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

yew · Feb 18, 2008

breffni said:
I spent most of the dayup the mountains looking for crossbills - i suspect that they are breeding - but no joy - the place was alive with finches and tits. At annaverna a huge area has been clearfelled but there is still plenty of mature sitka. Saw a peregrine in Glenmore, near Sleivenaglogh. At Lurgangreen, after half an hour creeping up on the geese a microlight plane flew over and put everything up but no sign of the pink-foot. I counted 41 whitefronts this time.

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I am not really sure where to say hello except after the last message. I live in Co. Down now though from Co. Louth and still love to go for walks anywhere around Omeath, Carlingford, Greenore, Shilling Hill, Gyles Quay and all those wonderful places around there to see birds. My own garden is near a large enough protected woods and having a large Ash and hawthorn trees at bottom of my own garden I find with bird feeders that I am seeing quite a variety of birds or at least many more than I expected to see. I found this site by accident as I was curious to know where Cruisetown Strand is in Co. Louth after noticing birds seen there were posted into the Rare Birds of Ireland site. Anyway just lovely to have found this site and so looking forward to enjoying it.

Peter Phillips · Feb 18, 2008

Out and about

I skipped Baltray today and tried Clogher Head beach and rocks instead, in the hope of seeing some Purple Sandpiper on passage. No luck, but plenty of waders on the rocks mainly Knot and Oystercatcher.
Does anybody know where the Purple Sandpipers used to hang out on Clogher Head. Was it the harbour,rocks by the beach or further towards the treatment plant?
Port Oriel was quiet, but this Shag and Kittiwake were co-operating for the camera.

There were 3 first winter Iceland Gulls at Cruisetown(I saw them together). There seems to have been another small wreck of shellfish, lots of small razorshells. Perhaps something to do with the fishermen dredging the sea bottom recently.

About a dozen Stock Dove between Cruisetown and Dunany Point.

No time to check KCP or Hermitage

Peter Phillips · Feb 18, 2008

Dolce and gasj see books and map below. Both are hard to do with out. Attached is a map showing where Cruisetown is (between Dunany Point and Clogher Head).

41 is a good number of GWFGeese. Did you get those shots with the Powershot?

Thanks for the Shoveler tip off Margaret.

Derek Watters · Feb 18, 2008

Peter Phillips said:
I had a long day in the field today.

Lurgangreen had about 300 Greylag Geese and 25 or so Greenland White-fronted Geese 7 Little Egrets were feeding together in one of the channels. I met Breffni, who went off to stalk some geese.

I had a similarily long day on Sunday - started at Mel, then onto Beaulieu (met up with Enda). Shovlers well hidden on island but after c.1.5hrs they revealed themselves. Sunday is not the best day to view them, as there were alot of children and dogs around. Off then to Baltray, Clogherhead and Cruisetown (2 Icelands). Hermitage and Seabank revealed no surprises so off to Lurgangreen till nighfall (bright till 6pm but very very cold). Geese were very flighty - perhaps the strange bearded man crawling towards them was causing them some unease.

8 Little Egrets and 14 White Fronted were the best on show. I wonder if these White Fronts were additional to Breffni's count of 41 (who was further South judging by the location his jeep was abandoned at the side of the road!) No Pink Foots on show.

Derek Watters · Feb 18, 2008

Peter Phillips said:
Finished off at the Docks and Lurgangreen (I was afraid to get out of the car at the Docks) not the place to bird on sunday afternoons!

Peter - why??

Peter Phillips · Feb 18, 2008

Derek Watters said:
Peter - why??

http://www.birdguides.com/pictures/default.asp?search=1&rty=3&off=162896&v=0 Photo of a Green winged Teal

Normally its fine but a 'junky' of sorts was standing beside the car, I waited a while for him to move on but he just stood there staring. I am going to bring you down for 'protection' next time.

Derek Watters · Feb 18, 2008

Peter Phillips said:
Normally its fine but a 'junky' of ...crack of a sturdy tripod leg to sort 'em out!

Derek Watters · Feb 18, 2008

Louth's lakes

I was looking through the Ordinance Surveys No.36 map and noted two lakes in the NW of the county that I have not visited before.
One is at Carracloghan, 2km NE of Inishkeen, on the Co. Monaghan border.
The other is Drumcah Lough, about 2km ESE of Inishkeen.
The former is about the same size as KCP (which is the county's largest "lake" - or am I wrong?)
Has anyone visited these sites; are the accessible, etc???

gasj · Feb 18, 2008

Egrit flying low at Annagassan

Thanks Breffni , Peter ,
will get a copy soon ,

yew · Feb 18, 2008

Peter Phillips said:
Dolce and gasj see books and map below. Both are hard to do with out. Attached is a map showing where Cruisetown is (between Dunany Point and Clogher Head).

41 is a good number of GWFGeese. Did you get those shots with the Powershot?

Thanks for the Shoveler tip off Margaret.

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Thanks Peter for name of book and map. I actually know Clogher Head so will find Cruisetown thanks again.

Peter Phillips · Feb 18, 2008

Derek Watters said:
I was looking through the Ordinance Surveys No.36 map and noted two lakes in the NW of the county that I have not visited before.
One is at Carracloghan, 2km NE of Inishkeen, on the Co. Monaghan border.
The other is Drumcah Lough, about 2km ESE of Inishkeen.
The former is about the same size as KCP (which is the county's largest "lake" - or am I wrong?)
Has anyone visited these sites; are the accessible, etc???

Never heard of them but they sound interesting.I must check Google Earth.I dont have the OS Map.

gareth2005 · Feb 18, 2008

Drumcah lough is very accesable, take the road beside Cluskeys Pub on the Carrick Road and you will find it. It is connected to Cortial lake. You might find a few Swans on it, mallard, Teal etc. There is a lot of shooting done there in winter. I used to fish there a lot but the fish population has been hit by large fish kills by eastern europeans, hence all the russian vodka bottles and beer cans

The other lake I am not that familar with.

yew · Feb 18, 2008

MargaretM said:
The G Heron perched on a tall tree made quite a sight, don't know if this is a usual perch for them.
Baltray Beach had a good number of waders last week, no sign of the Snow Bunting though.
Thought it very quiet at Dunany last week and then spied the Buzzard on the nearby post.

Amazing picture of the Buzzard.

yew · Feb 18, 2008

breffni said:
Had to go to newry yesterday so stopped at Foye woods to try to get shots of the siskins au naturel - there is a flock of 200 or so zipping around the woods. When they land on a tree you can hear the patter of broken acorns falling on the ground below. Later went on to oxford island for the bewicks up there. When i got there the swans were all pushed together nervously craning but i got a glimpse of one bewicks amongst them, then bang bang bang, the whole flock picked up and were off over the hill - didnt know shooting was permitted in this area...just then Enda rings to let me know there were bewicks at cruisetown "in case i dipped" - it was nearly 4 by the time i relocated the swans, who were very nervous - stalking them in the twilight still managed attached shot showing all three species...

I have seen quite a few siskins in my garden near Newry. I always notice them by their spectacular circling flights around the trees at bottom of my garden. I have one large female one who visits me regularly (about late october when last noticed it but I know I will see it again in warmer weather) as returns yearly. It is not very confident at all on the peanut feeder as other birds seem to bully it away and it mostly walks on ground under feeder with another smaller siskin. I have noticed it sitting quietly on the garage near a feeder watching for ages on its own quite a bit too. I hope to get a picture this summer. Where is Foye woods please ? Just wondering is it in Newry.

Brosnabirder · Feb 18, 2008

Lovely spot the Cooley Mts, went walking there once with a couple of friends. Didn't see too many birds but really we were concentrating on not falling over up on the ridge. Quick (non bird) question. We could see a bit of land looking out to sea about the edge of Co. Down. Was that possibly the Isle of Man? Saw Isle of Man from top of Slieve Donard on another trip but that was from a different angle. Picked nice clear days
We were standing at the top of Carlingford Mt / Slieve Foye at the time.

Derek Watters · Feb 18, 2008

Dolce said:
I have seen quite a few siskins in my garden near Newry.

Hi Dolce and welcome to the forum - I have had no siskin at my feeders this winter, so lucky you.

Dolce said:
Where is Foye woods please ? Just wondering is it in Newry.

Not in Newry, but not far away! Head towards Carlingford and approx 1/2 way between Omeath and Carlingford villages there is an entrance to the park on the right hand side. Forest trail leads up 600ft and has spectacular views over the Lough to the Mourne mountains, etc. I attach a map of the area which I hope is helpful. The woods are the long dark green area running along the side of the mountain.

yew · Feb 18, 2008

Derek Watters said:
Hi Dolce and welcome to the forum - I have had no siskin at my feeders this winter, so lucky you.

Not in Newry, but not far away! Head towards Carlingford and approx 1/2 way between Omeath and Carlingford villages there is an entrance to the park on the right hand side. Forest trail leads up 600ft and has spectacular views over the Loughh to the Mourne mountains, etc.

Of course I am just realising its Sliabh Foye woods you mentioned. I am still reading back through pages and really enjoying having found this forum by accident after googling where is Cruisetown Strand.

Derek Watters · Feb 18, 2008

Brosnabirder said:
Quick (non bird) question. We could see a bit of land looking out to sea about the edge of Co. Down. Was that possibly the Isle of Man? Saw Isle of Man from top of Slieve Donard on another trip but that was from a different angle. Picked nice clear days

Used to walk both mountains regularly - both great spots. Once you get above 650ft on Slieve Foy you will see the Isle of Man - from the top (just under 2,000ft) you can also see the coast of Cumbria (I've even seen the massive Sellafield nuclear plant through binos on a very clear day!).

Brosnabirder · Feb 18, 2008

Derek Watters said:
Used to walk both mountains regularly - both great spots. Once you get above 650ft on Slieve Foy you will see the Isle of Man - from the top (just under 2,000ft) you can also see the coast of Cumbria (I've even seen the massive Sellafield nuclear plant through binos on a very clear day!).

Thanks Derek,
Asked a friend of mine (non walker) from Louth but she didn't believe me.
On Sellafield it makes you think when you can actually see it from this country!

Derek Watters · Feb 18, 2008

gareth2005 said:
Drumcah lough is very accesable, take the road beside Cluskeys Pub on the Carrick Road and you will find it. It is connected to Cortial lake. You might find a few Swans on it, mallard, Teal etc. There is a lot of shooting done there in winter. I used to fish there a lot but the fish population has been hit by large fish kills by eastern europeans, hence all the russian vodka bottles and beer cans
The other lake I am not that familar with.

This "other lake"!!! I attach two scans - one from the OS (Ordinance Survey) map clearly showing a lake. However, having read Peter's thread, I decided to locate both lakes for him on Google Earth (see attached) and to my surprise NO LAKE :eek!:
It looks from Google Earth as if it has dried up. The area exactly matches the shape and location as per the OS, but the area is dark brown in colour. Perhaps the satellite pass was done in summer and the area does indeed dry up?? There is a "vanishing lake" in Co Antrim which dries up on occasions- maybe we have one in Louth too.
Even more reason for me to call out.

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

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