This was our first lecture night of the season and there were lots of notable wildlife sightinings over the summer break. 

Red squirrel seen for the first time at Lissan House Estate and another red squirrel was sighted near the Rock by the McQuaide family again for the first time.

A Corncrake seen and videoed in a back garden to the north of Cookstown on 22nd August !!-Sharon Loughrin.

An Irish Hare raised a family of leverets in a field at Hollyhill. Moved on when the field was harvested--Danny Costelloe

A mallard duck and nine ducklings seen swimming downstream in the Ballinderry River at Cabin Wood. Worry about their survival after they get to the heavily polluted green Lough Neagh--Mike McGrath

At Myroe, Magilligan and the Barmouth I saw redshank, greenshank, golden plover, common sandpipers, sparrowhawks, peregrine falcons, black-tailed godwits, white egrets, common gulls, Artic terns, Sandwich terns, coomon terns, gannets, black guillemots, osprey and common seal --Thomas Campbell 

At Annaginny Fishery and Park Farm--a  family of otters--the two adults and three pups. Also a family of kingfishers-the two  adults and two chicks. Two families of hedgehogs. Variety of butterfly and bat species.--Alan and Charlene Abraham

Near Rock a red squirrel was seen for first time by us on 1st September, also we saw locally over the summer months:- spotted flycatchers, willow warblers, dippers, duck, grey wagtail, red deer, common buzzards, hares, fox, owl, honey bees, hover flies, sparrowhawk watching our kittens!, coal tit, kingfisher, badger, blue tit,  great tit, heron, stoat, jays, gold finch, long-tailed tits, bullfinch, thrush, holly blue, small tortoiseshell, peacock and "cabbage white" butterflies  In Sperrins we also saw kestrel, heron and cormorant--Kellie, LouLou and Bonnie McQuaid.

Near Newmills --jay, great-spotted woodpecker, hedgehog, foxes, badgers, heron, dippers, sparrows, finches, tits, coots, little grebes, moorhens --Terence and Violet gamble

At Rock near a flax field --jays seen--Barbara Kelso.

Ballindrum near Moneymore over July and August woodpecker at bird table, sparrowhawk, common buzzards, sparrows, siskens, greenfinches, blue tits, gold finches, blackbirds, robin, two hedgehogs an  adult and a hoglet, bats--Ruth Burch