nibirds: Monday 12th July News

Little Egret - 3, Dundrum Inner Bay South, Co. Down
Little Egret - 1, Blackstaff River, Dundrum Inner Bay North, Co. Down
Lapwing - 50, Paddy's Dub, Lough Beg, Co. Londonderry (David Steele)
Dunlin - 2, Paddy's Dub, Lough Beg, Co. Londonderry (David Steele)
Sanderling - 4, Ballykinler Beach, Co. Down
Sanderling - 3, Tyrella Beach, Co. Down
Greenshank - 7, Dundrum Inner Bay South, Co. Down
Greenshank - 3, Kinnegar Shore,Co. Down (Stuart McKee)
Greenshank - 1, juvenile, Paddy's Dub, Lough Beg, Co. Londonderry (David Steele)
Common Sandpiper - 8, Dundrum Inner Bay North, Co. Down
Common Sandpiper - 5, Kearney Point, Outer Ards Peninsula (Stuart McKee)
Common Sandpiper - 4, Ballyhalbert, Outer Ards Peninsula, Co. Down (David Clarke)
Common Sandpiper - 1, Dundrum Inner Bay South, Co. Down
Common Sandpiper - 1, Oxford Island, Co. Armagh (Ed O'Hara)
Black-tailed Godwit - 100, Paddy's Dub, Lough Beg, Co. Londonderry (David Steele)
Black-tailed Godwit - 16, Dundrum Inner Bay South, Co. Down
Bar-tailed Godwit - 50 (summer plumaged), Kinnegar Shore,Co. Down (Stuart McKee)
Whimbrel - 1,Kinnegar Shore,Co. Down (Stuart McKee)
Laughing Gull - 1, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim
Tree Sparrow - 6, St. John's Pt., Co. Down
Tree Sparrow - 4, Ardilea, Dundrum Inner Bay North, Co. Down

Thanks to Ed for these pics from Oxford Island this morning.

Common Sandpiper

Reed Bunting

Just when you thought you'd seen enough Laughing Gull photographs - here's a smorgasbord of them (definitely a runner for the most photographed gull here in recent years).

Above: Derek Charles

Above: Ian Graham

Above: Mark Carmody

See more of Mark's pics here at:
http://www.markcarmodyphotography.com/

Prize for worst pics of the day have to go to myself for these pretty useless shots of a Bullfinch in my back garden.

Formerly considered a rarity by the ACGRC (Andrew Crory Garden Rarities Committee) this species has seen an exponential rise from zero sightings for the whole of last week to at least 2 this week. The fear is that if my garden popualtion continues to rise at this rate it will soon reach plague proportions. If the trend continues i may have to draft a proposal to the statutory authorities on a plan for culling. Happily, there may be an outlet for the many thousands of Bullfinch carcasses - Lisburn's top eaterie Chez Veale Evening Bistro. Bullfinch Kebab - yum! (Only joking by the way, we really like Bullfinches.....but only on toast)

On a serious note - 10,000 hits to this site!!!! Not in the Fatbirder Top 100 anymore but to tell you the truth we've had enough of the limelight - too much pressure.
Anyway, it's my birthday so as soon as the sun goes away I'm away for a few of these - probably the only wildlife I'll see all evening!