31 October 2011
The Snow Buntings are still around, there were a pair
on west pier Dun Laoghaire this morning (31st October), they are
quite tame and happily fed on grass seeds less than 2 metres from
me. They were on the lower pier on the harbor side about half way
between the Motor Yacht Club and the west pier extension (the
branch about half way along). I have also seen them on the East
pier last Tuesday.NB
County Louth: 1 Merlin from Togher Road, Co.
Louth, also good numbers of Common Scoters.SC
Merlin - a bit bedraggled - on the Togher Road Co. Louth (Photo by
Shay Connolly)
An unusual looking leucistic Oystercatcher from Baldoyle (Photo by
David Dillon)
30 October 2011
Rogerstown: A Glossy Ibis flew south over Turvey
car park near Rogerstown estuary at 09:10am. On the estuary itself
there was a juvenile Hen Harrier, 2 Peregrines, 2 Sparrowhawks,
2 Kestrels, 3 Buzzards, 4 Ruff, 530+
Light-bellied Brent Geese, 10 Greylag Geese, 18 Shoveler,
17 Little Grebes, c.65 Golden Plover & 14 Greenshank.
Lots of passerine activity around Turvey parklands with good
numbers of Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Lesser
Redpolls & Skylarks noted whilst a Treecreeper,
3 Stonechats & a Rock Pipit were also seen. (NTK
& SK)
Juv Red-Backed
Shrike at Churchtown Co. Wexford (Photo by Philip
Clancy)
Wheatear at Skerries (Photo by Mick
Kelly)
Parrot in Poppintree Park, Ballymun (Photo by Mick Kelly)
28 October 2011
Drogheda: Lots of Redwing present around Drogheda
today. Approx 120 seen between 07.00-07.45am this morning flying
and calling overhead. Also large flock of 63 Goldfinch in
my garden today. Very High numbers along with high numbers of Linnet
and Greenfinch in area.BS
Dublin West: Approx 10 Buzzards between 2 &
3pm today in Westmanstown, Laraghcon & Lucan. Five together
over Royal Canal where it meets the R149 at Westmanstown. Three
together over St. Catherine's Park in Lucan & countless other
sightings in the area. They are thriving here.AR
Dun Laoghaire: I saw 4 Snow Buntings on the West Pier
at Dun Laoghaire today. There were also 89 Mediterranean Gulls,
12 Sandwich Terns, 1 Arctic Tern and 5 Purple
Sandpipers at the 40 Foot.MC
Four Snow Bunting at West Pier Dun Laoghaire (Photo
by Mark Carmody)
Snow Bunting at West Pier Dun Laoghaire (Photo
by Mark Carmody)
27 October 2011
Q. At the Causeway at Bull Island this morning: We saw lots of
lovely Pintail Ducks and Brent Geese and a huge number of Shelduck
but while we were watching the Brent we noticed one Goose which
looked different and when we got home we looked up Eric's book and
we think it was a DARK-BELLIED BRENT which it says is a
rare winter visitor. It was somewhat separate from the pale
bellied brent. Do you think it might be a DBB? MC
A. I don't doubt that you spotted a Dark-bellied
Brent,Branta bernicula bernicula. They occasionally turn up with
our birds, B.b.hrota, perhaps a dozen or so each year in Ireland.
Our birds are mostly breeding in the East Canadian high Arctic and
Greenland while the dark birds are W. Siberian and Russian Arctic
breeders They can get mixed up in the high latitudes and join up
with other races. More infrequently we get the Black Brant,
B.b.nigricans, which is the American NW version of the other two.DMcC
Merlin at East Pier Dun Laoghaire (Photo
by John Fox)
26 October 2011
Malahide Estuary: 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk
and a Buzzard.DG
Dun Laoghaire: 3 Snow buntings on the East Pier of Dun
Laoghaire at approx 5pm.IS
22 October 2011
Tolka Trip to Wexford: On a
mild but slightly dull day an eager group of 20 set off from the
Farmers Kitchen in Drinagh to visit Tacumshin, Our Lady's Island,
Churchtown and the North Slobs. We had plenty to see and
weren't disappointed...
Tacumshin 1 Glossy
Ibis, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Merlin, 3 Semi-palmated
Sandpiper,
1 Gadwall, Little Grebes, Pintail, Lapwing,
Common Gulls, Mallard, 6 Little Egrets, 4 Grey
Herons, 3 Common Snipe, numerous Dunlin, a few Redshank
and Grey Plovers. Ducks on the main lake included Widgeon,
Teal and Shoveler together with Mute Swans.
Passerines included Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit.
Our Lady's Island: 1 Merlin, 45 Greylag Geese, Kestrel,
Mallard, Little Grebe, Bar-tailed Godwit, Coot,
Moorhen, Little Egret, Grey Heron.
Churchtown: Gannet, Curlew, Cormorant, Shag,
Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed, Herring and
Black-headed Gulls, Rock Pipit, Song Thrush,
Greenfinch, Goldcrest, and Kestrel.
North Slobs (Pat Walsh hide): 1 female Marsh Harrier, Tufted
Duck, Mallard, Mute Swans, 32 Curlew, 25 Lapwing,
and possible Water Rail.
North Slobs (Tower): c400 Brent Geese. DMcC,
JF & RD
Blessington Basin: 2 White-cheeked Bahama Pintail, 1 Silver
Bahama Pintail, 2 male Hooded Mergansers, 1 female Hooded
Merganser, 1 Grey Heron, 1 male Wooduck
and an assortment of Mallard, Black-headed Gulls, Mandarin
Ducks, Waterhens, Coots and Pigeons.PF
19 October 2011
Greystones promenade: 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Kingfisher,
2 Rock Pipits, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Wheatear.
In Kilcoole: 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Mediterranean Gull,
2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Buzzard,
16 Redshanks, 18 Teal, 4 Whooper, 16 Brent
Geese, 24 Widgeon, 16 Mallard, 1 Pochard,
4 Razorbill, 1 Guillemot, 3 Red-throated Divers,
2 Stonechat, 2 Blackbird, 2 Little Egret, 6 Heron,
28 Curlew, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 81 Black-headed
Gulls, 6 Common Gulls, 4 Herring Gull, 1 Arctic
Tern, 36 Linnets, 12 Goldfinch and 3 Gannets
offshore.SL
Mandarin Duck - leucistic male - in main lake Phoenix Park (Photo
by Stephen Lawlor)
17 October 2011
Short-toed Lark at Cape
Clear, County Cork (Photo
by Philip Clancy)
Red-eyed Vireo at Cape Clear,
County Cork (Photo
by Philip Clancy)
Red-breasted Flycatcher at Cape Clear, County Cork (Photo
by Philip Clancy)
Yellow-browed Warbler being ringed
at Cape Clear, County Cork (Photo
by Philip Clancy)
16 October 2011
East Coast Nature Reserve, Newcastle, from 7-40am to
10-40am: Marsh Harrier (f), Goldcrest, 2 Dunnock, Blue Tit,
Wren. BC
Marsh Harrier (f) and Blue Tit at
Newcastle (Photos by Brian Carruthers)
Goldcrest and Wren at
Newcastle (Photos by Brian Carruthers)
Red Kite at Redcross, County
Wicklow (Photo
by Brian McDonnell)
Yellowhammer at Redcross, County
Wicklow (Photo
by Brian McDonnell)
Sandycove: 64 Mediterranean Gulls roosting on
rocks at Sandycove/40-foot between 11.15 and 12.15 hrs (four with
colour bands); also one adult Arctic Tern with them.OM
Ballymun: saw a flock of 20 Oystercatchers on the DCU
playing fields off the Ballymun Road today.PF
Photo attached of a winter plumage adult Mediterranean Gull taken
about 1 mile out to sea from Bray. This one is often seen at
Sandycove. It was ringed on 16.6.07 at Nord, France.CM
Mediterranean Gull off Bray (Photo
by Cian Merne)
A pair of Glossy Ibis at Lady's
Island Lake in Co. Wexford (Photo by Mark Carmody)
15 October 2011
Two
Swallows flying south over Bray garden at 08.30 hrs.OM
Killester: 1
Sparrowhawk cleared all in garden today.MH
Broadmeadow: 50 Great Crested Grebe.CN
Bull Island: We had 1 Spotted Redshank (see
attached photos) & 1 Curlew Sandpiper north of the
causeway this morning on the IWebs bird Count. The observers were
myself, Philip Clancy & Gerry Power.TD
Spotted Redshank at Bull Island (Photo by
Tom Doyle)
Sandycove: 49 Mediterranean Gulls & an adult Arctic
Tern were at Sandycove/40-foot whilst a lone Merlin
flew inland across Dublin Bay. At Kilcoole, a juv. Merlin,
a juv. Light-bellied Brent Goose, 4 adult Whooper Swans,
34 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, a Goldeneye, a Pochard,
4 Black-tailed Godwits, a Bar-tailed Godwit & a Knot
were on the marsh. An adult Little Gull was also present
offshore. NTK
County Louth: Forster's
Tern showing very well on Cruisetown Strand,
Clogherhead this morning. Presumed a returning Bird. Bird has been
present the past two days on the south side of the Strand close to
the rocks. Also along Cruisetown strand, 6 Mediteranean Gulls,
Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Lapwing,
Golden & Grey Plover. Lots of Skylarks and Tree
Sparrows and Linnets in neighbouring
fields. Dunany Point: 2 Great Northern Diver,
50 Common Scoter, 8 Great Crested Grebe, Guillemot,
Razorbill and Gannets offshore.BS
11 October 2011
Blessington St. Basin at 8am for 15mins: 1 Smew
(female) ringed, only 3 Hooded Mergansers ( 2 male 1 female
ringed). Lots others inc 10 Mandarin Ducks and 4 Wood
Ducks (3 males), 1 Heron and lots of Tufties, Mallard,
Coots, Moorhens and Black-headed Gulls.CD
9 October 2011
Least
Sandpiper at Tacumshin, Co. Wexford (Photo by
Mark Carmody)
Blessington Basin, Dublin 7: the two male and one female Hooded
Mergansers are still present, along with a new female. All the
other such 'exotics' were all present.FM&ES
Hooded Mergansers at Blessington Basin (Photos by Francois Mullan)
County Louth sightings...
-
Giles Quay: 30 Black Guillemot, 1 Grey Phalarope,
1 Great Northern Diver, 10 Brent Geese at the
Quay.
-
Ballaggan Point: 8 Whooper Swans flying south, 2 Whimbrel
and a Common Sandpiper.
-
Blackrock: 3 Wheatear and 200 Brent Geese.
Wigeon, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover Redshank, Dunlin and Curlew
all in high numbers along the coast.
-
At Hermitage: 4 Twite with the Linnets, while 45 Red-breasted
Mergansers offshore.
-
Lots of Brent Geese up around Carlingford 160 and another
150 birds present along Annagassan to Cruisetown Stand. Also small
flocks Redwing calling early this morning around
Drogheda.BS
Black Guillemot at Giles Quay, Co.
Louth (Photo by Brendan Sheils)
Brent Geese (juveniles) offshore,
Co. Louth (Photo by Brendan Sheils)
8 October 2011
Flock of c.20 Swallows on wires at Salterstown, Dundalk
Bay. One Wheatear on rocky shore at Blackrock, Dundalk Bay.
Flock of seven Fieldfares in hawthorn hedgerows at
Lurgangreen. Total of almost 19,000 waterbirds of 35 species in
Dundalk Bay between Marsh South and Dunany Point. Top ten species
were: 4611 Oystercatcher, 3161 Knot , 3087 Black-headed
Gull, 1490 Black-tailed Godwit, 1350 Herring Gull,
1210 Golden Plover, 543 Mallard, 500 Redshank,
490 Curlew and 467 Bar-tailed Godwit. A lone adult Pink-footed
Goose was on the saltmarsh at Lurgangreen with seven Mute
Swans.OM
Howth: A Lesser Whitethroat at Howth Head, beside
the ruin in the gully above Balscadden.GF
Lesser Whitethroat at Howth Head
(Photo by Ger Franck)
7 October 2011
Total of 14 Swallows seen moving south along coast
between Arklow and Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow.OM
4 October 2011
Rogerstown this morning: 6 juv. Curlew Sandpipers, 8
juv. Ruff, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Peregrine,
1 Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawks, 19 Little Grebes,
235+ Teal, 105+ Wigeon, 2 Shoveler, c.130 Black-tailed
Godwits, c.185 Curlew, c.250 Redshank, 1 Grey
Plover, 9 Little Egrets, 215+ Herring Gulls, 1 Stock
Dove, 1 Blackcap, 1 Wheatear & 2 Stonechats.
NTK
Howth: At Balscadden, Howth today there were 2 Little
Gulls flying just off shore. No sign of the lesser Whitethroat
that was there the two previous days.PC
3 October 2011
Ballymun: Nice views of a female Wheatear this
morning on the football pitch opposite the Topaz garage on the
Ballymun road beside the Ikea entrance.MK
Gormanstown: A juvenile Baird's
Sandpiper seen at Gormanstown Strand this morning,
showing well at the outflow on both the Meath & the Dublin
sides of the border. A juv. Curlew Sandpiper, a 1st-winter Mediterranean
Gull, a Peregrine & c.95 Common Scoter were
also present. At Kilbogget Park, Cabinteely, a total
of 34 Mediterranean Gulls (26 adults, 2 2nd-winters & 6
1st-winters) were seen on the football pitches. NTK
Baird's
Sandpiper, south of
the Devlin River, Gormanstown (Photo by David Dillon)
Least
Sandpiper which was found at Carrahane, Co. Kerry (Photo by
Mark Carmody)
2 October 2011
Howth Head - East Pennisula between 12.00 to 16.00: 1 Lesser
Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 4+ Blackcap, 20+ Chiffchaff,
15+ Goldcrest, 2 Raven, 3 Swallow, 10+ Redpoll,
200+ Linnet, 40+ Meadow Pipits.DOM
Wheater at North
Bull Island (Photo by Brian McDonnell)
