Black Guillemots and Gannets....

Friday 27th June 2008

My friend emailed me yesterday from sunny Hampshire. Apparently the weather there is too hot for her!! As for me in Belfast, well I am having to take a hot water bottle to bed every night to keep me warm!!! But despite the cooler weather, I am having a great time over here and I definitely wouldn't want to be anywhere else......


Donaghadee

Donaghadee lighthouse

I've been busy visiting my relatives, so I haven't been out birding as such....but on Wednesday we were driving along the coast road from Bangor to Donaghadee, when my nephew saw a bird sitting on a wall and asked if I knew what it was. I looked over and was pleased to see a Black Guillemot, a bird I had never seen before. We parked the car and walked back for a better look, and found not one, but eight Black Guillemots. Absolutely beautiful birds, with their bright red feet and large white wing patches.


black guillemots


Then further along the coast I noticed a group of ten gannets, plunge diving into the sea..... pretty impressive stuff.


gannet

145. black guillemot
146. gannet

Hooded Crow

Saturday 21st June 2008

I'm back home in Northern Ireland and was delighted to see a Hooded Crow in the garden today. They're common birds here, but I've never seen one before.....

Will try to get a photo of one if I can.

Eve

144. hooded crow

Farley Mount....

Saturday 7th June 2008

We didn't go very far last weekend. The plan had been to go to Titchfield Haven, to spend some time at the reedbeds, but things kept happening to hold us up. Then when we eventually got in the car, it wouldn't start!!! We just sat there and laughed....

It was soon going again, but we gave up on the Titchfield Haven idea and went to Farley Mount, not far from where we live.


the horse monument

We had a walk to the Horse Monument, which brought back some memories for Ian. As a boy, he, his Dad and his brother would cycle to Farley Mount on Sundays, while his Mum was back at home cooking the dinner......

I must admit I used to love going off on my bicycle when I was young.... I had a blue, Raleigh Mark 2, my pride and joy.... That was my first real taste of freedom............ well, until I lost it, or should I say..... someone stole it, my mother went berserk!! Yes, I did get into lots of trouble when I was young!

Birdwise it was very quiet, but there were lots of butterflies. Common Blue, Small and Large White, Speckled Wood and Brimstone..........


female common blue.....

Then on the way to Romsey I spotted a pair of Bullfinches......which meant another bird for this years list....

143. bullfinch