabird colonies and peregrines, plus lesser black-backed gulls which appeared to like egg and onion sandwiches as they followed the boat back to Bangor

Gobbins walk from the sea

Looking for peregrines


Kittiwakes and guillemots

Homeward bound

All lesser black-backs

What's not to like?

2022
142: Arctic tern
143: Garganey

NDCP
58: Manx shearwater
59: House martin

WOW
71: House martin
72: Arctic tern
73: Little egret
74: Garganey
75: Manx shearwater