Monday 4 November 2013

Birding at Ballyhalbert Lakes

It was Day 5 of Eileen's visit and my class joined us for a morning's birding.  Jimmy, one of our members wanted to take us to a group of small lakes at Ballyhalbert.  So we left Bangor, stopping at various places along the County Down coast.  The first port of call was Groomsport village where we saw Oystercatchers,Turnstones, Shags and Redshank on the rocks, Cormorants flying by, 1 Common Guillemot diving for food and Gannets quite a distance out at sea.  It was a special day for Jimmy which I wil tell you about in a minute.
 
 
Redshank
 
 
Jetty at Groomsport harbour.  Do you see the Redshank?
 
 
A Buzzard flew overhead.
 
 
There are always Gulls sitting around the harbour.  This is a Herring Gull.
 
 
This is one of her young.
 
 
This is another of her young still begging for food.  She paid no attention to it!
 
 
 
Black headed Gull
 
 
 
 
 
 
We went further on down to Donaghadee where we stopped for coffee.  It was Jimmy's 80th birthday and I had got 8 cup cakes with candles which I tried to light about 80 times in the wind (I did it in the end) but it was a great surprise for him.  He is a real gentleman and has taught me many things about birds.
 
 
 
 
 
 
As you can see, Donaghadee lighthouse is in the backgound at the end of the Pier.  I am trying to light the candles in the back of the car!
 
 
Jimmy
 
 
We reached the small  lakes and found these 2 young Swans.  The water was quite brown and someone has dumped a waste bin in the water!
 
 
We wished we had had some food for them but we had eaten everything when we celebrated Jimmy's birthday at the last stop.
 
 
 
 
This cygnet had something buldging in its neck so we hoped it would be OK.
 
 
 
 
These were Crab Apples but I thought they looked lovely against the blue sky.  There were about 5 small lakes and other than Moorhen, Mallard and Little Grebe, there was nothing else on them, however it was extremely peaceful and I would think a good place to come to sit to watch butterflies and dragonflies in the summer.  There were quite a number of small birds.
 
 
This is a fun shot of us trying to take a photograph of this butterfly but yet not going to close to spook it.
 
 
This is the last Speckled Wood I have seen this year. (18 October)
 
 

 
 I hoped you enjoyed our morning's bird outing.  We left my class to travel on further and tomorrow I will tell you  where we went and what we saw.

Thank you for visiting. My computer seems to behavig at present but I am off on the train early this morning to walk along the whole of the towpath from Moira to Aghalee.  You may remember that Eileen and I walked along a bit of it when we were going to Portmore Lough.

Have a  lovely day and evening for those down under.

46 comments:

  1. That coastline is fantastic. Such great weather too!

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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    1. HI Mersad Yes Ireland is a lovelly place. I am glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for comment.

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  2. nice to have special times with like-minded friends like you did and I'm sure Jimmy enjoyed the surprise birthday surprise too. A lovely day out birding and sight-seeing..

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    1. Hi Carole Yes it was a special day for him. I am glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for comment.

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  3. Looks like a fun outing with your friends. The cupcakes look yummy! Pretty swans, I hope the swan with the bulge in its neck will be ok. Lovely scenery and photos!

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    1. Hi Eileen Yes it was fun birding with great friends. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for comment.

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  4. wonderful post Margaret and your PHOTOS!!!! ;-)

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    1. HI Lynn Many thanks for your kind comments and I am glad you enjoyed the post.

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  5. What a great treat for Jimmy. He looks good for 80; must be all the fresh air. lol
    A shame about the dirty water around the swans. All they want to do is live their lives in peace.

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    1. HI Keith Yes it was a shame about the brown water. I now have 4 of the group over 80!!! Must be the air as you said!! Hope you enjoyed the post and thanks for comment.

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  6. Hi Margaret, I've just been catching up with a few of your latest posts (how do you find the time to do so many? It usually takes me hours to compile just one!! You sure live in a beautiful area for birdwatching, and the views are spectacular.
    Great post on the Eiders, very informative. They are beautiful ducks aren't they?...and they're always talking to each other!...[;o)

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    1. HI Trevor I do find it time consumming and sometimes I get behind but I do enjoy it. I have learned such alot so far from other poeople's blogs and I know others have learned from some of my posts so that is encouraging. Yes I am very fortunate to live with beauty surrounding me. Yes I love the Eiders and love to hear them talking to one another. Many thanks for your comments.

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  7. I will be eighty years old in ten years time. I shall expect you to come to Ontario and provide candle-topped cupcakes!!

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    1. HI David Well that made me laugh. Why wait 10 years!!!! At 70 you should be celebrating EVERY year!!! Look out I miight be over with my cup cakes next year! Hide! Thanks for your comment.

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  8. happy 80th to your sweet friend! the cupcakes were a great idea - even if you couldn't light the candles. :)

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    1. HI Tex I DID get them all lite EVENTUALLY adn Jimmy blew them out. Thanks for comment.

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  9. Wonderful photographs! It looks like all of you had a nice time. Thanks for sharing these.

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    1. I Anne Glad you enjoyed the images and thanks for comment.

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  10. I love that Jimmy is still enjoying birds and being active. I hope that I can be too.

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    1. HI EC I have 4 people that are over 80 in my group. Must be the air over here! Thanks for comment.

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  11. Happy Birthday Jimmy.... a wonderful post and the cup cakes looked fantastic.
    Great images of all your lovely birds.

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    1. Hi Andrew Hope you are settling down to work again. Easy does it. Glad you liked the images adn thanks for comments.

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  12. What a nice idea to celebrate with the cupcakes! I bet Jimmy was very pleased. Birding friends are very special people.

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    1. HI EG Yes birding friends are always special friends. Glad you liked the post and thanks for comment.

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  13. Lovely images, Margaret! Getting the cupcakes and lighting them was a sweet thing to do for Jimmy. Happy Birthday to him! He looks like he still has a good many more years of birding left in him!

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    1. HI Cheryl Yes he certainly has yearsleft todo some more birding. Glad you liked the post and thanks for comments.

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  14. Such wonderful photos of all these birds! Gorgeous!
    And also a Happy Birthday to Jimmy!

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    1. HI Mary Jimmy will be so pleased with all these birthday wishes. Glad you enjoyed theimages and thanks for comment.

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  15. I always enjoy seeing where you've been and the wonderful birds you find.

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    1. Hi Pattis I love sharing where I have been with the blogger world and it is a pleasure to take you along with me. Glad you liked the post and thanks for comment.

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  16. Happy Birthday to Jimmy… He is a YOUNG 80, don't you think??? Love your idea of all of the LIT cupcakes!!!!! Cute!!!

    Great group of birds. I like the Herring Gull and her babies!!!
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. HI Betsy Yes, he is young for 80. Glad you liked the Herring Gulls and her babies and thanks for comment.

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  17. That was a sweet way to celebrate Jimmy's birthday. I'm sure he was touched. Loved the photo of the jetty at Groomsport. And the close-up shot of the swan, with the water droplets on his face, is really lovely.

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    1. HI linda Glad you liked the jetty, and close up of Swans' head. Thanks for comment.

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  18. How awful about dumping the garbage into the water!!! I love the Redshank's big orange legs and orange bill! Glorious butterfly shots!!!

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    1. HI Ginny Yes it is awlful and these lakes are off the beaten track and the black bin is quite expensive so we didn't understand it! Glad you liked the Redshank's legs and orange bill and thanks for comment.

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  19. Happy birthday Jimmy, or was. The Redshank is my fave, and the dumping of anything ought be prosecuted.

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    1. HI Bob Yes I agree with you about the dunping. Glad you liked the Redshank and thanks for you or comment.

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  20. Lovely to see that Redshank and the cygnet is just beautiful.

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    1. HI Em Glad you liked the Redahank and cygnet adn thanks for comment.

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  21. Cakes and birding at the same time - perfect!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. HI Stewart Birds and buns. I know what life is all about!! Thanks for your comment.

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  22. What a lovely octogenarian group you have there.Margaret and such a happy birding day with a birthday as well. Wish I could join you on the tow-path walk. I have so little level ground I can walk on here.

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    1. HI Arija I have to point out (in case my class looks at this) that not all of them are over 80! Mosst;y are in their 70's. Yes it would have been a lovely walk for you, dead flat. Thanks for comment.

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  23. What a lovely surprise for Jimmy :) Great photos - love the redshank :)

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  24. Why on earth do people dump waste in the water!! We're supposed to be good stewards of this earth and care about the other creatures God made. Beautiful photos of amazing creatures!

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