1st June 2010
Don’t Worry. Be Happy
Heavy rain overnight and had brought some water and a few slugs into the tent! Really though, it did not matter as I had had an excellent night's sleep and was up and at it at, oops, rather late ... 9 o'clock.
So, heading for Oxford Island, where a Ringed necked Drake had been seen
recently, I called in to a library in
Banbridge. Many thanks to all the wonderful staff, Pamela, Caroline and Ruth at
this library, who let me use the internet for so long that the blog went past the interesting phase to the, “when
is he going to shut up,” phase. Thanks to them, lovely girls one and all.
A quick visit to the doctors in Lurgan and a few inhalers for my asthma got on
a free prescription; a bit difference to the cost back in England. I had not
known this would be the case before visiting the doctor but was grateful for
the saving. Then got to Oxford Island and had a lovely evening with Sid Irwin.
We searched for the American Ring-necked Duck that had been around for the last
few days but it was not in front of any of the hides. A beautiful reserve this
with a wonderful information centre and excellent facilities. The buzzer flies did
not bite so no problem there. Sid and I walked around the whole of the area and
the views over Lough Neagh reminded me of Florida, where I had stood by similar
immense lakes. Lough Neagh was so beautiful with a setting sun.
Around
8.30 pm, Sid left and I went around the visitor's centre to look over the lake
from the long pier there. It was from here that I saw that the ring-necked was
in front of the first hide that we had visited. I went back to the hide. It was
shut but views of the bird could be had through the reeds. My third Ring-necked
Drake this year, not bad for a duck originating from America, Ring-necked Ducks
are quite rare but regularly found and seen. This one would be my first for
Northern Ireland. During the evening it became the closest one of the three too
but it didn't quite come to bread!
At last, my run of bad luck was over and a good bird under my belt, UTB.
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