A pre spring roundup

Thought it would be a good idea to have a quick update before even more spring migrants pitch in. As well as that we are in Bolton again over Easter so best to update before we go. I have already seen the odd migrant and even had a chiffchaff in January at WOW. A lone swallow at Portavoe was a nice bonus on April 1st. WOW produced sandwich terns and sand martins. The garden has been very quiet as warmer temperatures have encouraged the garden visitors to move on, fortunately the coastal path added lesser black-backed gull and meadow pipit.

WOW has been quiet although we are still recording all seven of our winter ducks, large flocks of black-tailed godwits starting to colour up and a pair of Mediterranean gulls finally made an appearance. The main excitement has been four of our class of 2021 ringed black-tailed godwits reappearing and the odd vagrant gull dropping in briefly (Iceland gull and little gull). There has also been a whimbrel on the back bank for about two weeks. The anti-gull measures from the last blog seem to have failed as the island is now back up to 100+ black-headed gulls . The 2 Mediterranean gulls also seem to be setting up home where they did last year. It looks like we are back to the drawing board in deterring the gulls. 

Not working as well?

Med gull was not worried at all

Up and close with the godwits

Blue over yellow

Red over blue

Colouring up for migration

Had trouble with this one, all our godwits have this on their right leg.

More breeding finery

We also have little grebes

................ and coots

We also had a trip to Larne to look for mandarin ducks but drew a blank. The river did produce grey heron, grey wagtail and .........dipper!! Considering I did not see one in 2023 and 2024 it was a bit ironic to see two in the space of  15 minutes.

Inver river, Larne

Late news from WOW as I went to press was that the little gull which has been hanging around finally turned up on a Thursday morning. Being a little gull there was no point in trying for a distant picture as it was right at the back all the time. 

2025

105: Whimbrel

106: Mediterranean gull

107: Sandwich tern

108: Sand martin

109: Swallow

110: Little gull

NDCP
50: Sparrowhawk
51: Lesser black-backed gull
52: Meadow pipit

WOW
71: Whimbrel
72: Mediterranean gull
73: Sandwich tern
73: Sand martin

74: Little gull