21 May 2013

An Obliging Garganey and Some Slightly Better Images of the Castle Ward Tawny Owl

Castle Ward Tawny Owl
Castle Ward Tawny Owl in Flight
Castle Ward Tawny Owl in Flight

I popped down to Castle Island Hide where there had been a recent hatch of flies. In front of the hide there were over a hundred Common Terns feeding and some within a few metres of the hide.
Common Tern feeding on Flies
Common Tern
Common Tern

So as I was photographing away when I noticed a couple of wigeon and another duck take off far to my left and the smaller one flew straight for the hide and much to my surprise it was a fab male Garganey. It landed to the right of the hide and then fed its way all the way back past the front of the hide constantly being pestered by a couple of drake Mallard
Male Garganey flying past Castle Island Hide Quoile Co.Down
Male Garganey
 Rear View Male Garganey










14 May 2013

A Montagu's Harrier and a Possible 1st for Ireland a Tawny Owl all in One Day

Tawny Owl at Castle Ward

This morning I took the early ferry to Portaferry to go and see whether the Montagu's Harrier found by Keith Bennett was still at Lough Cowey. I parked the car and hopped over the gate and there it was off to my right. If only twitching was always that easy. The bird stayed for about a minute before flying out of sight. It wasn't until two hours later that it reappeared and then only for a few minutes.

Montagu's Harrier at Lough Cowey

Montagu's Harrier
Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier



While I was there I had a text  from David Thompson who is the National Trust's Property manager for Strangford Lough and South Down saying that he wanted a second opinion as he felt he had heard a Tawny Owl calling near the sunken garden and that other people had been wondering for the past few weeks what it was. I texted him back saying that I thought it would probably be Long-eared Owl from my past experiences with them on the Castle Ward Estate having lived on the estate for 12 years.

Any way this evening I took Pickle for a walk and dropped off Penny to do a run round the estate and meet me back at the sunken garden, while I looked for the bird. I heard it almost immediately I got there and tried to find the exact tree it was calling from. I was helped by three blackbirds, a Mistle Thrush and a song thrush all who were mobbing the bird deep in some bushes. I still couldn't see it when all of a sudden I looked at my level rather than in the tree tops and bingo there it was one beautiful Tawny Owl. My only hope is that it isn't an escape. I couldn't see any rings or jesses. I rang the World of Owls and they were not aware of any escapes.