County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (7 Viewers)

Quick visit to Mell quarry, the numbers of birds there seem to be rising, there are a reasonable number of tufted ducks there now plus some pochard. The far end of the lake can be viewed if you drive in the entrance to the recycling centre, there's an area just inside the entrance which overlooks the lake, it's still looking through the railings but gets you reasonably close. There is still a lot of work going on around the lake.

I checked out lurgangreen on tuesday at high tide. Counted 132 greylags (+ 2 pink foot) - this is the third time i got the same number around high tide so i guess there is enough feeding for these birds to stay there. Waited until dusk but only saw a few birds fly in...maybe 30 or 40. Searched all over the Commons road area but no sign of any geese...a mystery. (Larry had 110 at braganstown recently).

The neck band reads AND in black (on orange) - very tough to read - the bird was ringed in 2003 at Lintrathen Loch, Tayside and was seen summering in Iceland in 2005 - it seems to be sticking to a family group, so presumably the neck band did not prevent breeding.

In Greenmount this morning there were 8 greylags in the same field I saw hundreds in last year, so it'll be worth keeping an eye on that area for them. Also saw at least 75 greylags at Salterstown, another place to watch to try and maybe eventually figure out where they are hiding.

ardnasx1 said:

In Greenmount this morning there were 8 greylags in the same field I saw hundreds in last year, so it'll be worth keeping an eye on that area for them. Also saw at least 75 greylags at Salterstown, another place to watch to try and maybe eventually figure out where they are hiding.

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Given that Sandra had 800+ Greylag at Lurgangreen a few weeks ago and the feeding flocks seem to be small and dispersed around the county, I wonder if something has changed for the worse in the feeding area at Stabbannon? It would seem unlikely for the birds to disperse into small, widely scattered flocks if a large enough disturbance free site was available. Can anybody recall if this distribution of small feeding groups is normal or does the flock that roosts at Lurgangreen normally feed together. I've only been in the county for a couple of years and have seen large flocks feeding at Stabbannon and Lurgangreen. I have only seen small groups on one or two occassions.

Talk and Slide Show January

On Monday 29th January 2007 at the Spirit Store, Dundalk Harbour at 8pm, we will be running the first event of the year.

This will consist of a talk and slideshow by Billy Clarke on a recent trip to Southern Africa and will feature both mammals and birds. Billy, who lives in Drogheda, is a renowned wildlife photographer: you may have seen one of Billy's photos on a recent cover of Wings magazine.

By way of introduction to Billy's talk, a brief summary of the birding year in County Louth given by myself. This will go through rare and scarce birds seen in the county during 2006.

All are welcome.

Peter Phillips said:

Given that Sandra had 800+ Greylag at Lurgangreen a few weeks ago and the feeding flocks seem to be small and dispersed around the county, I wonder if something has changed for the worse in the feeding area at Stabbannon? It would seem unlikely for the birds to disperse into small, widely scattered flocks if a large enough disturbance free site was available. Can anybody recall if this distribution of small feeding groups is normal or does the flock that roosts at Lurgangreen normally feed together. I've only been in the county for a couple of years and have seen large flocks feeding at Stabbannon and Lurgangreen. I have only seen small groups on one or two occassions.

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It is hard to figure out what is going on with them. Gerry and Don saw a some at the Commons Road yesterday morning including 6 pinkfooted and 2 barnacles. Within an hour of that we checked the Commons Rd and there was no sign of them, just saw 4 in flight. Headed to Lurgangreen then and I counted over 300. There were some white fronted there and 3 pinkfooted. No sign of the barnacles. With the hunting season drawing to a close they might settle a bit more and in the coming weeks we might be able to get a better picture.

I saw one greylag with a white neckband, it had the letters NAT on it. I'll report it via the BTO as there is no email link for that particular scheme, so it'll be some time before we find out the history of this one.

I enquired about a black tailed godwit which I saw at Seabank on Saturday which had 2 lime green rings on its right leg and red over dark dreen on the left, it was ringed as a chick in Iceland in 2005 and sightings since were in Dundalk bay in 2005.

On Sunday a helicopter put up about 600 geese near dusk at lurgangreen - hard to seperate the brent from the greylags at that distance though. Iwebs counts suggest that there are about 400 or so brent in the bay - of those many roost at a spot near the rivermouth on marsh south, the others apparently with the greylags in lurgangreen. Iwebs counts of greylag were around 400 birds in 2000...more recent counts were lower but because of the time of day it was assumed that only some of the population were counted.

...and for our next act!

Carlingford Birding Weekend
Saturday 10th February 2007

An afternoon of birding introducing the birds of Carlingford bay and how they use their feathers.

2:30 Meet at Carlingford Tourist Office Tour of the harbour and shoreline lead by Eric Dempsey

4:30 Meet at the Fjords Pub on Newry Road, Carlingford (opposite the Garda Station) where Eric Dempsey will give a talk and slideshow entitled “The Wonderful World of Feathers” on how birds use feathers for flight, insulation, display, and camouflage. The talk will involve some audience participation and both talk and outing are suitable for all ages.

Bird food

Does anyone know where to buy sacks of Peanuts/Sunflower seeds locally I drove past that agricultural store in Castlebellingham where I bought some before but it looked closed down ?

gareth2005 said:

Does anyone know where to buy sacks of Peanuts/Sunflower seeds locally I drove past that agricultural store in Castlebellingham where I bought some before but it looked closed down ?

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Yes indeed Gareth, Lakeland Dairies has closed all of its retail stores. However, Castlebellingham is still selling feed from the weighbridge which is through the large gates beside the shop. I'll check tomorrow to see if they have any stock of peanuts left ... (I work for Lakeland in case your wondering at my wonderful indept knowledge of what goes on there). Another option may be Goldcrop just outside Dunleer and I'll check with them to see if they are selling nuts etc. I'll get prices and put them on the forum, so if anybody can source nuts elsewhere, they can do likewise.

Many thanks for the quick response Margaret, would like to get some as i gave most of my feed to my mother to encourage her to keep the feeders filled up.
Thanks again

If you ever get a bit further north ie Lisburn Go to Jollye's Pet Store best value peanuts, nyjer seed , basically any form of bird feed.

Pluvius said:

If you ever get a bit further north ie Lisburn Go to Jollye's Pet Store best value peanuts, nyjer seed , basically any form of bird feed.

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You don't even have to go as far North as Lisburn - there's a Jollye's store about a mile South of Newry on the Dundalk Road - got my supplies there last week. I agree with Pluvius - great selection of bird food.
I will dig out my receipt and post up prices I paid.

Ring-necked Duck

Looked at the lakes around Carrickmacross, County Monaghan today. I refound the adult male Ring-necked Duck at Lough Fea. No sign of the Black Redstart at Monalty Lough or the Long-billed Dowitcher at the Dundalk Docks but had the Dark-bellied Brent at Lurgangreen.

Scaup

Peter Phillips said:

Looked at the lakes around Carrickmacross, County Monaghan today. I refound the adult male Ring-necked Duck at Lough Fea. No sign of the Black Redstart at Monalty Lough or the Long-billed Dowitcher at the Dundalk Docks but had the Dark-bellied Brent at Lurgangreen.

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Also a female Scaup at Lough Fea

Barn Owls - Your help needed !

Just recieved this mail from the Irish Ringers Group. Given the recent discussion about Barn Owls it would be great if anybody could forward on any relevant information.



Hi,

My name is John Lusby, I have been in touch with many of you previously. I work with BirdWatch Ireland on the Barn Owl Project and I am also currently doing a PhD through UCC looking at the habitat foraging requirements of Barn Owls in Ireland. My intended research will involve radio tracking adult males and following their movements to gain a greater insight into optimal foraging habitats.

Recent work carried out by the Barn Owl Project has indicated that the Barn Owl population has been in serious decline. The situation looks pretty dismal around the country and currently there are very few regular sites nationwide that we are aware of. Any information on nest or roost sites that you may have would be greatly appreciated and would help my research immensely. I have also been installing nest boxes (facilitates the capturing the birds to attach radio transmitters) and any information on the location of Barn Owl boxes that have been installed in the past whether active or otherwise would be greatly received.

If anyone would like to know more about my research then please get in touch any time.
Many thanks for your help.

Regards

John

John Lusby
BirdWatch Ireland
Midlands Office
Crank House
Banagher
Co. Offaly
05791-51676
085 7201892
[email protected]

Below the list I presented the other day - this is obviously provisional and unofficial but if there are any other additions or corrections please post them. Several barn owl sightings mentioned. Also to note that Gerry had the dowitcher and a little stint at Dundalk Harbour on Wednesday.

Bird Review 2006
County Louth

Draft

January

5th January - Albino hooded crow – Marsh Road - ?

8th January - Mealy Redpoll – Cruisetown - Gerry O'Neill

18th January - Twite - Soldiers Point - John Gallagher

28th January – Ring-necked Duck - Mell quarry - ?

Feb

5th Feb - Twite – Seabank – Sandra McKeever et al

18th Feb - Twite, Shore Road - Breffni Martin

4th Feb – Long-tailed Ducks – Salterstown - Enda Flynn

19th Feb - Hen Harrier – Cruisetown - ?

26th Feb - Barnacle Goose - Lurgangreen - ?

28th Feb - Slavonian Grebe - Annagassan - visiting UK birder

March

12th March - Black Redstart - Greenore - Joe Devlin

14th March - White Wagtails - Soldiers Point - visiting UK birder

19th March - Franklins Gull - Cruisetown - Don Hodgers

19th March - Ring-billed Gull - Cruisetown - Paul Kelly

19th March - Little Gull – Cruisetown – Peter Phillips

26th March – Long-tailed Ducks - Hermitage - Enda Flynn

28th March – Brambling – Termonfeckin – Susan McKeever

April

2nd April - White Wagtail & Slavonion Grebe - Hermitage – Don Hodgers

9th April - Dark-bellied Brent – Balaggan – Joe Devlin

9th April - Dark-bellied Brent Annagassin - Gerry O'Neill

12th April - Slavonian grebes - Blackrock - Oscar Merne

16th April – Dark-bellied Brent – Cruisetown – Don Hodgers

20th April – Eastern Jackdaw – Avenue Road – Gerry O’Neill

21 April - Greenland Wheatears, White Wags, Eastern Jackdaw - Balaggan - ??

22 April - Yellow Wag - Hermitage – Enda Flynn

23rd April - 39 White Wagtails – Draghanstown – Don Hodgers

29 April - dark phase Artic Skua - Hermitage – Enda Flynn

30 April – Black-throat Diver – Hermitage - Enda Flynn

May

1st May – Eider Ducks Greenore – Don Hodgers

7 May – Crossbills, Woodcock, Gropper - Mulahattan – Enda Flynn

11th May – Little Egrets nesting Beaulieu – Sandra McKeever

15 May - Osprey - Seabank - Gerry O'Neill

19 May - Little Stint - Templetown – Breffni Martin

23 May - Little gulls and hen harrier - Dundalk docks – Gerry O’Neill

25 May - Spotted Flycatchers – Hermitage - Freddie Vernon

28 May - Arctic Skua - Hermitage - Freddie Vernon

June

9th June – Yellow-legged Gull - Lurgangreen – Gerry O’Neill

11th June - Ruddy Shelduck - Lurgangreen - ?

28th June - Spotted Flycatcher - Avenue Road Dundalk – Don Hodgers

July

13th Jul – Barn Owl – Tom Bellow Ave Dundalk – Derek Waters

31st Jul - Green Sandpipers - Dundalk harbour – Breffni Martin

August

13th August - 6 Arctic Skuas - Seabank – Enda Flynn

17th Aug - Hobby - Rathcor – Don Hodgers

19th Aug – Yellow-legged Gull - Lurgangreen – Enda Flynn

20th Aug – Osprey fly-by – Lurgangreen – Enda Flynn

26th Aug - Osprey - Lurgangreen – Enda Flynn

27th Aug - Wood Sandpiper - Hermitage - Freddie Vernon

29th Aug – Black Tern – Hermitge – Paul Kelly

31st Aug - Yellow-legged Gull – Cruisetown - Breffni

September

10th Sept – Sabine’s Gull – Baltry - ?

11th Sept - Little Stint - Cruistown – Breffni Martin

14th Sept - Curlew Sandpers - Dundalk Harbour – Breffni Martin

15th Sept – Curlew Sandpiper – Baltray – Margaret Reilly

29th Sept - Curlew Sandpiper - Baltry - Sandra Mckeever


Seawatching records for Aug, Sept off Clogher Head and Shelling Hill include several arctic skuas, a few bonxies, a few sooty shearwaters, a few med shearwaters, many manxies + storm petrels.

October

1st Oct - Male Surf Scoter - Cruisetown - ?

1st Oct - Med gull, Curlew sand & Spotted Redshank - Seabank - ?

8th Oct - Forsters Tern – Cruisetown – Don Hodgers

14th Oct – White-rumped Sandpiper – Lurgangreen – Eamonn Larrissey

24th Oct – Short-eared Owl – Clogher – Peter Phillips

November

5th Nov – Black-throated diver - Cruisetown – Enda Flynn

9th Nov - Slavonian grebes – Cruiestown – Sandra McKeever

11th Nov – Green-wing Teal - Dundalk harbour – Dick Coombes

12th Nov - 2 Velvet Scoter - Cruisetown - ?

13th Nov - 6 Slavonian Grebes - Cruisetown – Sandra McKeever

15th Nov - Black Brand - Carlingford - Breffni

19th Nov - 5 Eider – Hermitage - Sandra, Margaret & Tommy

25th Nov - Purple Sandpiper - Balaggan Point - Breffni

December

2nd Dec - White Billed Diver – Hermitage – Larry Lenihan

11th Dec - Iceland Gull - Clogher – Gerry O’Neill

18th Dec - Goosander - Giles quay – Breffni Martin

24 Dec - Hen Harrier - Dunany - Sandra

31 Dec - Hen Harrier – Lurgangreen – Margaret

Nov/Dec – Barn Owl - Alphonsos Rd/Belfry Ave Dundalk - Gareth McSherry

3 Osprey ! Thats fantastic. I think with the growing Scotish population this will become a much more common migrant in the future. I have seen photos of platforms provided for nest sites in estuarys and bays which have been successful at attracting breeding Osprey. Do you think it would be possible to get sponsership for some platforms for Dundalk Bay? The fishing must be good judging by the number of birds that pass by that are seen and unseen. It would be a great coup for the county!

Keenan's Cross Pond

Hello again,

Does anybody know who owns Keenan's Cross Pond? At least I think thats what its called. About 10 acres in size a few miles north east of Dunleer, with a six foot wire fence in front of it, with room for parking. It would make a nice small nature reserve with a hide, artifical burrows for Kingfisher and Sand Martins and maybe some floating islands for nesting waterfowl. Not to mention nestboxes for Kestrel or Barn Owl.

I mentioned it to some teachers from Dunleer and they seemed very excited by the prospect.

Peter Phillips said:

Looked at the lakes around Carrickmacross, County Monaghan today. I refound the adult male Ring-necked Duck at Lough Fea.

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Hi Peter,

What's the story re access to Loch Fea at present. As far as I know it's on the Shirley Estate and I remember them being sniffy about access previously.

Thanks,

Dave

Gerry,

The LBD turned in about 13.15 today as the tide dropped a bit more.