Sea Watching at Ramore Head Co. Antrim

Peregrine's Birding Facts


As I am very susceptible to sea sickness I couldn't go on (Click on link for really good report)Anthony McGeehan's Pelagic out of Magheroarty in Co. Donegal a couple of weeks ago, which was a pity as I would have seen at least three lifers. So on Tuesday did the next best thing I went sea watching at Ramore Head Co. Antrim one of the two best spots in Northern Ireland.
The other being St. John's Point Co.Down near to where I live.

At Ramore Head the on-shore winds bring winter flypasts of Cormorant, Fulmar and Gannet and in the Autumn strong north-west winds bring flights of Leach's and Storm Petrels, Shag, Manx and Sooty Shearwaters, plus Arctic, Great and Pomarine Skuas, Sabine's Gulls and the occasional Blue Fulmar . Well I would be very happy with Leach's Petrel, Sooty Shearwater and a Sabine's Gull as I have not seen any of them.


I left work and drove upto Portrush about an hours drive away. I am ashamed to say this was the second time I had been here the last time was 28 years ago when I was 16 and went on the rollercoaster, which I didn't enjoy. I regularly hear of seawatching reports coming from Ramore Head on Flightline but never had got round to getting there. Anthony and his brother Gerard had said they were going up there as there was a Northerly gale which brings in the seabirds so I went to join them. I first of all parked inthe East carpark where a number of gulls were resting out of the wind as well as a Sandwich Tern which I drove fairly close too.




Not seeing Anthony's car in the car park I drove further into Portrush and found it at the most northerly part of the town. It was very windy when I got out of the car and pretty chilly. I was glad that I had my Paramo trousers and jacket, even though I could have done with something warmer than a t-shirt underneath. I walked to where I assumed they would be to see five birders looking out through their scopes. Anthony and his brother Gerard, Joe Lamont, Dennis Weir and another guy who I have seen before but dont know his name. So far they had seen Leach's Sabines, Great and Arctic Skua. You look out to the Skerries a small group of islands and the birds tend to fly past them.


Suddenly somebody shouted Arctic Skua and two birds flew quite close by. This was shortly followed by the slightly larger Great Skua on both occasions I had my camera on the ground :-( I also at this stage thought this was going to be brilliant however they were the only ones I was to see over the next couple of hours. Gerard pointed out a Leach's Petrel but I could not get onto it. Gerard and Anthony left shortly afterwards to go and do some more work on the Belfast Harbour Reserve. I also was beginning to doubt my eyesight when the birder I didn't know pointed out a Basking Shark over a period of ten minutes but neither Joe Lamont nor I could get onto it. After a couple of hours I was pretty cold and decided to call it a day. I learnt a few things about sea watching 1. Wear suitable clothing, Gloves, Hat etc 2. Bring a flask 3. Bring a fold up chair. The next time I will be better prepared. As I was returning to the car somebody said they had seen Grey Phalarope at the far side of the car park .

I headed there but could only see Sanderling, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and the recently returned Purple Sandpiper.




but no Phalarope.

I then decided to drive all the way along the coast past the Giants Causeway, Ballintoy Harbour, Torr Head, Cushendun, Cushendall, Glenarm all the way to Belfast. It was a revelation it had to be one of the great drives off the world the scenery was spectacular and I had never done it before.

For all of you out in Blogger land Northern Ireland has absolutely stunning scenery and is well worth a visit!!

RSPB Belfast Harbour Reserve comes up Trumps again.Another lifer for me Wilson's Phalarope.

195. Wilson's Phalarope

Peregrine's Birding Facts : The Wilson's Phalarope was named after a Scot, Alexander Wilson.



At 7.30 last night I got a text from Anthony McGeehan to say that a Wilson's Phalarope was on the reserve and he reckoned it would stay the night. So I set the alarm for 6.30 and on getting up I headed to Belfast. When I got there I wasn't surprised to see that Derek Charles was there before me. This meant that if the bird was there he would be able to tell me where it was, which he duly did.It was a smaller than I was expecting.It appeared to be in 1st winter plumage. It was also on the far side of the reserve and photographing it was a waste of time. However it came closer after a time. The hide also started to fill up with birders and by the time I left there had been fourteen or fifteen in to see the bird.

Who was Wilson? As there is Wilson's Storm Petrel, Wilson's Plover, Wilson's Phalarope, Wilson's Warbler and even Wilson's Bird of Paradise.

Alexander Wilson was born in 1766 in Paisley in Scotland. The son of a Whiskey Distiller. When he was 28 he left for America for a better life. He became a school teacher in Pennsylvania. It was here he met William Bartram a famous American Naturalist who inspired his interest in ornithology. In 1802 Wilson decided to publish a book illustrating all the North American birds. With this in mind he travelled widely, watching and painting birds.The result was a nine-volume American Ornithology (1808-1814), illustrating 268 species of birds, 26 of which had not previously been described. There is a page from volume 7 HERE There is even suggestion that when he met James Audubon in 1810 that it inspired him to do the same.




The Belfast Harbour Reserve managed by the RSPB I have to say is an absolutely brilliant wee spot. I fortunately only work about seven minutes away and would come from work for a ten minute visit most days. Yesterday I came down and there was an adult Peregrine attacking the waders. I think this is a great spot if you want to see a Peregrine at work. The only draw back is that it makes the waders very nervous. The Curlew seem to be fairly unconcerned but the small waders such as the Redshank and Dunlin are the most wary. The Redshank tend to form small concentrations beside the Tern Islands when they spot the Peregrine or Sparrowhawk.Here is a shot of a Peregrine chasing a Knot. The Knot escaped but only just.


The other interesting thing I observed was that a Kestrel flew right over the centre of the reserve and none of the waders were concerned at all only the Wagtails. Talking of Wagtails there has been an amazing amount on the reserve in the last couple of weeks and on one day there was in the region of seventy. These are a mix of Pied Wagtail and White Wagtail heres a photo of a White Wagtail.

Some Recent Bird Photos

193. Mallard
194. Eider (I did a review of my years list and found I had left these two off!!!)

Peregrine's Birding Facts: Over 180,000 birds of 200 species have been ringed at the Portland Bird Observatory



The first two were shot this morning. I had left work in absolute rage because my car had been ticketed and I was furious that none of the staff had got a parking ticket for it as I was delivering sandwiches in the town. When I returned there was this b---dy ticket on my windshield. I left without even looking at any of the staff foregoing a coffee I always take with me after work and drove to the Belfast Harbour Reserve to calm down. I spent an hour in the central hide and watched a couple of Common Sandpiper which were most obliging. When the cloud came over I decided that was my photography for the day. I got back to the car ripped the ticket from the car and opened it to see how much the fine was. It was a very authentic fake saying that I had been ticketed for having a Naff Car. I had been had well and truly. The anger evaporated into laughter. You can get them here.




I also shot these arguing Redshank at the same time as the Sandpipers.


I am really pleased with this photo. I had seen this Kestrel out at Killard dive onto something so I approached it slowly and whenever I got within fifty or so yards it would fly on with its prey a hundred yards. This continued about five times before I decided to cut inland and try and cut it off. Which I did successfully. The prey was a young Starling of which there are a great many at the moment.


I went to St Johns Point in the hope that I might get a photo of a Manx Shearwater. Not to be unless you want to see some dots on a blue background! But I did get this Juvenile Kittiwake.


After I had been to St Johns Point I went to Ardglass Harbour to see if there might be any interesting gulls. There were Herring Gull, Common Gull, Kittiwake and Lesser Black Backed Gull. All flying round the harbour. I liked this young Herring Gull screaming after another which had just picked up some food from the water.



This photo was taken from the Castle Island Hide on the Quoile.


The following three were all taken at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Hide. A Black tailed Godwit just about to land. A Ruff and a Peregrine being harrassed by a Herring Gull.

Two Lifers in a Day one an Extreme Rarity for Northern Ireland. A Squacco Heron

188. Arctic Skua
189. Long Eared Owl
190. Wood Sandpiper
191. Squacco Heron
192. Great Skua

Peregrine's Birding Facts: The Northern Irish List contains 339 Birds


The Squacco Heron was found on the 21st July and was only the second record of this bird in Northern Ireland. The previous sighting was in 1881. It had birders from all over Ireland racing to see it where it gave very good views. I was in Italy when it arrived so it wasnt until I found time which ended being on the 10th of August(Thank Goodness for long staying rarities) that I got good directions and headed up to Lough Beg just North of Lough Neagh (Europes biggest freshwater Lough).

I had been in the bird hide at Belfast Harbour and when I said I was going upto see the Squacco nobody sadly suggested that I shouldnt wear shorts!! I arrived at the broken gate just south of the Lough and clamboured over it . You then continue down a track for a hundred yards before twisting down a narrow path overgrown with brambles and NETTLES. My desire to see the bird at this stage was greater so I got quite nastily stung round my legs. I then came out into a field and the lough was a few hundred yards in front of me. I walked to to the edge thinking where am I going to see this bird. I first saw a Little Egret flying of into the distance and was wondering whether that might have been it. Then I saw a small white looking bird along the shore which I wasnt sure about because it looked so small and it was semi hidden by seeding dock. I then got my scope onto it and sure enough it was the Squacco. I should have read up about it as I wasnt expecting it to be so small.

I then tried to inch my way towards it as it was very small in my camera even though I had the 500mm lens and a converter on. I got a reasonable distance of it before it flew off.

When it flew off it flew low over a Grey Heron which was good as it showed the size comparison.


Lough Beg has been pretty good for me as I saw the pair of Cranes there this time last year which was another first.

Previously in the day I had been at The Belfast Harbour Reserve and seen a very obliging Wood Sandpiper another first right in front of the hide.

"Ciao" A Week in Italy. 9 Lifers and some very shy birds.

177. Nuthatch ( Picchio muratore )
178. Spotted Flycatcher ( Pigliamosche )
179. Black Kite ( Nibbio Bruno )
180. Great White Egret ( Airone bianco maggiore )
181. Hoopoe ( Upupa )
182. Eurasian Bee-eater ( Gruccione )
183. Roller ( Ghiandaia marina )
184. Cattle Egret ( Airone guardabuoi )
185. Golden Oriole ( Rigogolo )
186. Lesser Grey Shrike ( Averla Cenerina )
187. Yellow Wagtail ( Cutrettola )


Peregrine's Bird Facts: There are a total of 25 National Parks, 89 Regional Parks, 270 Regional Reserves, 142 State Reserves, 47 Marsh Reserves and 7 Marine Reserves in Italy.


Penny, Jeremy, Charlie and I drove to Dublin and took a cheap flight on Ryanair to Ciampino in Rome. My god it was hot when we decamped from the plane 39'C or 102 F. Quite a difference from the 14'C that we had just been experiencing in Ireland.On the way to the hire car centre I spotted my first bird in Italy, a Hooded Crow (Cornacchia grigia). It was in the sun with its wings spread and panting.I knew how it felt after walking only a few hundred yards!!! The only other birds were house Sparrows and they were everywhere.We picked up the Ford C-Max from Hertz and headed Northwards to Orvieto about an hour and a half from Rome on the main route that goes all the way upto Milan.

As I was unused to driving on the wrong side of the road I wasnt really looking very hard for Birds but did see one Buzzard (Poiana) like bird soaring over the motorway. My son at that moment said that there was a man tailgating me and gesticulating! I hadnt even noticed.

We finally arrived at the Villa which we were sharing with some friends Naimbh and Eugene and their four children.


It was a lovely situation on a hill overlooking Orvieto. This was the view.

The property was called La Grande Quercia The Big Oak. There were three very big oak trees in the garden as well as elm , lime, and pines. It also had a very nice pool
During the week we quite regularly had swallows drinking from it.

On arrival the owners had cooked us a delicious meal and immediately afterwards we all headed for the pool to cool down.

The next morning I was up at about 7.30 and went to see what Birds there were in the garden. The first thing I heard was Green Woodpecker(Picchio Verde) and during the week they were everywhere but I only saw one in flight. Sometimes I could hear them calling twenty yards away but still couldnt see anything. I also heard another bird which I had never heard before and it took me three days to actually catch sight of it. A Nuthatch (Picchio muratore) There must have been a family of them as they called all around the property. There were also a number of tits. Blue, Longtail, Coal and Great. (Cinciarella,Codibugnolo,Cincia moro, Cinciallegra)

Beside the pool there was two patches of Lavender which attracted alot of bees and a few Butterflies of which I photographed a few. I am none the wiser to what they are.




As this was a family holiday I didnt do as much birding as I would have liked. One morning I went to Alviano about 15kms south of Orvieto. I was looking for a WWF site I found little signs and went down various tracks and eventually ended up by a reservoir and dam. Infact it wasnt a very nice spot and smelled dreadful . However I did see my first Black Kite (Nibbio Bruno) and what I presumed to be a Yellow Wagtail (Cutrettola). In the distance I could see some Great Egret (Airone bianco maggiore), and a possible Purple Heron (Airone rosso). While I was there I heard a sound from a warbler that sounded almost like churring of a nightjar but not so loud and had no idea what it was. It wasn't until I was back in Belfast and talking to another birder about it that he suggested it might be a Savi's Warbler (Salciaiola). I went home and listened to one on my Ipod and that is exactly what it was. Listen here. Penny was at this stage getting fairly hot and bored and so we headed back to the villa. Fortunately as we were leaving I saw a couple of Turtle Dove ( Tortora) on the track. Such a pretty dove.

When we arrived back at the villa and I was parking the car I noticed this lizard on the wall. Infact they were everywhere and would scuttle off as you approached them.


I decided that on one day that we would kill two birds with one stone. (Metaphorically speaking!!!!!) We would drive to the coast and go and have lunch at Il Gambero Rosso a lovely fish restaurant in Porto Ercole.

We had been there about seven years ago and had one of the best meals we'd ever had. Then after lunch I would go to the WWF Nature Reserve on the Orbetello Lagoon.

Well that was the plan anyway!! We drove about 100km to Porto Ercole and stopped off at La Parrina a few miles short of the coast. It is a wonderful farm estate which has a great shop where you can buy Wine, Olive Oil, Cheese, Honey, Fruit and Vegatables. So we stocked up for the meal we were going to make in the evening. As well as buying two of their 5 litre wine in a box for 9 Euro, £6 or $12US very good value!!! After stocking up we parked in Porto Ercole to find to our dismay that the restaurant was closed on Wednesdays!!!! So we went and found a small cafe on the seafront . I have one word to describe it "Dreadful" My children ordered Lasagne and the proprietor went to the freezer pulled out a frozen Dolmio Lasagne he then proceeded to put it in microwave and served it to the children still in its plastic container. So now my mood was not at its best when we went to the Nature Reserve. After a few mistaken turnings I found it and pulled up alongside one of the buildings. Thank goodness for the air conditioning as it was about 38 C outside.

I had been really looking forward to coming to this site as it is a brackish lagoon connected to the Argentario promontary by a tiny isthmus which divides the lagoon into two main areas : the western laggoon with the WWF Nature Reserve and the eastern where unfortunately shooting is allowed.It has a checklist of over 300 species with at least 70 of them breeding.This site was in my guide "A Birdwatcher's Guide to Italy" what it failed to tell me was that most of the Italian reserves are closed June, July and August !!!!!!!

I was getting out of the car when Pietro Labate the Reserve Manager appeared
fortunately he spoke good English and told me that the Reserve was closed for maintenance and Fire risk. My day wasn't going very well. However he told me that I was about the fourth person in a couple of weeks who had turned up with this guide and he took its details to inform the publishers Lynx Edicions about the policy of closing the reserves in the summer months. He then said that one of the wardens Joseph Crisalli

would show me to one of the hides closeby.

My day was getting better. As soon as we were in the hide we could see some Cattle Egret (Airone guardabuoi) and he pointed out a male and female Golden Oriole(Rigogolo) with one young in the tops of some poplars about a hundred yards away. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a Hoopoe (Upupa) fly away. There was a little pond with a Little Grebe (Tuffetto) on it. I then saw an otter swimming across the pond or I thought it was and Joseph whose English was not very good said it wasn't it turned out to be a Coypu (I think)


I was then watching this bee flying right in front of the hide and suddenly this Eurasian Bee-eater ( Gruccione) swooped up and grabbed it. A great way to see one's first Bee-eater.

When we left the hide Joseph pointed out a European Roller ( Ghiandaia marina) and a Beeeater sitting on a telephone line as well as in the distance a pair of Lesser Grey Shrike (Averla Cenerina). So six new lifers in half an hour wasn't too bad. I would have liked to go to the actual lagoon itself but such is life.

I will be back. Unfortunately photographic opportunities were few and far between. One day I would like to live in Italy.

Arrivederci

Swallows in Donegal and a Spoonbill two miles away on the Quoile.

176 Storm Petrel

Peregrine's Bird Facts Female Swallows prefer males with long tails, as these show that he is well fed and strong since extra nutrients are required to grow a longer tail.

Last week I was up in Donegal at my parents for a couple of nights. My mother and I went for a drive out to Melmore Head and as we were going over Lough Salt Mountain she said that she often sees Common Sandpiper up on this Lough. No sooner had she said it and I swerved to a halt as there was one right beside the road.


While we were out walking she wondered whether her sheepdog "Beth" and the Swallows



on the farm had a symbiotic relationship. We have had a number of swallows that have nested in a barn on the farm for years and years.

Beth is a rescue dog that we have never been able to rehome successfully, mainly due to the fact that she has a penchant for chasing cattle.(My mother is the treasurer and one of the founders of Donegal Pet Rescue and at any one time we may have two or three dogs that have been picked up and need to be rehomed.) Beth has now been around for quite a few years and I doubt whether my mother would rehome her now.

Well Beth absolutely loves the swallows she gets so excited when they return from Africa each spring. So much so that my mother knows by the tone of Beth's bark that they are back before she even sees one. When they start nesting in the upstairs barn Beth races to the doorway and barks at them.


They then fly out of the barn and over to the field beside the barn. Beth bounds down the steps and clears the fence into the field before chasing the swallows.




This can go on for nearly an hour by which time the dog is thoroughly exhausted. The theory about the symbiosis is that as she is chasing the swallows one can quite often see three or four swallows flying after her and feeding on the flies and bugs she has disturbed. So the Swallows get fed and the dog gets exercised!!!

While I was up in Donegal I went out to Glenveigh to see if I could see the Golden Eagles but to no avail again!!!!!!!

Back from Donegal and there was a report of a Spoonbill dropping into WWT Castle Espie, presumably the same one that I saw about a month ago 20 miles south of me, so I went there but it had flown. However yesterday afternoon it had brightened up considerably and I decided to pop out to The Castle Island Hide on the Quoile River a couple of miles from me and I walked into the hide and there it was on an island fifty yards in front of the hide.It was fast asleep but fortunately a heron flew low over it and woke it up so I could get a reasonable photo.



The Quoile River has been an absolute disaster this year but more about that in a later post.

I am off to Umbria in Italy in a couple of days time along with my camera, binoculars and so hope to add to my list of birds. You will get a trip report eventually on my return.