Got my 2014 account up
and running on Rathlin yesterday (4 January) and despite an utter soaking, I managed a
respectable 50 species during the day.
It was pleasing to see that many of the good birds seen on my last
visit some 6 weeks ago were still present. This included single Long-tailed Ducks and Goldeneye in the Harbour, a female Pochard at Ally Lough and up to 5 Great Northern Divers off the West
Pier. The only surprises of the day were
a second Long-tailed Duck off Mill Bay, alongside a female Common Scoter and a flock of 5 Whooper
Swans flying north off Doon Bay.
More than 85 Greylags flew in to
roost at Ushet Lough in the late afternoon, but still did not contain anything
more unusual. On my first visit last
year I recorded 51 species, so I’m happy enough with a similar start this year.
I’ll leave you with this
geektastic graph showing my accumulation of year ticks on Rathlin last year. It
doesn’t show us birders anything we don’t already know, but highlights just what a pathetic
autumn I had.
Score - 50 species, 60 points or 39.7%
 |
| Graph of the year at this stage... |
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