More dead guillemots yesterday and today - counted 32 - all appeared to be adults and starving. Saw the first few brent also + good numbers of wigeon and teal building. Checking the hedgerows found several gold crests and a an influx of tree sparrows (though a few pair do breed around balaggan point area)...
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County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter breffni
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gareth2005
Well-known member
Might be a silly question, but what is causing the Guillemots to starve ? Is it the recent bad weather is pushing the bait fish that the birds feed on into deeper water or just an overall lack of fish in the bay ??
Its generally pretty worrying - from http://www.rspb.org.uk/action/guillemots.asp:gareth2005 said:
"Commenting on the potential impacts of climate change affecting UK seabirds, the RSPB's Conservation Director, Dr Mark Avery, said: 'The seas surrounding the British Isles are among the most productive in the world and, despite decades of overfishing, they still support internationally important seabird colonies.
'But, seabirds are facing key threats as life-giving cold-water-loving plankton shift, taking the foundation of the foodchain with them. Distressing images of seabirds failing to find enough sandeels to feed their chicks is an early warning sign of worse to come.'
gareth2005
Well-known member
Thanks for the link Breffni. Very serious problem indeed, yet there doesn't seem to be that much media coverage about it.
I remember a similar story running in the BBC news during the spring about a similar problem with seabirds in the far north of Scotland.
I remember a similar story running in the BBC news during the spring about a similar problem with seabirds in the far north of Scotland.
twitched the olivacious warbler on cape clear, also the toe head hoopoe and the long billed dowitcher, and a few more last weekend..nearly hit a barn owl about a mile or two south of the fane on the M1...today two good greenland wheatear candidates around belaggan point...today no washed up guillemots but saw 7 black guillemots in a group off shelling hill.
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There are a few good spots on the north side of the lough but i couldn't give directions - on the south side the bay between greenore and carlingofrd is great on a rising tide (watch from the hard shoulder - also check shilties lough, a wee inlet on the other side of the road which has produced whooper, kingfisher, little grebes, snipe, moorhen etc at very close range) next parking on the top of the road leading down to the marina is a good spot to scan for grebes, ducks etc. Further along at Omeath, again on a rising tide, the road that runs along the shore is good in that the birds are tolerant and you can get close (never found anything good there though), further along the road, the top of victoria lock is good especially for waders and ducks (green wing teal there last year) even on low tide...ardnasx1 said:
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On Monday 9th October at 8pm in the Spirit Store, Dundalk Harbour, Niall Hatch from BirdWatch Ireland will give a talk and slideshow on overwintering birds in Dundalk Bay, and also on the conservation work of Birdwatch Ireland. We will specifically leave 30 minutes at the end of the talk to address any conservation related questions anyone might have regarding the area. Admission is free. All welcome!
Please pass this message onto anyone who may be interested.
Please pass this message onto anyone who may be interested.
gareth2005
Well-known member
Spotted a Barn Owl last night in the Belfry estate just off the Alphonsos road. Might be the same one mentioned earlier on in this thread.
Trying to thing where the Owl must have nested this year, as there is a lack of suitable habitat.
Possibly the outbuildings behind McArdle Moore ?
Trying to thing where the Owl must have nested this year, as there is a lack of suitable habitat.
Possibly the outbuildings behind McArdle Moore ?
Saw my first brent geese of the season at Annagassan, they were near the harbour, viewable from the road to Castlebellingham. Flock of 22. Other recent sightings included 3 wheatears at Cruisetown during the week, one certainly appeared to be a Greenland wheatear, couldn't say about the other two. 3 little egrets at Seabank today constantly fighting with each other.
