St Patricks Big Day

Keith Bennett and Chris Murphy saw 106 species within a 25km radius of Downpatrick on St Patricks Day. Highlights included the drake Green-winged Teal still in Barr Hall Bay, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming in Tollymore, where single Crossbill also heard, a Merlin at Murlough, 17 Slavonian Grebes in Greyabbey Bay, 18 Great Northern Divers in Dundrum Bay plus two more in Greyabbey Bay (one of which in summer plumage), 700 Scoter Dundrum Bay, 50 Black Guillemots close in off Newcastle promenade, 20 Whoopers off Buck's Head Road, 40 near Ballyward and 6 roosting Comber Est., 30 Sanderling and 2 Purple Sandpipers at Tyrella. Lots of Fieldares and Redwings still about but among lots of things missed surprisingly no Lapwings or Skylarks.