• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (1 Viewer)

Loads of birds at the feeders today. Had my first pair of Redpoll this Winter feeding alongside the hoards of Greenfinches and chaffinches that have arrived over the last few days. No Blackcaps as of yet though !
Even saw a Starling looking at a possible nest site in the neighbours garden.
 
Zoo Brambling and Christmas Drinks

Great to see you all last night for the Christmas drinks.

I took a few photos today in Dublin Zoo at lunchtime -see attached. At least one male and one female Brambling still present at the zoo feeders if anybody is interested.

The last pic (brambling)was taken in 2006 by Bernie Mc Donnell one of the keepers in the zoo.
 

Attachments

  • Bramblingzoo1207.jpg
    Bramblingzoo1207.jpg
    125.3 KB · Views: 85
  • greysquirrellzoo1207.jpg
    greysquirrellzoo1207.jpg
    149.1 KB · Views: 77
  • housparrow1207.jpg
    housparrow1207.jpg
    173.8 KB · Views: 78
  • Robinzoo1207.jpg
    Robinzoo1207.jpg
    225.4 KB · Views: 73
  • brambling finch.jpg
    brambling finch.jpg
    148.5 KB · Views: 88
Great to see everyone - among other things discussed was a hide. I am pretty sure we can get funding but bwi are unlikely to support it materially so we would need the council to cover insurance, access etc. We would also need a committment to warden it over the upper tidal cycle on weekends. Before pushing ahead with this does anybody have another suggestion for a hide in County Louth?
http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?ie=U...-6.378164&spn=0.002746,0.006373&t=h&z=17&om=1
The hide would be located in the centre of the map, at the easternmost point of the south bank of the river. Access would be via the carpark. Screening in the form of "hurdles" (like the north hide at rogerstown) would have to be provided (the area is a SAC and it would not be possible to plant anything).

I will put together a full proposal but would need 8 people to volunteer to warden it at weekends September to April (no point in summer months) for 3 hours every second saturday or sunday - you get a key in exchange. I can do this so 7 more needed! Email me if interested...
 

Attachments

  • rog hide entrance.jpg
    rog hide entrance.jpg
    291.6 KB · Views: 77
What would be involved in becoming a warden the site? Is it just to open and lock access to the site each day?
Sounds like a great idea, would the council have funding available for schemes like this?
 
Checked Mell Quarry today, no sign of the Ring Necked Duck yet. Quite a few Coot, also Little Grebe, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Mallard and 2 Great Crested Grebe.
 
breffni said:
Great to see everyone - among other things discussed was a hide. I am pretty sure we can get funding but bwi are unlikely to support it materially so we would need the council to cover insurance, access etc. We would also need a committment to warden it over the upper tidal cycle on weekends. Before pushing ahead with this does anybody have another suggestion for a hide in County Louth?
http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?ie=U...-6.378164&spn=0.002746,0.006373&t=h&z=17&om=1
The hide would be located in the centre of the map, at the easternmost point of the south bank of the river. Access would be via the carpark. Screening in the form of "hurdles" (like the north hide at rogerstown) would have to be provided (the area is a SAC and it would not be possible to plant anything).

I will put together a full proposal but would need 8 people to volunteer to warden it at weekends September to April (no point in summer months) for 3 hours every second saturday or sunday - you get a key in exchange. I can do this so 7 more needed! Email me if interested...
Click to expand...
Will do the odd sunday,redpoll and brambling today at fitzpatricks.
 

Attachments

  • 2007_12292f300081.JPG
    2007_12292f300081.JPG
    114.4 KB · Views: 84
  • 2007_12292f300090.JPG
    2007_12292f300090.JPG
    109.3 KB · Views: 76
gareth2005 said:
What would be involved in becoming a warden the site? Is it just to open and lock access to the site each day?
Sounds like a great idea, would the council have funding available for schemes like this?
Click to expand...

It would involve opening it about 3 hours before high tide and staying there or in the vicinity until near high tide or when the birds have gone to roost. The idea would be to have a second warden for the 2 or 3 hours after high tide until the tide is too far out. Times would not need to be exact. Warden would be to have a scope (ideally) and explain to anyone who comes along what species are on show. You would only need to know the common species. The warden would keep a key permanantly and so could visit the hide at any time. Saturday and Sunday only and from September to March only. Each warden would do one or two 3-hour shifts per month as per a roster.

Council could provide funding - there are also other sources...
 
Last edited:
We also talked about organising a "car pool" trip to the north probably Quoile Pondage, Belfast Lough Reserve and Craigavon lakes/oxford island and maybe colbert on way back if time. I would suggest doing this sunday 16th January leaving from dundalk docks early-ish. Let me know if interested - i can fit 3 in my car...

I will also do a walk along the navvy bank the last sunday 27th January. There is a 4 metre tide at 2:40pm so i would suggest starting at soldiers point around noon.

Both dates subject to be confirmed later depending on the weather.
 
Last edited:
Sorry to bore you Louth experts with the same old questions, but some of us in Bray are thinking of going looking for your Twite again, maybe next week sometime. Are they still about? I take it Rockmarshall is Fitzpatrick's Pub, so I guess the places to check are Soldier's Point and there. Thanks in advance, Happy New Year to all!
 
Today the brambling and twite were still at rockmarshal. I also had a chiffer along with a male and female blackcap in a bush along the carlingford road and a very clean looking carrion crow on the mudflats...
 
Galway Gulls and hides

You can put me down for two shifts at the new hide at Lurgangreen.

Just back from a weekend in Galway. I spend a very nice 6-7 hours at Nemo's Pier over the two days.

Unfortunetly neither the American Herring Gull or the Kumlieni Iceland Gull showed for me but I did get to see some of the regulars (Ring bill Gull and adult and sub adult Glaucous Gull)as well as a single Twite and a new first winter Iceland Gull this morning. See photos attached
 

Attachments

  • Swansnemos1207.jpg
    Swansnemos1207.jpg
    84.4 KB · Views: 102
  • glaucgullnemos1207.jpg
    glaucgullnemos1207.jpg
    111.6 KB · Views: 95
  • Glaucousgullnemos1207.jpg
    Glaucousgullnemos1207.jpg
    114.6 KB · Views: 101
  • Ringbilledgullnemos1207.jpg
    Ringbilledgullnemos1207.jpg
    180.4 KB · Views: 112
  • Icelandgullnemos1207.jpg
    Icelandgullnemos1207.jpg
    129.6 KB · Views: 110
Nice - i missed that american herring gull too - did you check out rossaveal - apparently some of the nimmos pier birds sometimes go there...

No car today as it happened, also slight hangover, so i went on a walk around the house for a few hours which produced:

1. house sparrow
2. tree sparrow
3. robin
4. dunnock
5. blackbird
6. song thrush
7. mistle thrush
8. greenfinch
9. goldfinch
10. linnet
11. chaffinch
12. wren
13. skylark
14. meadow ipit
15. pied wagtail
16. grey wagtail
17. rook
18. grey crow
19. jackdaw
20. starling
21. sparrowhawk
22. buzzard
23. great tit
24. blue tit
25. coal tit
26. goldcrest
27. oystercatcher
28. redshank
29. heron
30. dunlin
31. ringed plover
32. grey plover
33. golden plover
34. pale bellied brent
35. curlew
36. great northern diver
37. red throated diver
38. guillemot
39. cormorant
40. shag
41. great black backed gull
42. common gull
43. black headed gull
 
Well after following this thread for a year I just have to go up to Dundalk Bay and see what's around! I plan to do this tomorrow weather permitting. Never been to Dundalk before but sure once I'm out of the DART Station I'll just see where the road leads me! I need to kick off '08 with a bang so I may as well!
 
Peter Phillips said:
You can put me down for two shifts at the new hide at Lurgangreen.

Just back from a weekend in Galway. I spend a very nice 6-7 hours at Nemo's Pier over the two days.

Unfortunetly neither the American Herring Gull or the Kumlieni Iceland Gull showed for me but I did get to see some of the regulars (Ring bill Gull and adult and sub adult Glaucous Gull)as well as a single Twite and a new first winter Iceland Gull this morning. See photos attached
Click to expand...

Just back from Pilmore strand Cork ,seen the buff bellied pipit.
 

Attachments

  • 2008_01012f300050.JPG
    2008_01012f300050.JPG
    125.2 KB · Views: 109
  • 2008_01012f300049.JPG
    2008_01012f300049.JPG
    124.5 KB · Views: 107
  • 2008_01012f300038.JPG
    2008_01012f300038.JPG
    124.4 KB · Views: 104
Great shots - hope it stays a week or two more!

Today i was again housebound but got a new tick for home patch in the form of a little gull!

44. little gull (flew east towards dundalk)
45. raven
46. phesant
47. kestrel

There are very strong easterlies at the minute - maybe waxwings on the way...
 
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 7 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

H
Birdwatching more locally
2 3
Replies
51
Views
5K
Mysticete
Mysticete
Colin at Dereham
Anything new or different on your local patch.
Replies
2
Views
1K
Colin at Dereham
Colin at Dereham
Troubador
Zeiss SFL 10x40: A Field Review
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
18K
Dyrlege
D
wolfbirder
Hardcore Madeira Madness - 15 - 20 June 2022
2 3
Replies
59
Views
9K
wolfbirder
wolfbirder
A
Local Patch Etiquette & Best Practice
Replies
3
Views
2K
Paul Chapman
Paul Chapman

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top