Bangor West Patchwork Challenge: Pleasant walk on the NDCP

Sunday, 8 November 2026

Pleasant walk on the NDCP

I spent 2 hours recently leading a walk along the North Down Coastal Path (NDCP) for a local group which is called "For another path" It was set up recently to try and persuade the council not to build a Greenway from Holywood to Donaghadee. This was eventually shelved and the group now lobbies for light touch improvement on the path where there are access issues while showcasing the beauties of the existing path. My NDCP patch is part of this path so I am interested in anything which affects the path. I have done two previous walks a few years ago to highlight birds found in the area. This time we walked from the boathouse at Helen's Bay to Rockport and return. We noted 19 species and the highlights were red-throated divers, stonechat, greenshank and whimbrel.

They have a Facebook page here:

(2) For Another Path | Facebook

Greenshank (with redshank)

Turnstones

Curlew

I have added buzzard to the NDCP patch. It's not that common over suburban Bangor but I was sitting at the traffic lights at Bangor Abbey watching the jackdaws and rooks heading to roost in Castle Park when I noticed a breakaway group heading north west over the junction and bingo I had 12 jackdaws harassing a buzzard - and they were giving it some grief as it made its escape.

I have also been double checking lists to see what I might reasonably find to add to the patch lists in the next 8 weeks and discovered I have omitted wren from the WOW lists somehow? Too focused on rarities and overlooking common stuff I suppose.

WOW has been quiet of late but did add raven to the list, another kestrel (F) and amazingly an arctic tern on November 5th. Attached are a few recent pictures, mainly WOW, unless noted.