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

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yew

Well-known member

• Oct 19, 2009

• #3,001

Thanks Derek but not sure about Starlings as I saw a really plain white under belly on one flying really low but what I cannot be sure is did the white extend to its neck or down to flank as just recall this white belly. Dont laugh but I am just back from Brussels visiting my second daughter teaching there and saw similar birds flying there. I had just come out of the War museum under the famous Arch in the main avenue waiting on my daughter to finish up her school day as meeting there when I noticed darkish birds gliding and flying low similarly around the Arch.
I got an even better glimpse of one flying very low and it was totally white underneath and dark on upper side ie black on top and all white underneath. They also had slightly arched wings like the birds in flock here reminding me of bats wings. I have looked at Terns only as wings bit similar to the huge gulls or Terns about here constantly. I must look in my Europe and Britain bird book later if do not fall asleep after travelling but more likely something simple overlooking. Anyway I saw about five gorgeous long tailed Tits in park at Arch and one Dunnock in flat garden being well eyed up by her cat Chester but the stuffed birds in the African museum in Tervueren were out of this world. Actually think it might be lots of House Martins about here still as of their fluttering wings whilst flying.

 

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Peter Phillips

Well-known member

• Oct 20, 2009

• #3,002

Clogher Head

I did a one and a half sea watch at Clogher Head this morning. 10am-11.30am. There were strong south easterlies and a few birds. The following birds were passing south.

Kittiwake 400
Red throated Diver 35
Guillemot 60
Black Guillemot 3
Little Gull 2 Adults
Common Scotor 100
Brent Goose 55
Arctic Skua 1 Dark phase

 

Last edited: Oct 20, 2009

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yew

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2009

• #3,003

Carlos feeding an Emu in Mallorca.

 

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yew

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2009

• #3,004

I saw the flock of about 22 birds two more evenings and think they are some kind of Waders from looking in a book. They are white underneath and dark above, in the distance you can see the white really shining at times (think when they are turning) although pretty sure dark around face also. Their flight description is like that of Skuas or something like that but I do not have enough knowledge of seabirds to identify them. They draw a lot of attention to themselves with their regimental flight drill indeed quite spectacular and have been about here in the evenings for quite a few months past. Definitely not Swallows as tail wrong at back and wrong flight and believe all swallows are gone now. I also havent seen any House Martins this week either.

 

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GalwayBirder

Well-known member

• Oct 25, 2009

• #3,005

They are probably knot, winter visiting waders in Ireland

 

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breffni

Well-known member

• Oct 25, 2009

• #3,006

By the bye the great spotted woodpecker that was at Dromin continued visiting the garden up until 4th April 2009 and has not been seen since then...

 

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yew

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2009

• #3,007

GalwayBirder said:

They are probably knot, winter visiting waders in Ireland

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Thanks and yes I think they are indeed probably a flock of Knot birds as the description of their unmistakeable flight is exactly what I saw. I even saw the three tails at the back of one and recall clearly thinking a Swallow only has two very long tails and then later on I thought I would like to see the three short tails once more before I mention that. I actually started leaving five minutes earlier returning on splits so that I could walk even slower and enjoy them.

 

gareth2005

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2009

• #3,008

Flushed quite a few Jack snipe and Snipe while walking up towards Carnawaddy this morning.
The path up there is being badly eroded by quads and scramblers....I thought the council had a duty to protect areas like these from damage??

 

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breffni

Well-known member

• Oct 29, 2009

• #3,009

gareth2005 said:

Flushed quite a few Jack snipe and Snipe while walking up towards Carnawaddy this morning.
The path up there is being badly eroded by quads and scramblers....I thought the council had a duty to protect areas like these from damage??

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Hi Gareth, its an offence to use an offroad vehicle both in the mountains and on the foreshore, so its actually the guards who are supposed to intervene. From experience they do when its the foreshore but not in the mountain (because too hard to catch them) - anyway there is supposed to be an quad registration scheme soon which should help with the problem...

 

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breffni

Well-known member

• Oct 29, 2009

• #3,010

Barn Owls in Ireland and the Discovery of the Greater White-toothed Shrew

On Monday November 2nd at 8pm at the Spirit Store, Dundalk Docks, John Lusby of University College Cork and BirdWatch Ireland will give an illustrated talk entitled "Barn Owls in Ireland and the Discovery of the Greater White-toothed Shrew". The talk will describe conservation efforts to reverse the decline of the Barn Owl in Ireland and the recent discovery of Ireland's newest mammal, the Greater White-toothed Shrew. John Lusby discovered this small mammal while studying the ecology and diet of barn owls. His talk will also cover the possible impact of this new mammal on the Irish environment.

As usual entry is free and all are welcome!

 

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breffni

Well-known member

• Nov 8, 2009

• #3,011

Paul Kelly had 10 or so bewick's swans coming in over Seabank yesterday, two apparently turning north and dropping into Lurgangreen. Large numbers of whoopers on the move over the last few nights also along with redwings...

 

gareth2005

Well-known member

• Nov 8, 2009

• #3,012

Confirmed sighting of Barn Owl hunting over marsh behind Dundalk race track/adjoining housing estate last night

 

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Peter Phillips

Well-known member

• Nov 8, 2009

• #3,013

Out and about

Keenans Cross Pond
120 Mallard
31 Tufted Duck
7 Little Grebe

Cruisetown Fields
43 Whooper Swans

Cruisetown Strand
1 Forsters Tern

Clogher Head/Beach
1 juv Sandwich Tern

Seabank
15 Snipe
1 Merlin
1 Whooper Swan

Lurgangreen Goose fields
75 Whooper Swans
80 mix Greylag/Greenland White fronted Geese

A few shooters aroud today putting all the Mallard up at KCP and moving the Whoopers to the beach at Cruisetown. The Sandwich Tern has an injured right leg.

 

Last edited: Nov 8, 2009

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yew

Well-known member

• Nov 10, 2009

• #3,014

Has anyone ever seen large sea Gulls land in a garden as just wondering. I love watching them flying around here from patio window and recently thought a few were flying really low over my garden and next doors also. Today I was amazed to see one about to land in next doors garden which would have quite a large grassy area and then at last minute decided to fly over wall instead and land on a grassy verge along roadside nearby instead. I wonder are they watching the other birds in both our gardens and curious about food or whatever. Noticing a lot of Great Tit birds about and I often see three in my garden at the same time and do not recall them being so popular years ago. I only have one beautiful Robin who appears seconds after I put food out daily but I used to have at least four or five on a good day but numbers definitely less now here anyway.

 

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MargaretM

Well-known member

• Nov 13, 2009

• #3,015

Maurice Conaghy had a Short Eared Owl and Snow Buntings at Baltray on Wednesday.

 

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paul Robinson

Well-known member

• Nov 14, 2009

• #3,016

Cruisetown 10am-12am Saturday 14th Nov

Hi
2 great northern divers off the rocks with 8-10 mergensers while tide was in. As tide went out 150-200 lapwing, 50-100 golden plover, 4 grey plover, some bar tailed godwit.
What's the best strategy for picking up the forster's tern - pure brute force putting the time in?
regards
Paul

 

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frank c

Well-known member

• Nov 15, 2009

• #3,017

Small flock of Scaup in the channel off Omeath this morning.

 

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Peter Phillips

Well-known member

• Nov 16, 2009

• #3,018

paul Robinson said:

Hi
2 great northern divers off the rocks with 8-10 mergensers while tide was in. As tide went out 150-200 lapwing, 50-100 golden plover, 4 grey plover, some bar tailed godwit.
What's the best strategy for picking up the forster's tern - pure brute force putting the time in?
regards
Paul

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I have had much trouble in the past locating the bird. All I can say is a lower tide is genrally best with lots of gulls loafing around where the stream enters the beach. The southern end seems to be best and the bird is sometimes off the rocks on the southern end but to be honest its alottery and this year it seems to be moving around a lot

Best of luck

Peter

 

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Gerry o Neill

Well-known member

• Nov 16, 2009

• #3,019

bluethroat pics

Peter Phillips said:

I have had much trouble in the past locating the bird. All I can say is a lower tide is genrally best with lots of gulls loafing around where the stream enters the beach. The southern end seems to be best and the bird is sometimes off the rocks on the southern end but to be honest its alottery and this year it seems to be moving around a lot

Best of luck

Peter

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Bluethroat ballycottn yesterday.
What a beaut.........

 

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yew

Well-known member

• Nov 17, 2009

• #3,020

Gerry o Neill said:

Bluethroat ballycottn yesterday.
What a beaut.........

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I think that is probably the most beautiful alive coloured bird I have ever seen. Strangely enough I was in Tring museum belonging to the Rotheschilde family few days past with my granchild absolutley stunned looking at their collection of stuffed birds such as Bluethroat and many amazing colourful tiny birds. Late home and Ryanair lagged and names will come back tomorrow and think have photos of a few of them.