RSPB Belfast Lough

Tuesday 9 May

Belfast Lough RSPB Reserve: where else could you find a bird reserve almost on top of the cruise terminal? So following an afternoon in the city I returned to take the less than ten minute stroll to the nearby RSBB Reserve.  However, at the point of departure the cold wind picked up followed by rain so visit abandoned at around 4.30p.  But, having been reading my book I realised that the rain had stopped and the sun was once more shining to give a pleasant evening so, at  just after 7, I took the short walk to the reserve.  But all was closed at 5pm so continuing on expecting to, perhaps, find a low fence to give a view of the water I came across the ever-open hide.  Indeed, there was a second similar hide midway between the road and river.

Reserve and cruise liner seen from the "container" hide

Having noted the Barn Swallow flying overhead I entered the hide (both constructed out of either abandoned or donated containers) and was immediately aware of the hundreds of Black-headed Gulls that were using the site as their colonial breeding territory.  Also on the water a number of both Mallards and Shelduck and then there were the occasional Coots and nearby Moorhen.

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

Further searching with the bins found a pair of Mute Swans at the back of the water and almost a dozen Tufted Duck.  The pair of Gadwall were unexpected.

Mute Swan Cygnus olor but also Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula and Gadwall Anas strepera

Time to move on and walking along the exterior fence to the reserve towards the river I first found a Robin then a Wren.  In the distance a Blackbird feeding on the muddy path in front of me. Overhead a the first couple of Woodpigeon and then, from the second hide, nothing extra to hide albeit the Tufted Duck were now much nearer and the Mallards below me were catering for their three small ducklings. But I did manage to find a handful of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Black-headed Gulls Larus ridibundus with Moorhen

Once at the river time to wander across the adjacent waste land with its many small bushes and shrubs.  A few more Woodpigeon plus a couple of Magpie when I stopped to watch the crow picking something up from the ground, flying up to about twenty feet and dropping same.  This was repeated at least a dozen times which gave me chance to get much closer whilst the bird was concealed on the ground.  Unfortunately, it was never in the air for long but I was able to catch a couple of shots as it took its leave and it would appear that Hooded Crow is the default crow in the area.

Hooded Crow Corvus cornix

Meanwhile, behind me in the nearby shrubs, a second Willow Warbler and also a Blue Tit.  Then, looking up, at least a score of Common Swifts plus, maybe, a half-dozen or more House Martins. With the sins of imminent rain I made my way back to the start of the reserve tour and, on the opposite side of the road added both Chaffinch and Collared Dove with the final species of the visit being a lone Starling as I set off back to the ship and also recorded another Barn Swallow.  23 species in just under an hour on my one mile circuit left me feeling quite pleased and glad that I eventually made the visit.

Common Swift Apus apus

Birds seen:

Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Common Swift, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Magpie, Hooded Crow, Starling, Chaffinch.

The departing Hooded Crow Corvus cornix

 

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