Sunday 3 February 2013

Ballyquintin reporting

Slow and steady progress from Ballyquintin last weekend and this. The grove at Templecowey has started to contribute - a goldcrest (26 Jan) and coal tit and great tit (at last!) today (3 Feb). The farm along the road has a pair of collared doves on 26 Jan, and there were mistle thrushes in the fields on 27 Jan. Surprise bird, also on 27 Jan, was a bullfinch. It was cold and windy, blowing on to the point. I decided to walk around anyway, and spotted something bright fly into a low hedge by a stone wall, very near the shore. It reappeared, then worked its way along the hedge before disappearing inland - an immaculate male bullfinch. I don't think I have seen one on the headland before, and certainly didn't expect one in that weather.

Apart from that ... the green-winged teal remains in Barr Hall Bay (seen today, 3 Feb), although the teal numbers seem to be dropping. Red-throated and great northern divers are on the sea. And a short-eared owl, a bird I have been looking for on every visit this winter finally turned up on 26 Jan, but it wasn't me that saw it!

3 Feb: 74 species, 94 points.

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