[birdsgalway]

The start of a new tread for County Galway.
Post your photos
ID help
Camera/scope/bins help
Best locations in the county
What did you see today (from the regular to the rare)
year list
county list
from novice to the expert.
We could model this on the County Louth tread which is excellent.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....=louth&page=54

All the best
Tom

[birdsgalway]

Posted the wrong tread for County Louth
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....=louth&page=54

[Brosnabirder]

Hello Tom,
Good idea this. The Galway website is good but it doesn't allow for any discussion obviously.
I live in Galway myself. Hen Harriers, Water Rail, hundreds of Golden Plover, Lapwing and few GW Front out at Curraghline today. Nothing too startling but a good afternoon out all the same.
Tom (also)

[birdsgalway]

Tom
Sounds Like you had a good day. At Silver Strand yesterday, the Surf Scoter was still present, there was 4 Great Northern Divers and a Little Egret on Rusheen Bay. At Nimmo's today there was 4 Iceland Gull, 1 Ring-billed Gull and 1 Glaucous and the usual suspects. My web site is limited to displaying photos that I have take from around Galway. I assume you have check http://www.birdwatchgalway.org/sightings.htm for the lasted sighting from Galway.
Tom

[Brosnabirder]

I was going to ask about the Scoter funnily enough. Tried for it couple of times but no luck. I'll try again. Saw the Egret, Grey Plover, and 3 RT Divers last time there so definitely not a wasted trip. Egrets always nice to see. Do BT divers ever occur down there? Good compact site and always things to see.

[birdsgalway]

Tom
Was at Silver Strand today and did not see the Surf Scoter. Attached is the best photo I could get yesterday.
Black Throated Divers are scarce. I think usually seen on the other side of the bay.

Tom

[Brosnabirder]

Thanks for info and pic Tom.
Seem to remember a pic (think your name attached) on Birdguides too. The problem with the Scoter for me was that I assumed it would be with a flock of Common Scoters so when I didn't see a flock I assumed wrongly that it had gone. Since learned its a lone bird. Lots of Pipits on shore out towards Barna but near Silver strand. Didn't find anything really good but you never know what might be there.
Tom

[ardnasx1]

Great to see another Irish local thread running, well done! I look forward to following your thread and it will be very useful for the next time I visit Galway (I used to live there).

Sandra

[Derek Polley]

According to Flightline, Irish bird images and Birds Ireland all you have to do in Galway is sit on the end of Nimmo's Pier and you are surrounded by rarities. Now I will be able to get conformation of this from local birders!

[birdsgalway]

Well it is not quite that easy Derek. If the wind is right, the tide is right, the sun at the correct altitude and then you know the birds time table (we have manners on our birds down here they do our bidding). Then all you need to know is what side of the pier to look. Also the general public keep the birds and swans fed.
Its just to easy after all that.
Tom
Check out BirdWatch Galway sightings site http://www.birdwatchgalway.org/sightings.htm

[Paul Troake]

Well done for starting this thread Tom! Now I won't have to go out in the rain to meet local birders!
The egrets have been roosting overnight in Rusheen Bay. I had 4 early on 14th, so the roost's attracting egrets in from elsewhere too, as I've only seen 2 during the day. I've checked since at dusk and only had the usual 2 though.
Finally caught up with the Forster's yesterday in Loughnahulla Bay - I guess this is where it's been hiding when it's not at Nimmos. Great spot for waders too on the incoming tide - 375 grey plover, 1500 goldies, 2000 dunlin, 180 ringed plover, 36 knot, 105 bar-wits, plus peregrine attempting to pluck a redshank off the sea. Also 12 pintail nearby at Mweenish.

Troakie

[birdsgalway]

Paul
Just the sort of post that people can get their teeth into. Fair play to you for hooking up with the Forster's Tern. Let Tim know. I think my next trip out will be to Loughnahulla. I enter Loughnahulla in IOL search and this is what came up.
http://www.netfugl.dk/observations.p...bs_year=&id=wp
Tom

[Paul Troake]

Tom
Excellent website for Eurolisters! I see there's been killdeer in Spain and white-throated sparrow in Iceland, so we should still be out looking for Yanks! Also Ross's Gulls recently in France, Denmark & Netherlands. At least Ireland has a monopoly on Forster's terns!
Drop me an email if you need any directions for Loughnahulla.

Troakie

[Paul Troake]

Here are a couple of my digiscope pics of the Surfy at Silver Strand, taken on 6 Jan.

Troakie

[birdsgalway]

Paul
Those shots are an improvement on any I have taken. She is always just beyond my range with the dslr and to windy for digiscoping. Now back to work.
Tom

[birdsgalway]

Tim Griffin just rang me (11.30am) to say the the 3 Cattle Egrets are still Cartron, Corandulla in a small field opposite where they where original seen. Local farmer said they have been there for two months.
American Herring Gull was seen to the left of Mutton Island Causeway on the rocks.
5 Iceland Gulls of various ages at the slipway on Nimmo's.

[Peter Phillips]

Originally Posted by birdsgalway

Posted the wrong tread for County Louth
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....=louth&page=54

Well done Tom. Glad to see the wee county is having a big impact.I hope to get out there again before the end of march. I missed the American Herring Gull in December and the Kumleins.
At least when I visit again I will be able to check the site to see whats about and where.
It looks like its going to be a popular site.

Now if we could only get sites for Wexford and Cork. ARE YOU LISTENING HARRY HUSSEY ET AL!

[birdsgalway]

Peter
Ye have set the bar high in Louth so lets hope. Would be nice to have similar treads for other counties.
Just had a Twite at Nimmo's possible 5 not sure as someone distrubed them before I could be sure, but more then likely 4 Linnet. (2.10pm)
Tom

[Brosnabirder]

Hi,
Good news about Egret numbers at Lough Rusheen.
Heres a digiscoped pic from there this afternoon. Hope it works. My first ever attempt at digiscoping by the way

[birdsgalway]

Tom
Nice shot for your first attempt. A difficult bird to photo. What is your setup?

[Peter Phillips]

Originally Posted by birdsgalway

Peter
Ye have set the bar high in Louth so lets hope. Would be nice to have similar treads for other counties.
Just had a Twite at Nimmo's possible 5 not sure as someone distrubed them before I could be sure, but more then likely 4 Linnet. (2.10pm)
Tom

Well done. I think it was Tim Griffin Iwas talking to about setting up a feeding station for Twite at Nemos. I will try to get the reference. I know somewhere in Britain they are doing it quite successfully. Anybody reading this thread know about feeding Twite? If you do could you forward a website or link or reference please, that would be great.

I cant believe there are no gull photos up yet. So let me be the first. They are from 29th and 30th December 2007.

[Peter Phillips]

And this Argentatus Herring Gull

I just noticed this while uploading the picture. Paul Kelly picked out the Argentatus Gull. The brown mantle feathers are brown with a narrow cream fringe, giving it a darker backed appearance is this a diagnostic feature in Argentatus?

The normal Argenteus Herring Gull is below. The mantle feathers on the Argenteus have a more marbled pattern.

[Brosnabirder]

Originally Posted by birdsgalway

Tom
Nice shot for your first attempt. A difficult bird to photo. What is your setup?

Thanks, the scope is good, Kowa 823M, but the camera is pretty rubbish. Hitachi HDC-55IE. Just got lucky with bird, popped up in front of me so worth a try digiscoping it. Bit of practice needed but really just want to get a semi recognisable shot for id purposes.
Just hand held camera at 20x on a zoom.
Nice gull pics.

[birdsgalway]

Gulls as per your request

A couple of Icelands and the American Herring Gull

[Brosnabirder]

Hello all,
Would anybody happen to have directions for Cartron? I found Cartron on the Discovery map but I don't know the area at all. A Grid Reference would be very useful. Any help appreciated