10 September 2009
Birdlife is in transition between summer and winter migrants this month – Swallows are still here and a Cliff Chaff has been seen on passage but Greenshank are starting to appear on the Lough and up to 7000 Brent Geese are present at the north end of Strangford Lough.
Small numbers of Redshank are feeding in the Wader Marsh alongside Little Egret, Pied and Grey Wagtails.
Up to 30 Little Egrets roosting along the edge of Main Lake – the largest single gathering of Egrets anywhere in N.I.
Otters present in area of newly created Saline Lagoon.
Ravens present most days around the area of the Black Pines.
Kingfishers seen/heard most days – most active around Main Lake and the Wader Marsh.
Butterflies still abundant on sunny days – Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Large White are present on most days, with smaller numbers of Silver Y (a day-flying moth).
The Saline Lagoon vegetation is colonising well and Beaked Tasselweed, which has not been confirmed on site for many years, is forming thick carpets in the shallower areas. Invertebrate sampling has begun to monitor stages of colonisation and look for the rare Mud Snail that has been recorded here previously.