Breffni,
I worked in an office in Greenore Hotel with my sister a long time ago and remember the birds well so great to hear your research on them. We used to sit outside close to the port to eat our sandwiches, watching and feeding the birds too. I have lovely memories and I hated to see it demolished. While waiting on an Indian takeaway other evening we counted 7 Swifts swooping, darting and playing to their hearts content over Dunnes carpark Monaghan Street. Still see them about here in the mornings and evenings particularly near the hospital and still think some nesting about somewhere.
Here is a picture finally of the female Sparrow with the yellow on its chest that I thought was a Rock Sparrow (of course no idea of how rare here they are or wouldnt make such a blunder). It comes with the Sparrows and looks exactly like them except for definite yellow on upper chest with black flecks also and its beak is half brown and other half yellow. It has a browny/fawn head with pale streak going away into back of head. I was sitting taking lunch close enought to it but had binoculars as well. I havent a great camera but it is definitely a soft yellow on the bird.
I worked in an office in Greenore Hotel with my sister a long time ago and remember the birds well so great to hear your research on them. We used to sit outside close to the port to eat our sandwiches, watching and feeding the birds too. I have lovely memories and I hated to see it demolished. While waiting on an Indian takeaway other evening we counted 7 Swifts swooping, darting and playing to their hearts content over Dunnes carpark Monaghan Street. Still see them about here in the mornings and evenings particularly near the hospital and still think some nesting about somewhere.
Here is a picture finally of the female Sparrow with the yellow on its chest that I thought was a Rock Sparrow (of course no idea of how rare here they are or wouldnt make such a blunder). It comes with the Sparrows and looks exactly like them except for definite yellow on upper chest with black flecks also and its beak is half brown and other half yellow. It has a browny/fawn head with pale streak going away into back of head. I was sitting taking lunch close enought to it but had binoculars as well. I havent a great camera but it is definitely a soft yellow on the bird.
Wheatear at Baltray on monday and Spotted Flycatcher at Rahanna Wood and Stephenstown Pond this morning
