Bird News Friday 6th November

2 Short-eared Owls were still at Ballymcormick, one of the birds was resting for two hours on branches close to the hedge near hay bales wrapped in black polythene, see picture below. (Stephen Maxwell).

Yesterday a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull was at Greyabbey Bay, see picture below. (Suzanne Belshaw).

3 Whooper Swan flew past Black Arch near Larne (Linda Thompson).

St John’s Point betwenn 9-9.30am had Yellow-legged Gull 1adult, Mediterranean Gull 1adult, 1 Little Egret, 5 Ravens; Rossglass had a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull; Killough Harbour had the juvenile Whooper Swan still present; Killard Point/Kilclief Bay had 200 Linnets, 1-2 Kestrels, 10 Skylarks, 200 Woodpigeons, 30 Snipe, 30 Mallard and a  juvenile Great Northern Diver; Castleward Bay had a Kingfisher, Carrion Crow, 1Greenshank, 10 Bar-tailed Godwits; Quoile Pondage had 300 Teal, 100 Wigeon, 50 Shoveler, 1 Gadwall, 170 Coot; Castle Espie had 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 270 Whoopers, 100 Black-tailed Godwits, 21 Little Egrets (Chris and Tim Murphy, Mark Holling).

A female Sparrowhawk and 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull were at Larne harbour late this afternoon. (Gavin Ferguson)

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of the Short-eared Owl, to David Hill for the picture of the Greenshank, to Suzanne Belshaw for the picture of the Mediterranean Gull, to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Whooper Swans and to Gavin Ferguson for the pictures of the Sparrowhawk and the 2nd Mediterranean Gull..