Wexford birding (1 Viewer)

Helsinki Birder · May 19, 2009

Hard to believe there isnt allready a thread with so many contributors visiting the area on a regular basis.
So i said id start one off.

After a hard winter with the usual suspects showing up in the form of canada and snow goose, smew, green winged teal, cattle egrets,water pipits and a stop in glossy ibis, the spring kicked off well with a couple of subalpine warblers, hobby and good numbers of migrants.

Caught up with the badius shrike on sunday, followed by a seawatch producing 4 poms, 4 arctic skuas and good numbers of stormies off carnsore.

The adult forsters tern was over the east end pond at tacumshin along with 2 drake garganey.

Migrants around carnsore included yellow wagtail, spotted flycatcher, blackcap and whitethroat.

A bonxie and an adult black tern were off carnsore on monday morning, with a first summer little gull present on the south slob along with hundreds of swifts, sadly all common.

Owen

nialltkeogh · May 24, 2009

No sign of the badius Woodchat Shrike at Rathangan today after searching this morning and this afternoon.

Great Saltee was quiet (see pic attached!) with 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Wheatears & c.half a dozen phylloscs the only migs of note. 7 Chough & 2 Peregrines there also. Still nice to get out to the island all the same and see the seabird colony (now flush with colour from flowers).

Few Dunlin on Tacumshin this eve but plenty of BTGodwits & some Knot. The adult summer Forster's Tern made an appearance at the East End Pool at 17:54 until 18:01 when it caught a fish and headed for Lady's Island. A 1st-summer Arctic Tern, 1st-summer Peregrine, 3 male & 1 female Garganey there also.

Not much off Carnsore except for year-ticking a Storm Petrel.

See ya,
Niall

DEREK CHARLES · May 25, 2009

Anyone know the date when the two large Canadas left the Slobs? Pressumeably they left with the GWF's?

Derek

nialltkeogh · May 25, 2009

Hi Derek,

The 2 Canadas & c.40 GWFGeese were present on the North Slob up until the 3rd week of April per. Wexford Naturalist's Field Club: http://www.wexfordnaturalists.com/gaggle.php

See ya,
Niall

DEREK CHARLES · May 25, 2009

Thanks for link Niall, never seen that one before.
Hope your keeping well, nice photos from Saltee.

all the best

derek

Peter Phillips · May 27, 2009

Does anybody know the boat times to Saltee? and if it goes during the week . I am going to wexford for a week in early June and would like to make a day trip to the island. Black-headed Bunting or Bee-eater or something semi exotic would be nice. I have had a couple of trips out there bur never found anything really good. Tree Pipit, Nightjar and Quail about the best. Missed two trips which included Woodlark and Nightingale. I reckon I am due some thing good!!!

Its been a long long winter

Helsinki Birder · May 27, 2009

Im open to correction peter, but i dont think there are "boat times". You ring the boatman and arrange to get out. At least thats how it used to be. Havent been out there in donkeys mind.

nialltkeogh · May 28, 2009

Peter Phillips said:
Does anybody know the boat times to Saltee? and if it goes during the week . I am going to wexford for a week in early June and would like to make a day trip to the island. Black-headed Bunting or Bee-eater or something semi exotic would be nice. I have had a couple of trips out there bur never found anything really good. Tree Pipit, Nightjar and Quail about the best. Missed two trips which included Woodlark and Nightingale. I reckon I am due some thing good!!! Its been a long long winter

Hi Peter,

Declan Bates runs the boat out of Kilmore Quay to the Saltees, currently at 25euro a head for about 4-5 hours on the island.

At the weekend he runs trips from 10am and when the weather is fine he may do up to 5 or so runs out in a day.

His number is 0872529736 (N.B. don't ring him before 9am, especially on a Sunday!!!).

He will run chartered trips at any stage of the week if you can organise 10-12 people to fill the boat.

The family who own the island will be staying there for the June Bank Holiday weekend so there will be no access to the garden.

Lucky with your Quail, one was seen there last Saturday and I went looking for it on Sunday with no joy (still a tick for me). Kieran Grace, who has done 110+ days on the island! has NEVER seen Quail there!

The island can be hard work, even when the weather looks promising. I have been visiting it every year since 1996 and I can tell you every good bird
I've seen there in those 13 YEARS: 2 Wood Warblers (on my first day on the island!), 2 Common Rosefinches (one of which was on my second day on the island!), 1 Subalpine Warbler, 1 Woodchat Shrike, 1 Lesser Whitethroat & 1 Marsh Harrier!!! Been out twice this year so far and have had nothing better than a Garden Warbler.

All the best,
Niall

Helsinki Birder · May 28, 2009

I actually hate the saltees. Always a mig wasteland when i go out there! At least on the mainland you can mooch around a few spots. Hard to beat carnsore!

Owen

paul Robinson · May 28, 2009

Hi
great to see a Wexford forum! I was half thinking of starting a "Wexford weekend forum" for all of us who get to go down the odd time with family in tow & escape for a bit of birding when we can. Always dread looking at Birdnews when I get back to dublin on the sunday night & see what I've missed...
Weekend gone there was 150+ manx shearwater (going west to east) and one arctic skua from 6.30am to 8am at Hook Head. Five whitethroats at Slade Lane and a few whimbrel and chough elsewhere on the head.
regards
Paul

Dermot Breen · May 29, 2009

Hi Peter

I tried to twitch both the Woodlark and the Nightingale at the time but dipped both.
Spring sucks big time!

Dermot

Helsinki Birder · May 29, 2009

Hard going today in wex. A heavy mist was present most of the morning making birding difficult. This eventually burned off to be replaced by strong hazy sun.

A quail was an enjoyable find down the end of the sub alp lane on carnsore.

2-3 ad summer med gulls and 2 drake garganey were in the channel at the east end of tacumshin, with a few arctic, common and sandwich terns. No joy with the forsters but in sure its still around.

A first summer little gull was off nethertown.

No migs of note on carnsore itself.

Perhaps tomorrow.

Owen

Peter Phillips · May 30, 2009

Thanks for the response lads. I will give him a ring closer to the time. Failing a trip out,I will try Carnsore.

Helsinki Birder · May 31, 2009

Saturday was pretty poor considering the winds involved.

The adult forsters did pop in and out of tacumshin mind, with several garganey also there.

The south slob had 4 1st summer little gulls and up to 20 med gulls of varying ages feeding on a ploughed field.

Red legged partridge here also.

Cahore has a leucistic grey heron which can cause cardiac arrest.

Managed to nip back up to wicklow and nab the hobby at black ditch...heard later a crane dropped in that night....feck.....

Owen

dan pointon · Jun 1, 2009

Hi Owen,

Will be coming over for the Forsters Tern later this week, as it seems to be becoming more regular lately. Just hoping you could give me a run down of its habits, I get the impression it just pops in and out of East End Pool several times a day? I assume the pool isn't covered in all hours of daylight (we wil be giving it a full day), so assuming we spend the whole day there there's a good chance of seeing it?

Cheers

D

Helsinki Birder · Jun 1, 2009

Hi dan,

Yeah, i would say dawn till dusk would certainly gurantee a few sightings. It seems to prefer freshwater hunting and so heads for the pool. Wellies required if you want to get over to the pool itself. Be cautious however, other species of tern are also hunting the pool

Owen

paul Robinson · Jun 2, 2009

Hi
Saw the Forster's tern on Saturday about 1pm. Flew in, got a fish first dive and flew off - 3mins tops.
3 first summer little gulls - one at the east end hawking insects and two on the shore of the main lake on the other side of the channel. Gargeney too.
First time i've been to Tacumshin. Feels a bit odd stomping round the habitat when you are used to RSPB managed reserves. Can only imagine what might be seen there with a few walkways and hides - or would that spoil it?.
Hundreds of painted ladies about at Hook Head.
regards
Paul

Helsinki Birder · Jun 2, 2009

Paul,

Wouldnt work at tac. The water level fluctuates with season and rainfall. Getting very high in winter. Any walkways would have to be at considerable height...making walkers very conspicuous to the birds.

Owen

paul Robinson · Jun 3, 2009

Fair enough - though I'd say water levels would be managed in the UK too as part of a "comprehensive management system"...the mind shudders. Dare say the geology of the place would make water management impossible?
regards
Paul

Helsinki Birder · Jun 3, 2009

Well the fluctuating water level is part of the greatness of Tac.
In summer it goes down (usually) to the point where it becomes fantastic for migrating waders, especially the area of the patches and where the channel is crossed to sigginstown. In winter the water goes up, the ducks and swans come in. Its just the way it is and if it aint broke.......

Owen

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