Woodland Gannets...23rd August

Today was a day of 'duding around' i.e. a bit of sight seeing at the mouth of Strangford Lough. After doing some of the 'dudy' bits that I had to do with her indoors we had a drive along a road that hugs the shore of Strangford Lough to the north of Portaferry. It was wet with a strong south-southwesterly wind that was blowing Gannets, as I soon realised, up into Strangford Lough.

For those of you who don't know Strangford Lough is a sea lough in Northern Ireland on the east coast and is famous for its wintering population of pale-bellied Brent Goose in addition to supporting internationally important numbers of waders and wildfowl.

The Gannets were heading north past the narrow crossing between Portaferry and Strangford and we enjoyed close views of these excellent seabirds as they turned and wheeled over the woodland on the other side of the Lough. Other birds included Sandwich Terns, Razorbills and Shags. We also had stonking views of a Common Seal bobbing up and down in the turbulent water close inshore.

Some views of Strangford Lough in the rain below.