Local update with Eowyn

We'll have a recap of recent events at WOW and the North Down patch, ready for a report from our first trip to England in 2025.

WOW survived storm Eowyn with a few trees down round the edge, but nothing serious or inconvenient. The main news is that the path to Hide 2 is open and it is bigger and better than we expected. We have got a 4+ metre path all the way down to the back gate with a wide turning circle and a view of the channel. 

View from the top

Turning circle at the bottom

Looking for birds in the channel

Shoveler couple

I added a couple of birds to the patch with the first lesser black-backed gulls and a nice flock of long-tailed tits. the avocet is still appearing off and on. It has been in three times - first for four days, then five and finally it has been back again for over a week. 

The local patch also survived storm Eowyn with minimal damage unless you are a golfer. Carnalea Golf Club lost their fence along the coastal path and over 40 trees, while Stricklands Glen lost three large trees and a smattering of smaller ones. 

200 yards of mesh fence!!

Strickland's tree

The garden has not really had anything strange or exciting except the blackcaps seem to be less belligerent than they were. The song thrush is still around along with bullfinches and long-tailed tits.  The Long Hole finally gave up the kingfisher - on a rising tide in the morning. 

I went to Lurgan Park and picked up a pochard and the long-staying red-crested pochard. It ticks a lot of lists - County Armagh, Northern Ireland, Ireland and 2025. I also went to Victoria Park for a walk and spotted this buzzard sitting along the Connswater at Airport Road - a bit out of its usual haunts, but flew off and seemed okay. 

Red-crested pochard

Red-crested pochard

Connswater buzzard

Off to sunny Bolton and a chance to get a lot of stuff I won't get here. Might even get a bit of heat if we are lucky. 

2025

84: Sparrowhawk

85: Pochard

86: Red-crested pochard

87: Kingfisher

88: Lesser black-backed gull

WOW

66: Dunlin

67: Goldeneye

68: Lesser black-backed gull

69: Long-tailed tit

NDCP

48: Kingfisher