29 December 2010
Rathfarnham Garden: Three Waxwings in garden today
along with about 30 Redwings eating the Pyracantha berries.JohnC
28 December 2010
A large flock of Redwing and Fieldfare feeding in Santry
today.WT
Leucistic Black-headed Gull in the Phoenix Park (Photo by
Stephen Lawlor)
-2.jpg)
Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Phoenix Park (Photo by
Stephen Lawlor)
27 December 2010
In the Phoenix Park today, I saw 3 Jays, 3 Treecreepers, 2
Mandarin duck ( male and female ).SL
Jay in the Phoenix Park (Photo by
Stephen Lawlor)
Male and Female Mandarin Duck in
the Phoenix Park (Photo by
Stephen Lawlor)
26 December 2010
Raheny garden: One Woodcock in a garden in Raheny at about 8pm today, he stayed for over two hours probing the through the snow!WT
Drogheda: Had a male Blackcap in my garden today and lots of
Redwings in the area.BS
Male Blackcap in Drogheda
garden (Photo by Brendan Sheils)
Mistle Thrush and Redwing -
sharing an apple (Photo by Cian Merne)
25 December 2010
A female Bullfinch in my garden in Mulhuddart this morning.AR
Redpoll in Lucan
(Photo by Shay
Connolly)
24 December 2010
There were over 200 Redwings along the coast road between Clontarf and Sutton today.CM
Hooded Crow on the North
Bull Island (Photo by Cian Merne)
Howth: One Mistle Thrush driving away all the Blackbirds from apples in the snow.BQ
Unusual view of Mistle Thrush
defending territory in Howth Garden (Photo by Bill Quinn)
Tallaght garden: Both male and female Blackcap visting
Tallaght garden.NO'R
Female Blackcap at Tallaght (Photo by
Neil O'Reilly)
A female Sparrowhawk over Ashtown train station at 4pm Christmas Eve.AR
Today at 2.00pm 14 Fieldfares, 8 Redwings, 2 Mistle
Thrushes and 1 Song Thrush all feeding on berries in
Glasnevin garden.RW
Common Snipe at Clane,
County Kildare (Photo by Stephen Lawlor)
Long-tailed Tit at Clane, County Kildare (Photo by Stephen Lawlor)
Greenfinch at Clane, County Kildare (Photo by Stephen Lawlor)
23 December 2010
Rathgar: 30/40 Redwings and Fieldfares in Rathgar garden today.TG
Stillorgan garden: A Reed Bunting and a Yellowhammer in my garden again late this afternoon.
Also, two Bramblings present, one using a nut feeder. All these were part of a big mixed finch flock dominated by between 80 - 100
Linnets.MC
Reed Bunting at Stillorgan
(Photo by Manus Curran)
Yellowhammer at Stillorgan
(Photo by Manus Curran)
22 December 2010
Today in our garden at Baldoyle: 4 Waxwings, 1 Redpoll,
5 Linnets, 4 Redwings, 3 Goldfinches, 2 Blackcaps (M&F),
1 Bullfinch (M), 1 Fieldfare, 1 Yellowhammer
and plus all of the common garden species.CM
Portmarnock: Two garden firsts today - a Meadow Pipit and, perhaps more surprisingly, a
Woodcock this afternoon.DD
A female Brambling made an appearance in a private garden at Johnstown, near Cabinteely this afternoon along with 3
Mediterranean Gulls & 3 Blackcaps. NTK
A flock of approx 25 Waxwings in the bushes and trees by the
car park in Woodies, Sandyford Industrial Estate, feeding on some berry
bushes on Arena Road, off Burton Hall Road.CMacL
Killiney: 38 Waxwings were present in the trees between the junction of Avondale Road & Ballinclea Road, Killiney this morning. Good numbers of
Redwing & Fieldfare about, with some Skylarks flying overhead also. NTK & Brian Porter
Rooks sharing food at
Fairview Park (Photo by John Fox)
21 December 2010
Stillorgan: the garden was very busy - highlights were 40+ Linnets, 3
Bramblings, a Redwing and 2 Reed Buntings. The
Reed Buntings only hung around for a few seconds but they were a first for my garden so I'm happy!
MC
Reed Bunting at Stillorgan
(Photo by Manus Curran)
Woodcock flew over Dundrum Main Street, at 3pm.CMacL
Meanwhile an Adult winter Mediterranean Gull, Kilcross, Sandyford,
earlier in the morning.CMacL
Yellowhammer in Naul, County
Dublin (Photo by Joe Curtis)
On the Bull today there were loads of Snipe, 1 Jack
Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Merlin, and about 30 Red-breasted Mergansers south of the wooden bridge.PC
19 December 2010
Maynooth: Large numbers of Thrushes, Fieldfare, Redwing etc too many to count at
Maynooth College today.SC
Fieldfare at Maynooth
College (Photo by Shay
Connolly)
A Ruff was in fields north of Balbriggan today near Bremore, with lots of
Snipe, Curlew, Lapwings and Golden
Plover. 2 male Gadwall were on a frozen over Knock Lake.AK
In Cabinteely park today: 1 Wigeon, 8 Teal, 12 Mallard, 1
Little Grebe, 2 Moorhen, 1 Dipper, 2
Redshank, 6 Redwing, 3
Brambling (1 female, 2 male ), 7
Greenfinch, 1
Goldcrest, 11 Chaffinch, 6
Goldfinch; and
In Kilboggin park: 30 Blackheaded Gulls, 6 Common
Gulls ( 2 juvenile, 4 adult ), 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
juvenile, 1 Heron, 8 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 1 Grey
Wagtail, 2 Collared Doves.
SL
Goldcrest in Cabinteely Park (Photo by
Stephen Lawlor)
Cabinteely Park: The male Great-spotted Woodpecker was still showing well at Cabinteely Park this afternoon. There was plenty of passerine activity at the feeders in the park with 3 male & 2 female
Brambling seen in a relatively short space of time. A further 3 females were seen by Mark Carmody, bringing the total to 8. NTK & NK
The 1st cal-year male
Wigeon from Kilbogget Park and an adult & a 1st cal-year drake
Teal were on the pond also whilst a Whooper Swan flew south-east overhead. At Kilbogget Park, 2
Coot, a Kingfisher, 8 Little Grebes, an adult & 1st cal-year
Mediterranean Gull & 7 Teal (3 adult drakes, a 1st cal-year drake & 3 females) were on the wetland but the 1st cal-year male
Scaup seems to have moved on. Two Skylarks & a Fieldfare seen in the park were also notable. NTK & NK
Kilcoole: Most of the wildfowl & waders have completely cleared out of the marshes at Kilcoole, which remain frozen over.
Three Grey Plover in Webb's filed was a notable local record, a female
Scaup, a female Tufted Duck & c.65 Black-tailed Godwits were in The Breaches whilst 2
Buzzards & 2 Peregrines were seen hunting inland. NTK & NK
18 December 2010
Male and Female Mandarin Duck in
Phoenix Park (Photo by Susan O'Donohoe)
Crumlin: Saw 8 Waxwings in Stanaway Park, Dublin 12. Also 8
Long-tailed Tits, Song Thrushes, Redwings, Starlings and
Blackbirds.SMcN
Waxwing in Crumlin (Photo by Siobhan McNamara)
Baltray: 52 Redshank,1 Greenshank, 28 Black-tailed
Godwit, 6 Grey Plover. Lots of Lapwing, Oystercatchers in there 100's.
Dunlin, Knot, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard
and Shelduck all present. Along the hedges was plenty of Redwing,
Song Thrush and Skylark and 1 Buzzard.BS
Greenshank at Baltray (Photo by
Brendan Sheils)
At Bremore, Balbriggan today there was 1 Lapland Bunting with large numbers of
Skylarks. Also a Merlin and a Buzzard in the area. Offshore a
Long-tailed Duck was with Common Scoter, but later it flew off south.AK
Baldoyle: A male Reed Bunting has started feeding on our deck.CM
Reed Bunting(m) at
Baldoyle (Photo by Cian Merne)
17 December 2010
Stillorgan: I had a Yellowhammer in my garden this afternoon - first one I've seen in this area for about 40 years!!
And a new tick for my own garden.MC
Baldoyle: I spotted an albino Oystercatcher feeding beside a flock of
Brent Geese on a grassy site at Baldoyle in N Dublin. It was completely white, except for a small speckled black circle on both sides, black tail, orangey-yellow bill and light pink legs. It's eyes were blood red - glowing in the sun!.PW
15 December 2010
Nice suprise in the garden at the mo in my back garden in Ballymun, a
Wren feeding alongside a Meadow Pipit. My first ever
Wren in the garden so I am very happy here.MK
14 December 2010
Today at 2.00pm 40+ Goldfinches, 13 Redpolls, 2 Greenfinches and 1
Dunnock feeding in Glasnevin garden.RW
Howth: The Blackcap is now eating the fatballs with a very suitable bill for the task. She is also quite aggressive to any other birds having the temerity to approach.BQ
Female Blackcap in Howth
garden 14th December 2010 (Photo by Bill Quinn)
13 December 2010
A male Great-spotted Woodpecker was at Cabinteely Park, in the trees near the feeders along the path between the pond & Cabinteely House. Two male & a female
Brambling, a Jay & an adult Mediterranean Gull were also present. NTK, NK &
SK
Sandyford: A Heron drops by for a spot of lunch! CMacL
3 p.m. Heron lands on roof (Photos
by Cóilín MacLochlainn)
3.15 p.m. Heron begins feasting on stolen goldfish
3.17 p.m. Unable to swallow the Heron drops its head for a rest
3.30 p.m. the heron finally manages to swallow the fish
12 December 2010
120+ Curlew feeding on Starlights GAA pitch at the back of
Dublin airport all this week; this is my 5th yr seeing them here.
Also a Woodcock seen landing on the waste land facing
Musgraves and the Tgarage on the Ballymun Rd this evening.MK
At Cabinteely Park this morning, a female Brambling, a Buzzard, a
Little Egret, an adult & a 1st cal-year Mediterranean
Gull, Treecreeper, Siskin, Long-tailed Tit,
Goldcrest, Little Grebe etc. were all seen. NTK et al.
10 December 2010
At the back of Blessington Basis (Royal Canal Bank) an estimate of 250+
Fieldfares this morning at 8am, trees and sky literally full of them. Lots and lots of
Blackbirds too.PV
Three Buzzards together today soaring over M1 at Swords Estuary.PV
9 December 2010 - the day the pheasants visited private gardens...
A first for this private garden in Glasnevin: both male
and female Pheasant droped in for spot of lunch. They were
approachable - got quite close to feed some bread. Never seen anything like this before!
PF
Male and female Pheasant in
Glasnevin garden (Photo by
Paul Fleming)
Male Pheasant in
Howth garden (Photo by Bill Quinn)
Navan Road, garden: this morning I had a
Woodcock feeding under shrubs. A new garden bird for me!
DMcC
Fieldfare in a Dublin garden (Photo by
Tom Gregan)
8 December 2010
Phoenix
Park: Great-Spotted Woodpecker.SO'T
& PK
Also seen were - Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Jays at Oldtown Woods, Phoenix Park 11.30am.DMcC
Portmarnock: 4 Redwing in the garden earlier today finishing off the last of the haws; also 2
Brambling on the feeders.DD
Redwing in a flap at Portmarnock (Photo by
David Dillon)
7 December 2010
Female Blackcap in Howth
garden 7th December 2010 (Photo by Bill Quinn)
6 December 2010
Redwing in Botanic Gardens (Photo by
Eric Doggett)
Baldoyle: Singles of Kestrel, Sparrowhawk,
Buzzard, Merlin and Peregrine seen around Baldoyle Bay this morning; first time I've seen all 5 species in one day at this site.DD
Brambling in Portmarnock (Photo by
David Dillon)
Inchicore: Five Golden Plovers and 1 Snipe huddled together in the snow in a park in Inchicore. Also a few
Redwing, Fieldfare and Redpoll about.IS
Blue Tit visiting Raheny
garden 6 Dec 2010 (Photo by Deirdre Ní Mhórdha)
5 December 2010
Portmarnock: 3 Woodcock, 6 Jack Snipe and 42 Snipe at Portmarnock Marsh area.DD
Lovely afternoon birding in Phoenix
park, heard and saw my first Great Spotted Woodpecker (female).
Also present were Treecreepers, Jays, Wrens, Robins,
Redwings, Fieldfares, Song Thrushes, and Mistle
Thrushes.SMcN
Great Spotted Woodpecker in the
Phoenix Park (Photo by Siobhan McNamara)
Treecreeper in the Phoenix Park (Photo by
Siobhan McNamara)
Mulhuddart: Good numbers of Fieldfare & Redwing in Tolka Valley Park in Mulhuddart today.AR
Scotsman's Bay / Sandycove area: 2 Purple Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank,
1 Curlew.CMacL
Rush, County Dublin: Had 7 Brambling in my garden in Rush today.PL
Brambling at Rush (Photo by
Paul Lynch)
Some good birding in north Co. Wicklow today: Most of the freshwater channels & pools at Kilcoole are still frozen over but the coastal pastures are no longer covered in frost. As such there was a good numbers of birds on the marsh compared to last weekend, such as c.55
Black-tailed Godwits, 122 Greylag Geese, 2 Little
Egrets, plenty of Curlew, Lapwing & Snipe,
Golden Plover, several Stonechats, a wing-tagged ringtail
Hen Harrier, a Buzzard, a Peregrine, 2 Sparrowhawks & a
Kestrel. Most of the wildfowl were in The Breaches, where a female
Scaup, 2 female Pochard, 10 Shoveler, good numbers of
Teal, c.310 Light-bellied Brent Geese & an adult
Dark-bellied Brent Goose could be found. 2 Tufted Duck were also seen in the BWI reserve. A distant
Stercorarius Skua sp. (possibly a dark juv. Pomarine Skua) was seen chasing gulls offshore. A
Great-crested Grebe, 5 Common Scoter flying north & plenty of
Red-throated Divers were also seen offshore. Interesting to note was the number of
Song Thrushes feeding on snails in the Marram dunes & also right out on the beach (presumably as a result of the cold weather). At Mount Haven, New Road, Greystones, 11
Waxwings were seen feeding on pink Rowan berries whilst 2 Lapwing were feeding on the green in the middle of the housing estate. In the stubble fields along the Cliff Walk between Greystones & Bray there was a female
Brambling, c.30 Tree Sparrows, 10+ Yellowhammers, 20+
Reed Buntings, 500+ Linnets, c.150 Skylarks, 7
Stock Doves, a male Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, Lapwing &
Golden Plover. NTK & NK
Photos taken at Kilcoole today:
Brent Geese at Kilcoole (Photo by Stephen
Lawlor)
Hen Harrier at Kilcoole (Photo by Stephen
Lawlor)
Lapwing in the back garden of house with Turkeys and Ducks near Kilcoole station
(Photo by Stephen
Lawlor)
Broadmeadows:
One first year male Scaup in the fast flowing water under the viaduct. Much reduced numbers of
Great-crested Grebes - maybe only 10.DO'M
Sandyford: One first winter Iceland Gull, and 1 adult winter Mediterranean
Gull in private garden.CMacL
Iceland Gull (first winter) at
Sandyford (Photo by Cóilín MacLochlainn)
4 December 2010
Bull
Island: The Blue-winged Teal and pair of Gadwall were still present south of the Causeway. A
Twite was with Linnets along the Causeway, and a Jack Snipe was flushed along the
saltmarsh at the northern end of the island.AK
Tymon Park: Flock of 40 Lesser Redpolls, an aggressive
Mute Swan but no large flock of Brent Geese (or even one) as was thought.SMcN
For the second time in a year the poor Stonechat is being
hit hard with the cold weather.
Stonechat at Bray Head (Photo by Stephen
Lawlor)
Sandyford, Kilcross estate: 35 Waxwings, Mediterranean Gull
(full adult winter).CMacL
Ranelagh: 9 Mandarin Duck (6 male and 3 female) and 38
Mistle Thrush at Ranelagh Gardens today. Plenty of Redwing going over.MarkC
Phoenix Park: Pair of Mandarin
Ducks today at the pond opposite the entrance to Farmleigh just off Chesterfield
Avenue.CW
Mandarin Ducks at Phoenix Park (Photo by
Ciaran Walsh)
Naul garden: 3 male Blackcaps; 25+ House Sparrow; 4
Tree Sparrow, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 10
Blackbird; plus the usual suspects of Robin, Tits,
Chaffinch etc.JC
Blackcap at
Naul, County Dublin (Photo by Joe Curtis)
Spot the Difference!
Tree Sparrow and House Sparrow at
Baldoyle (Photo by Cian Merne)
North
Bull Island: One Kingfisher, Twites (1 was in the
Linnet flock), 1 Merlin, Blue-winged Teal (1 with the
Shoveler and Shelduck). Also the usual
suspects:
Wigeon, Pintail, Greenshank, Golden Plover,
Grey Plover, and Brent Geese.FM
Brent Geese at Bull Island (Photo by
Francois Mullan)
3 December 2010
Broadmeadows:
2 female Long-tailed Duck, close in, at the south side of
Broadmeadows.DO'M
Sandyford (private garden, Kilcross estate): Mediterranean
Gull (first winter), Iceland Gull, Fieldfares (two flocks passed
overhead), Redwings (many small flocks passing), Raven (1).CMacL
Coolmine: Lots of Redwing (50+) and Fieldfare (20) along Royal Canal near Coolmine today, also
Siskins and lots of Finches though no Brambling, good few
Snipe overhead too.PV
Redwing in Clane (Photo by Stephen
Lawlor)
Mistle Thrush and Meadow Pipit at
Sillogue Gardens, Ballymun
, and Bullfinch at Northwood Park, Santry (Photos by Jenny Ryan)
2 December 2010
Dublin 15: One Woodcock over Ashtown railway station.DO'M
Clane, County Kildare: Walking along a hedgerow beside the Liffey
plenty of species to be seen: 4 Bullfinch, 10 or so
Chaffinch, 2 Redpoll, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Goldfinch, 1
Siskin, 4 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Robin, 1
Redwing, 2 Wren, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Great Tit, 3
Blue Tits, 2 Coal Tits, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Dunnock, 6
House Sparrows, 2 Rook, 1 Hooded Crow, 2 Magpie, 2
Jackdaw, 1 Kestrel, 2 Moorhen, a pair of Mallards, 1
Heron and 1 Cormorant.SL
Reed Bunting in Clane (Photo by
Stephen Lawlor)
Cormorant Juvenile in Clane (Photo by
Stephen Lawlor)
Sightings at Kilbogget Park, Cabinteely over the past week
include; the 1st cal-year male Scaup, 8 Teal (6
adult males, a 1st cal-yr male & a female), a 1st cal-yr male Wigeon,
75 Mallard, a Kingfisher, 3 Little Grebes, 12
Moorhen, a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, a Grey
Wagtail, Redwing, 25 Linnets, a Meadow Pipit,
a Kestrel, a Snipe, 5 Mediterranean Gulls (2
adults, 2 2nd cal-yrs & a 1st cal-yr), c.200 Black-headed
Gulls and an adult Great Black-backed Gull. 3 Mediterranean
Gulls (an adult, a 2nd cal-yr & a 1st cal-yr) & a Meadow
Pipit today were notable visitors to our garden, near
Cabinteely. NTK & NK
Sandyford (private garden): Mediterranean Gull (3rd winter),
along with
Black-headed Gulls, feeding on bread. Garden tick. Probably first Sandyford
record.CMacL
Stillorgan: Large flock of finches in my garden today on the feeders and on the ground.
Goldfinches, Linnets, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, a few
Redpolls and two Bramblings.MC
Brambling in Stillorgan (Photo by
Manus Curran)
1 December 2010
A flock of 18 Waxwings were feeding on yellow Rowan berries at Arnold Park, just off Avondale Road, Killiney @ 13:30. NTK
Drogheda: Snow brought in lots of great Garden Birds in my garden
throughout the day: 31 Starlings,1 Robin, 1 Dunnock,1
Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird,
12 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 17 Goldfinch, 4 Redpolls
and 6 Linnet. Also 1 Lapwing flew over
garden and a lot of Redwing and Mistle Thrushes around earlier this morning.
(No Fieldfare or Blackcap around yet).BS
Goldfinch in Drogheda (Photo by
Brendan Sheils)
Redpoll at Sandyford (Photo by
Coilin MacLochlainn)
