County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (8 Viewers)

james mullen said:

Hi! Margaret and thanks for the welcome.Hope that ship looking in your Kitchen window did'nt spoil lunch.

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I must admit that as I was 'spying' through the scope, I did wonder what they were doing and if I could see them ... then just how much could they see!!

Peter Phillips said:

Birdwatch Ireland publish an annual publication, a bird report, that deals with the east coast of Ireland namely Louth, Dublin, Meath and Wicklow. While Dublin and Wicklow are well represented Louth is not, mainly because there are so few active (outside your garden) birdwatchers. I have suggested to Dick Coombes (Editor) that I would collect the sightings from the forum and send them on to him for publication. There are interested in all bird species, not just rare ones. Some rare species are well documented eg Med Gull but species like Wheatear and Spotted Flycatcher rarely get reported. It would be great if people could report all there first few dates for summer migrants or anything else that might be worth publishing. If you put it on the forum, I will forward all the records and contributors names on to Dick.

Thanks

Peter

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Peter, i did a rarity review of 2006 for louth - i'll send it - i just culled the records from birdforum and notes i had taken myself. But you're right, if people would report more detail on birdforum it would make the job easier - longer term we were thinking of doing something like the recent john lovett book on cavan, which reviews cavan birding records, locations etc going back to the 18th centuary...

james mullen said:

Hi Peter-Thanks for the welcome. Hineys beach is just South of Dunany Point.Travelling north from the Port direction before the sharp turn left which leads you up by Dunany Church and the cul-de-sac straight on that brings you down to Dunany House-Turn right ,the lane is about 400 metres long and brings you right to the beach.The beach is named after a man called Hinny Dolan now deceased.Some of his family still live on the lane.

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Hi James, I know the spot - once drove down to the beach and found on return that someone had parked in the lane and gone walking their dog...so i spent a bit more time looking at the loafing gulls than planned...

Second pair of shovelers on Beaulieu pond today. Last year the second pair arrived on 21st March, so both pairs seem to have arrived on roughly the same dates as last year. It'll be interesting to see if they are as regular next year.

Around 500 brent geese on the Boyne at Beaulieu, numbers have been steadily rising in the last week or two.

Black guillemots back in at Giles Quay. 18 yesterday, 21 today - 20 paired, one apparently unpaired. We managed to get proper nesting cavities in and the birds immediately took to the new cavities (holes drilled in the quay wall and lined with wavan piping.

At Clogher several holes were drilled in the concrete wall at the end of the pier facing out - unfortunately they are a bit shallow but may serve - they are not dissimilar from what the birds were using previously high on the east side of the main pier. Please let me know if anyone sees them being used, date, time, how many birds etc..to date i have seen only a single bird in thea area.

At Lurgangreen this afternoon there were 59 pinkfooted geese, a lot of them were in the long grass and I'm sure there were more there but 59 was the highest count I got. There were over 400 greylag and around 25 white fronted. Nice number of brent too. There was a flock of tree sparrows on the lane down.

ardnasx1 said:

At Lurgangreen this afternoon there were 59 pinkfooted geese, a lot of them were in the long grass and I'm sure there were more there but 59 was the highest count I got. There were over 400 greylag and around 25 white fronted. Nice number of brent too.

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Didn't get as good a count of pinkfeet at Lurgangreen yesterday but heard on bins that someone counted 69. It really takes persistence to spot them through the long grass and I'd imagine that that figure could still rise. Counted 567 greylags, and spotted just one dark bellied brent.

What a difference the hour change has made - lovely long evenings!!! Took advantage of the longer daylight and went out by Cruisetown, Hermitage and Salterstown. Tide almost in but the sea was quiet enough but plenty of Scoters and quite a few Red Throated Divers, a couple in summer plumage, looking quite magnificent, also just a few Red Breasted Mergansers.

Clogher Head

breffni said:

At Clogher several holes were drilled in the concrete wall at the end of the pier facing out - unfortunately they are a bit shallow but may serve - they are not dissimilar from what the birds were using previously high on the east side of the main pier. Please let me know if anyone sees them being used, date, time, how many birds etc..to date i have seen only a single bird in thea area.

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Went out to Clogher Head at lunch time today. Very quiet, a single chiffchaff in the youth hostel garden was the highlight.

Had a look aroud the pier. No sign of any Black Guillemots. Two years ago I counted 12 birds this time of year.

Hermitage and Cruisetown quiet.

Peter

Anybody seen any Swallows ? Haven't seen any myself yet

gareth2005 said:

Anybody seen any Swallows ? Haven't seen any myself yet

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No Gareth, haven't seen any swallows, house martins or sand martins as yet. Peter did see 2 sand martins on the 19th March.

Swallows

MargaretM said:

No Gareth, haven't seen any swallows, house martins or sand martins as yet. Peter did see 2 sand martins on the 19th March.

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Just checked Birdtrack http://blx1.bto.org/bt-dailyresults/results/s322-20-07.html. Swallows seem to be about a week later than last year and there are no reports yet on this site for Irish swallows. By the look of the spread of records across southern Britain they should be starting to reach Louth over the next few days.

Peter

Breding Bird in Louth

I was recently looking at an old Breeding Birds Atlas 1972 and was fascinated at how the status of breeding birds in County Louth has changed.

While most of the generalist/ woodland species/birds of prey seem to be doing OK compared to 36 years ago Wetland/Coastal and some specialist breeding species have been severely affected with (at least I think) many going extinct over the same period (We had seven possible breeding wader species). Three of the four extinctions were from birds breeding on farmland. One small bright note is there has been the addition of at least five new species since then namely Tufted Duck, Fulmar, Buzzard and Black Guillemot, Little Egret.

Below is a list of 76 species I think still are certain breeders in the county.
A list of possible breeders is also included (these were possibly/probably or definitely breeding during the 72 Atlas). I would like anybodies comments on either or both lists

Current breeding Species (76 species)

Little Grebe; Fulmar Grey Heron; Little Egret; Mallard; Tufted Duck; Shelduck; Mute Swan; Black Guillemot; Buzzard; Sparrowhawk; Peregrine; Kestrel; Pheasant; Water Rail; Moorhen; Coot ; Ringed Plover; Woodcock; Great black-backed Gull; Little Tern; Stock Dove; Feral Pigeon; Wood Pigeon; Collard Dove; Cuckoo; Barn Owl; Long-eared Owl; Swift; Kingfisher; Skylark; Swallow; House Martin; Sand Martin; Raven; Hooded Crow; Rook; Jackdaw; Magpie; Jay; Great Tit; Blue Tit; Coal Tit; Long-tailed Tit; Treecreeper; Wren; Dipper; Mistle Thrush; Song Thrush; Blackbird; Stonechat; Robin; Sedge Warbler; Blackcap; Whitethroat; Willow Warbler; Chiffchaff; Goldcrest; Spotted Flycatcher; Dunnock; Meadow Pipit; Rock Pipit; Pied Wagtail; Grey Wagtail; Starling; Greenfinch; Goldfinch; Siskin; Linnet; Lesser Redpoll; Bullfinch; Chaffinch; Yellowhammer; Reed Bunting; House Sparrrow; Tree Sparrow

Possible breeders (24 species)

Great-crested Grebe; Shag; Teal; Red-breasted Merganser; Red Grouse; Quail; Oystercatcher; Lapwing; Snipe; Curlew; Common Sandpiper; Redshank; Herring Gull; Black-headed Gull; Common Tern; Arctic Tern; Nightjar; Ring Ouzel; Wheatear; Whinchat; Grasshopper Warbler; Reed Warbler; Garden Warbler; Crossbill.

It is hard to tell from the map if some of these species were located in Louth or possibly just across the border i.e. in Meath, Down or Monaghan.

Reed Warbler was not breeding in 1972 but I seem to remember a reference to it breeding/present once in the county.

Extinct breeders (4 Species)

Hen Harrier; Grey Partridge; Corncrake; Corn Bunting

Both Hen Harrier and Corn Bunting were not breeding in 1972; however it has been suggested that they have previously bred.



Peter

Very interesting Peter. One comment so far, great crested grebes bred in Mell quarry last year so they can move to your definite list.

Had my first chiffchaffs of the year this morning in Beaulieu.

Seen first Swallow of season flying over Beaulieu house and lake at 12-20pm-to-day 29th March2007.Beats by one day my previous earliest sighting which was on the 30th March at 3-30pm 2006.The harbinger fo summer has arrived and lets hope for lots more of these beautiful birds.

Peter Phillips said:

I was recently looking at an old Breeding Birds Atlas 1972 and was fascinated at how the status of breeding birds in County Louth has changed.

While most of the generalist/ woodland species/birds of prey seem to be doing OK compared to 36 years ago Wetland/Coastal and some specialist breeding species have been severely affected with (at least I think) many going extinct over the same period (We had seven possible breeding wader species). Three of the four extinctions were from birds breeding on farmland. One small bright note is there has been the addition of at least five new species since then namely Tufted Duck, Fulmar, Buzzard and Black Guillemot, Little Egret.

Below is a list of 76 species I think still are certain breeders in the county.
A list of possible breeders is also included (these were possibly/probably or definitely breeding during the 72 Atlas). I would like anybodies comments on either or both lists

Current breeding Species (76 species)

Little Grebe; Fulmar Grey Heron; Little Egret; Mallard; Tufted Duck; Shelduck; Mute Swan; Black Guillemot; Buzzard; Sparrowhawk; Peregrine; Kestrel; Pheasant; Water Rail; Moorhen; Coot ; Ringed Plover; Woodcock; Great black-backed Gull; Little Tern; Stock Dove; Feral Pigeon; Wood Pigeon; Collard Dove; Cuckoo; Barn Owl; Long-eared Owl; Swift; Kingfisher; Skylark; Swallow; House Martin; Sand Martin; Raven; Hooded Crow; Rook; Jackdaw; Magpie; Jay; Great Tit; Blue Tit; Coal Tit; Long-tailed Tit; Treecreeper; Wren; Dipper; Mistle Thrush; Song Thrush; Blackbird; Stonechat; Robin; Sedge Warbler; Blackcap; Whitethroat; Willow Warbler; Chiffchaff; Goldcrest; Spotted Flycatcher; Dunnock; Meadow Pipit; Rock Pipit; Pied Wagtail; Grey Wagtail; Starling; Greenfinch; Goldfinch; Siskin; Linnet; Lesser Redpoll; Bullfinch; Chaffinch; Yellowhammer; Reed Bunting; House Sparrrow; Tree Sparrow

Possible breeders (24 species)

Great-crested Grebe; Shag; Teal; Red-breasted Merganser; Red Grouse; Quail; Oystercatcher; Lapwing; Snipe; Curlew; Common Sandpiper; Redshank; Herring Gull; Black-headed Gull; Common Tern; Arctic Tern; Nightjar; Ring Ouzel; Wheatear; Whinchat; Grasshopper Warbler; Reed Warbler; Garden Warbler; Crossbill.

It is hard to tell from the map if some of these species were located in Louth or possibly just across the border i.e. in Meath, Down or Monaghan.

Reed Warbler was not breeding in 1972 but I seem to remember a reference to it breeding/present once in the county.

Extinct breeders (4 Species)

Hen Harrier; Grey Partridge; Corncrake; Corn Bunting

Both Hen Harrier and Corn Bunting were not breeding in 1972; however it has been suggested that they have previously bred.
Peter

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interesting - did it mention where the snipe were supposed to be breeding? also red grouse bred in cooley in the 60s and there is a remote chance that there is still a pair up there (there was an unconfirmed sighting a few years back). also i reckon gropper has to be breeding at mulahattin and maybe elsewhere...

Swallows

Seen first swallow of season to-day 29th March flying over beaulieu House out at Queensboro at 12-20pm.Beats my previous earliest sighting by one day, last year 30th March at 3.30pmThe harbinger of summer has arrived and lets hope for lots more of these beautiful birds.

business trip to vienna produced four woodpeckers(black, green, great spotted and middle spotted), black redstart, red crested pochard (i presume wild), red squirrels...only 95 euros return on aer lingus and great food and drink!

james mullen said:

Seen first swallow of season to-day 29th March flying over beaulieu House out at Queensboro at 12-20pm.Beats my previous earliest sighting by one day, last year 30th March at 3.30pmThe harbinger of sunmmer has arrrived and lets hope for lots more of these beatuiful birds.

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Well spotted James. It is indeed wonderful to see the swallows back - its a great time of the year.

That list of Current and Possible Breeders is very interesting Peter. Lets hope we can move some more from the 'Possible' list to the 'Current' list this year.