It felt like there was better weather on the way last weekend, but visits on 2nd and 3rd March yielded little more than the apparently ever-present green-winged teal at Barr Hall Bay, and a single goldfinch in a tree-top near Templecowey. Little movement out to sea, but good numbers of waders, led by dunlin, in Barr Hall Bay.
This weekend (9th/10th March) has been back to winter. Just a few degrees above freezing, half a gale blowing from east, backing northeast today 10th March, and even managing a snow flurry in the early afternoon. An onshore wind with grey weather had to be worth a shot a sea-watching, and I spent an hour at Ballyquintin point on the morning of the 9th, then a couple of hours on the 10th. For once, the coastguard lookout gave some decent shelter from the wind. Much more movement visible, the birds being pressed towards land, with continuous gannets going past for the first time this year, along with a good trickle of auks and kittiwakes. The 9th had several fulmars going past and a bunch of lesser black-backed gulls with the other resting gulls at the point. Barr Hall Bay still had the green-winged teal on 10th, and a gang of yellowhammers in the hedge at the head of the bay on both days.
85 species, 108 points.
This weekend (9th/10th March) has been back to winter. Just a few degrees above freezing, half a gale blowing from east, backing northeast today 10th March, and even managing a snow flurry in the early afternoon. An onshore wind with grey weather had to be worth a shot a sea-watching, and I spent an hour at Ballyquintin point on the morning of the 9th, then a couple of hours on the 10th. For once, the coastguard lookout gave some decent shelter from the wind. Much more movement visible, the birds being pressed towards land, with continuous gannets going past for the first time this year, along with a good trickle of auks and kittiwakes. The 9th had several fulmars going past and a bunch of lesser black-backed gulls with the other resting gulls at the point. Barr Hall Bay still had the green-winged teal on 10th, and a gang of yellowhammers in the hedge at the head of the bay on both days.
85 species, 108 points.
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| Ballyquintin foreshore and sea view from the coastguard lookout. 10 March 2013. |
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