Belfast Harbour Lagoon
Firstly the RSPB Belfast Harbour Lagoon Reserve is perhaps one of the best in
the UK?! In winter there are hundreds of widgeon, teal, mallard, curlew,
dunlin and oystercatcher and thousands of lapwing and golden plover. There
are also shoveller, shelduck, heron, greylag geese, pink-footed geese,
snipe, ruff, water rail, kestrel and buzzard. All these species can be
viewed simultaneously from the observation room. Black-tailed godwit
approach to within an inch of the obs. room window (no exaggeration!) while
sparrowhawk and peregrine also make regular raids over the reserve. In
summer there is a thriving common tern colony.
Recent rarities have included green-winged teal, little stint and
white-rumped sandpiper while unusual gulls are regular.
Belfast Harbour Lagoon
Oxford Island
Away from Belfast, Oxford Island, on the southern shore of Lough Neagh, is
good for common woodland species; tits, finches, redpoll, siskin, goldcrest,
treecreeper, winter thrushes etc. with high numbers of breeding sedge and
grasshopper warblers. There are also blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler
and a few whitethroat. Enormous flocks of lapwing and golden plover can be
seen in winter as well as 100+ whooper swans. Buzzard, kestrel, sparrowhawk and raven are resident while hen harrier and merlin are occasional visitors.
There are large flocks of diving ducks in winter, often including a few
scaup, red breasted merganser and more usually goldeneye. Rareties have
included smew, ring-billed and ferruginous duck.
Oxford Island
Portmore Lough
RSPB Portmore Lough Reserve in SE Antrim has a similar avi-fauna to Oxford
Island but there are also breeding snipe, lapwing, tree sparrow and perhaps
curlew. There are also more dabbling ducks- teal, wigeon and shoveller. Hen harrier usually spend the winter on site. Marsh harrier and osprey are regular visitors to the reserve in spring.
Portmore Lough
Lady's Bay
About half a mile away from Portmore on the eastern shore of Lough Neagh there is a small sandy area called Lady's Bay which is easily viewed from the road (check your OS map!). This spot is excellent for passage
waders; last year I recorded greenshank, dunlin, black-tailed godwit,
curlew, ruff, snipe, redshank and lapwing here. Buff- breasted sandpiper has
also been recorded from this site.
Other Sites
Strangford Lough, Lough Foyle and Lower and Upper Lough Erne are all excellent sites. The uplands- Mournes, Antrim Plateau, Sperrins and Belfast Hills can be a little bleak but do have Hen harrier, merlin, peregrine and raven, as well as scattered breeding waders and grouse.
The Antrim Coast is scenically beautiful and holds chough, raven, peregrine and sea-birds. Rathlin Island has a thriving sea-bird colony with puffins etc.
In Donegal (in the Irish Republic) try a trip to Sheskinmore Lough (About 4 miles north of Ardara). It's a really wild spot with no facilities, access is
easiest from Tramore Beach at Rossbeg where there is a caravan site, or off
the main Ardara-Portnoo Road. There's a sand-dune system, machair grassland, reedbed and moorland as well as a rocky and sandy coastline. I've watched it for some years now (mainly in the summer) and it's excellent!
There can be large flocks of chough and also raven. Peregrine, hen harrier,
buzzard and merlin are regular while I've seen a marsh harrier once in
spring. Snipe and lapwing breed. Also loads of orchids and other
wildflowers.
In winter ther are greenland white fronted, brent and barnacle geese, great
northern and red throated divers, eider, twite, the odd snow bunting and
reasonable numbers of waders at Ballinreavy Strand.
Really excellent site but you have to take the time to explore and trek
about it a bit to get it's full potential!
Firstly the RSPB Belfast Harbour Lagoon Reserve is perhaps one of the best in
the UK?! In winter there are hundreds of widgeon, teal, mallard, curlew,
dunlin and oystercatcher and thousands of lapwing and golden plover. There
are also shoveller, shelduck, heron, greylag geese, pink-footed geese,
snipe, ruff, water rail, kestrel and buzzard. All these species can be
viewed simultaneously from the observation room. Black-tailed godwit
approach to within an inch of the obs. room window (no exaggeration!) while
sparrowhawk and peregrine also make regular raids over the reserve. In
summer there is a thriving common tern colony.
Recent rarities have included green-winged teal, little stint and
white-rumped sandpiper while unusual gulls are regular.
Belfast Harbour Lagoon
Oxford Island
Away from Belfast, Oxford Island, on the southern shore of Lough Neagh, is
good for common woodland species; tits, finches, redpoll, siskin, goldcrest,
treecreeper, winter thrushes etc. with high numbers of breeding sedge and
grasshopper warblers. There are also blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler
and a few whitethroat. Enormous flocks of lapwing and golden plover can be
seen in winter as well as 100+ whooper swans. Buzzard, kestrel, sparrowhawk and raven are resident while hen harrier and merlin are occasional visitors.
There are large flocks of diving ducks in winter, often including a few
scaup, red breasted merganser and more usually goldeneye. Rareties have
included smew, ring-billed and ferruginous duck.
Oxford Island
Portmore Lough
RSPB Portmore Lough Reserve in SE Antrim has a similar avi-fauna to Oxford
Island but there are also breeding snipe, lapwing, tree sparrow and perhaps
curlew. There are also more dabbling ducks- teal, wigeon and shoveller. Hen harrier usually spend the winter on site. Marsh harrier and osprey are regular visitors to the reserve in spring.
Portmore Lough
Lady's Bay
About half a mile away from Portmore on the eastern shore of Lough Neagh there is a small sandy area called Lady's Bay which is easily viewed from the road (check your OS map!). This spot is excellent for passage
waders; last year I recorded greenshank, dunlin, black-tailed godwit,
curlew, ruff, snipe, redshank and lapwing here. Buff- breasted sandpiper has
also been recorded from this site.
Other Sites
Strangford Lough, Lough Foyle and Lower and Upper Lough Erne are all excellent sites. The uplands- Mournes, Antrim Plateau, Sperrins and Belfast Hills can be a little bleak but do have Hen harrier, merlin, peregrine and raven, as well as scattered breeding waders and grouse.
The Antrim Coast is scenically beautiful and holds chough, raven, peregrine and sea-birds. Rathlin Island has a thriving sea-bird colony with puffins etc.
In Donegal (in the Irish Republic) try a trip to Sheskinmore Lough (About 4 miles north of Ardara). It's a really wild spot with no facilities, access is
easiest from Tramore Beach at Rossbeg where there is a caravan site, or off
the main Ardara-Portnoo Road. There's a sand-dune system, machair grassland, reedbed and moorland as well as a rocky and sandy coastline. I've watched it for some years now (mainly in the summer) and it's excellent!
There can be large flocks of chough and also raven. Peregrine, hen harrier,
buzzard and merlin are regular while I've seen a marsh harrier once in
spring. Snipe and lapwing breed. Also loads of orchids and other
wildflowers.
In winter ther are greenland white fronted, brent and barnacle geese, great
northern and red throated divers, eider, twite, the odd snow bunting and
reasonable numbers of waders at Ballinreavy Strand.
Really excellent site but you have to take the time to explore and trek
about it a bit to get it's full potential!
