Pluvius
Well-known member
I went on a dawn chorus walk just outside Belfast and heard a cuckoo! Have any of you heard a cuckoo recently.
www.peregrinesbirdblog.blogspot.com
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County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter breffni
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Derek Watters
Well-known member
Enda said:
I've seen/heard only one cuckoo in each of the past three years. Poor for such a vocal bird. One was calling early in the morning, only a mile or so from the Park Hotel - so maybe one might turn up for our Dawn Chorus!
Daw Chorus outing
Dwan Chorus outing (as part of the birdwatch ireland national event) will be at 6am on the 14th May at the Park Hotel Omeath (not carnbeg!) - the folks at the hotel said they would provide tea from around 7. The hotel has an extensive silver birch wood at the back. Should be good unubers of finches and the like (a redstart was found in the area many years ago). The walk is a little bit steep for the first 50 metres but then levels out nicely. It is well surfaced (in fact the steep bit could be done by car if necessary). Details will be on the BWI web site next week.
Now to more important business:- the yellow wag. I found it again about 5pm yesterday in the field on the left at the end of the road parallel to the road to hermitage. Its in a large field full of rotting silage and many insects (in fact i located the bird on smell from hermitage knowing yellow wags to be partial to cow manure). Bird was with at least 10 white wags but moving a lot (couldn't get a photo). Also in the same field were 20 or so whimbrel, a mallard, many hirundines, rock pipit, a phesant, a curlew, pied wags, assorted thrushes, a wheatear and various crows. A wren sang from a bush about 3 yards from my car and the swallows paused on the fence three yards to the other side. Anyway the yellow wag is a tick for me. Also found in the woods nearby a phesant without a white ring on its neck (colchicus? though god knows what kind of muddle it could be) and a black mark under the eye. At cruisetown two dark bellied brent and several white wags (also golden plover in nice summer plum) and off salterstown red throat divers, guillemot, many rb mergs, over 100 scoter, gannets etc.
Enda said:
Dwan Chorus outing (as part of the birdwatch ireland national event) will be at 6am on the 14th May at the Park Hotel Omeath (not carnbeg!) - the folks at the hotel said they would provide tea from around 7. The hotel has an extensive silver birch wood at the back. Should be good unubers of finches and the like (a redstart was found in the area many years ago). The walk is a little bit steep for the first 50 metres but then levels out nicely. It is well surfaced (in fact the steep bit could be done by car if necessary). Details will be on the BWI web site next week.
Now to more important business:- the yellow wag. I found it again about 5pm yesterday in the field on the left at the end of the road parallel to the road to hermitage. Its in a large field full of rotting silage and many insects (in fact i located the bird on smell from hermitage knowing yellow wags to be partial to cow manure). Bird was with at least 10 white wags but moving a lot (couldn't get a photo). Also in the same field were 20 or so whimbrel, a mallard, many hirundines, rock pipit, a phesant, a curlew, pied wags, assorted thrushes, a wheatear and various crows. A wren sang from a bush about 3 yards from my car and the swallows paused on the fence three yards to the other side. Anyway the yellow wag is a tick for me. Also found in the woods nearby a phesant without a white ring on its neck (colchicus? though god knows what kind of muddle it could be) and a black mark under the eye. At cruisetown two dark bellied brent and several white wags (also golden plover in nice summer plum) and off salterstown red throat divers, guillemot, many rb mergs, over 100 scoter, gannets etc.
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the yellow wagtail showed well this morning in the field breffni described with up to 30 white wagtails (poor photo enclosed)we also flushed a short eared owl,accidently, as we walked along a track beside the field it dropped back into the channel on other side of field.it may hunt in the area this evening
at salterstown a hen harrier was hunting in the fields along the coast rd also present there was 2 buzzards
at salterstown a hen harrier was hunting in the fields along the coast rd also present there was 2 buzzards
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Derek Watters
Well-known member
Well done Enda - especially SE owl and Hen Harriers - sorry I missed them :C
Spent 3 hours this morning Salterstown to Hermitage, best were whimbrel between annagasan and salterstown, numerous white wags, summer plumaged GN divers and Yellow wag still showing well in same field as reported previously up to 2pm. Spend afternoon on Cooley coast - nothing to report. Attached video grab of yellow wagtail - hope i post it ok!
Spent 3 hours this morning Salterstown to Hermitage, best were whimbrel between annagasan and salterstown, numerous white wags, summer plumaged GN divers and Yellow wag still showing well in same field as reported previously up to 2pm. Spend afternoon on Cooley coast - nothing to report. Attached video grab of yellow wagtail - hope i post it ok!
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Derek Watters
Well-known member
Location name?
After one exits the Seabank road (in Castlebellingham) and heads towards Annagassan, there's a small road leading to the shore about 0.4 miles away (at start of series of bends). Is there a name on this location?
After one exits the Seabank road (in Castlebellingham) and heads towards Annagassan, there's a small road leading to the shore about 0.4 miles away (at start of series of bends). Is there a name on this location?
Derek Watters said:
Nothing on the OS map - never been down there - must check it out. As a matter of interest the location of the yellow wag is corstown br on the map, turn at corstown cross.
Glad you got the bird btw, how much better to have a yellow wag here than go chasing one down at kilcool or tacumshin!
Got a pair of ringed plover "in coitus" along balaggan, white wag stretching (from Friday) and nice robin singing in the spectacular light yesterday evening...
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Derek Watters
Well-known member
It's very isolated and undisturbed, with lots of thick bushes and looks like an ideal spot for the odd rarity. Also, I've noticed of late that on full tide, divers, grebes, etc approach the shore closer than at other points along the coast, therefore giving better views.
Yet I never heard of any birders mentioning it, nor have I met anyone who could tell me what the area was called. Perhaps it's still part of Seabank - "Seabank South"?
Give it a look Breffni - ps - it's a bit bumpy near the end, drive nice and easy!
Yet I never heard of any birders mentioning it, nor have I met anyone who could tell me what the area was called. Perhaps it's still part of Seabank - "Seabank South"?
Give it a look Breffni - ps - it's a bit bumpy near the end, drive nice and easy!
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Tried the place where the yellow wagtail was yesterday at around 4pm, saw plenty of white wags, a wheatear and some whimbrels, but was unfortunately out of luck with the yellow wag. The fields along that road were very good for fieldfares and redwings over the winter.
On Beaulieu Pond today I saw a mute swan in a courtship display which involved it swimming after the female with its head underwater, it was quite amusing to watch.
Does anyone know do little egrets breed later than herons or at the same time? There has been a pair of them hanging around the heronry in Beaulieu and I was hopefull that they might breed but there is no sign of a nest yet whereas a lot of the heron chicks are already hatched.
On Beaulieu Pond today I saw a mute swan in a courtship display which involved it swimming after the female with its head underwater, it was quite amusing to watch.
Does anyone know do little egrets breed later than herons or at the same time? There has been a pair of them hanging around the heronry in Beaulieu and I was hopefull that they might breed but there is no sign of a nest yet whereas a lot of the heron chicks are already hatched.
cidereduck
...that should now read 'Ceiderduck'
Pluvius said:
whereabouts in Belfast? would this have been Belvoir park by any chance? Have never seen nor heard a cuckoo, and am quite determined to go out of my way to see/hear one
Derek Watters said:
I've heard of that area being referred to as Seapoint, or Seapoint Road but I don't know if that is correct, generally it is just known as Seabank. A road actually used to run all the way from Lurgangreen to Annagassan along the sea (which that road would have led to) but most of it was washed away or is unusable. The road along the sea at Seabank is one of the remaining usable parts.
Derek Watters
Well-known member
Thanks for the info ardnasx1. I often wondered if it was the remains of a roadway because it is generally flat - though a similar situation occurs between Dunany and Port. Or maybe it was just that the waves could carry flatter stones further up on the beach giving this effect.ardnasx1 said:
Derek Watters
Well-known member
I'd great difficulty finding it myself yesterday, searched the shoreline and last field on the left, but to no avail. However, when the wagtails took flight, this yellow one stood out in the sunlight like the proverbial sore tumb. So, I can only suggest you watch carefully when the flock takes flight, the odd one out should be obvious.ardnasx1 said:
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glad to see u caught up with it, Derek.did u find very hard to photo constantly moving an disappearing in the longer stubble.it could be very elusive at times an disappear for up to an hour so anyone looking should hang in for a while.with the amount of flys in that field it may be worth special attention for the next couple of weeks.
the venue for dawn chorus sounds ideal looking forward to it
the venue for dawn chorus sounds ideal looking forward to it
Derek Watters said:
Checked it out yesterday and again this evening but saw no yellow wagtails. Did see lots of white wags but unfortunately didn't scrutinise them in flight, so thanks for the tip Derek, will check that out again tomorrow evening, weather permitting. Did see the whimbrels both days, also saw one wheatear yesterday. The farmer arriving to spread even more slurry put an end to our watch this evening.
Went to Beaulieu Pond at the week-end and there were at least eleven herons there though I only saw two nests with young, what a noise they make. There is one swan on nest and saw a female mallard with 15 young swimming in the pond, a really lovely sight. Saw the 2 egrets together, if they do breed (and I don't know if it's past the normal time for that), it would be very interesting as breeding has been recorded slightly north of Dublin only (maybe Swords/Malahide area) so this would be a first that I have heard of in this area. Beaulieu is an excellent place for watching nesting herons!
Derek Watters
Well-known member
I found it impossible to photograph as it wouldn't stop moving! Eventually decided to use video camera; the "photo" I attached to earlier message was actually a still taken from the video on my pc. I unfortunately only got video of the bird "into the sun" so I didn't capure its lovely yellow colour as you did in your attached photo.Enda said:
Derek Watters
Well-known member
For anyone going to the dawn chorus and who is not familiar with all the bird songs, (and I include myself here) this website may be of interest.
To be honest, I think it will be of interest to any birder who hasn't seen it before.
There are audio/video files for nearly all the birds in britain.
Only one problem - it's really advantageous to have a broadband connection.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/index.asp
To be honest, I think it will be of interest to any birder who hasn't seen it before.
There are audio/video files for nearly all the birds in britain.
Only one problem - it's really advantageous to have a broadband connection.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/index.asp
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ardnasx1 said:
Good question - last year i visited Clonakilty in mid-May and the little egrets were well fledged, as were the young herons, hanging around like a bunch of bored teenagers, hands deep in pockets...i wonder where they are at right now?
Herons (being residential) should get going earlier then the little egrets (being mainly migratory) but i really have no idea. If they did breed it would be a record for county louth - other heronries might be worth investigating.
