Keep on keeping on

This will update both patches before a planned trip to Northumberland and Bolton to add all sorts of goodies I can't get locally.

I have added eight to the North Down list - garden goldcrest, Carnalea black guillemot and Ballyholme brent geese, but a visit to the Long Hole to look for rock pipit turned up a most unexpected addition to the patch list in the form of a single twite. I noticed a small bird feeding on the small weedy, stony beach between the Long Hole and the back of the North Pier - not rock pipit as it had a stubby finch bill so having ruled out redpoll I was left with linnet (expected) and twite (a long shot). I got good close views and bingo, it's a twite. 

A female sparrowhawk also had the decency to land in the garden and do a bit of preening - it didn't get a meal. I finally added rock pipit and also picked up an offshore red-throated diver on one of my many visits to look for the kingfisher which has graced the Long Hole for three years but I fear it has finally gone. Stricklands produced the expected grey wagtail on the lower pond so I have now seen most of the species I expect to see at the start of the year. 

Twite at the Long Hole

WOW continues to have high water levels despite the sluice being open. Apparently the sluice drains into a storm drain which takes the water towards the channel. However in times of heavy rain (like 2026) the run-off from the road pushes back up the sluice and pushes the water into the reserve. The key is to anticipate a period of heavy rainfall and close the sluice. Clearly it is not as simple as open the sluice and let the water out, plus the sluice needs frequently dredged, cleaned and raked to remove all the detritus trying to get out and gumming up the works. The resulting high water levels means that the reserve is not as favourable for small waders. I did manage jackdaw and ringed plover at Kinnegar so it is not all bad.

Old friend from April 2021

New Stena ferry

Swan pair, we hope they don't stay

Male gadwall

As well as goldcrest and twite (see above) I finally saw a treecreeper in a friend's garden close to Castle Park in Bangor, Having not seen one in all of 2025 it was a bit unexpected  to see one in a suburban garden. What was even more bizarre was to see one land in a tree in front of me in Antrim Castle Gardens the very next day  while I was using it for cover to watch a small flock of lesser redpoll bathing in a puddle!!  I finally added pheasant by nearly running over a splendid male near Ardmillan whilst out looking for fieldfares which are still off the list. 

2026
80: Goldcrest
81: Twite
82: Treecreeper
83: Lesser redpoll
84: Pheasant

85: Red-throated diver

86: Grey wagtail

NDCP

43: Black guillemot

44: Goldcrest

45: Brent goose

46: Twite

47: Sparrowhawk

48: Grey wagtail

49: Red-throated diver

50: Rock pipit

WOW

58: Knot

59: Jackdaw

60: Ringed plover