Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Nice.
Welcome to the forum gasj.
I presume that Bellingham is short for Castlebellingham?
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County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (25 Viewers)
- Thread starter breffni
- Start date
Nice.
Welcome to the forum gasj.
I presume that Bellingham is short for Castlebellingham?
Hi John, good to see another contributor to the forum - I take it that we spoke to you at the talk in the Spirit Store last week. Do you know if the Buzzards nest in the woods in CBHam?
Great shot Enda, difficult to get decent photos when they are in flight.
Derek Watters
Well-known member
It is 78 miles from the Louth coast to the roost in the Isle of Man (I visited the site some years ago - over 80 birds have roosted there making it Europe's largest Hen Harrier roost). On the other hand it is "only" 39 miles to the Ards Peninsula (your 'neck of the woods' Pluvius) and 30 miles to SW Scotland. Also NW England is closer. I would therefore assume there would be a higher probability of them turning up at the closer locations, that said, perhaps the Louth coastline presents a more suitable habitat. There must be 3 or possibly 4 birds wintering along the Louth coastline as they have been recorder almost weekly by local birders from different locations.
I always questioned why all? the recorded local sightings of wintering birds appeared to be females. I recall someone telling me that the males prefer warmer wintering grounds than the females - anyone know anything about this?
Nothing of interest to report from Cooley today.
PS great shots Enda.
Derek Watters
Beautiful light on Saturday but no birds of note: Pintails (94) at Lurgangreen and Stock doves (95) near Hermitage (a possible shoveler distantly at lurgangreen also, it was roosting so i couldent see the head but about looked right). Had attached leucistic oyca at annagassan. On Sunday JD had brambling at balaggan point and long tailed-ducks on carlingford lough, though distantly on the north side. I had a brambling briefly in my garden, possibly drawn in by the linseed/flax i put out...
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Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Todays birds
I was out for on my usual circuit this morning. A quick visit to Clogher Head and the Harbour led to very little. All the gulls were on the beach at Cruisetown.
I put up an old peanut feeder, between the two car parks above the old hostel. The resident Chaffinch flock and Blue and Great Tits have started to use it. Hopefully if a Hawfinch, Mealy/Arctic Redpoll or Serin passes through, they might be persuaded to stay a while! (Do Serin use peanut feeders on the continent?).
Cruisetown had the now almost resident (famous last words) 3 first winter Iceland Gulls at the bottom of the first stream south of the car park.
The Whoopers (100)and Greylag(300) were milling around the fields as usual. I am assuming that the regular disturbance in the field is deliberate.
No other species of Geese(that i could see, flying with the Greylag).
Very quiet at Hermitage (only a handfull of Divers and Great crested Grebes).
KCP had about 20 Mallard and 1 Goldeneye and 2 Whoopers.
Maybe this new south easterly airflow will stir things up a bit.
Heres hoping.
I was out for on my usual circuit this morning. A quick visit to Clogher Head and the Harbour led to very little. All the gulls were on the beach at Cruisetown.
I put up an old peanut feeder, between the two car parks above the old hostel. The resident Chaffinch flock and Blue and Great Tits have started to use it. Hopefully if a Hawfinch, Mealy/Arctic Redpoll or Serin passes through, they might be persuaded to stay a while! (Do Serin use peanut feeders on the continent?).
Cruisetown had the now almost resident (famous last words) 3 first winter Iceland Gulls at the bottom of the first stream south of the car park.
The Whoopers (100)and Greylag(300) were milling around the fields as usual. I am assuming that the regular disturbance in the field is deliberate.
No other species of Geese(that i could see, flying with the Greylag).
Very quiet at Hermitage (only a handfull of Divers and Great crested Grebes).
KCP had about 20 Mallard and 1 Goldeneye and 2 Whoopers.
Maybe this new south easterly airflow will stir things up a bit.
Heres hoping.
Just heard from Maurice, he's just seen the short eared owl at Baltray again.
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
I will try for it in the morning. Do you know where he is flushing it from?
Brosnabirder
Well-known member
Hello Derek,
It certainly always appears that female Hen Harriers outnumber males. However a good number of apparent females are actually juveniles of both sexes so ringtails in general will always outnumber males. Males do occupy traditional wintering grounds but are always scarce. Of at least three Harriers using the Little Brosna callows this winter only one was a male and I've only seen this bird once this winter despite many visits. It seems to be the same story all over the country going on the sightings reported on the various BWI local websites. There are also however some reliably reported sightings of males on breeding grounds in winter in Ireland despite apparently poor conditions in the hills in winter. Perhaps this mirrors the apparent situation with male Merlin which sometimes winter on the breeding grounds. Having said that I personally have never seen a male Harrier on the breeding grounds in winter despite some hillwalks. The birds would only need to support themselves so may not need to hunt much and so might be less conspicuous as a result. In any case wintering on hills and wintering on lower ground need not be mutually exclusive.
Anybody have any thoughts on this?
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Yes. I was thinking the same thing, regarding male Merlin staying near the breeding site during winter. If male Hen Harriers do stay near the breeding sites during winter maybe this makes sence as being smaller than the female they can get by with less food in a less productive habitat.Also they would get to guard the best breeding sites. Possibly the females move to the lowlands (good habitat)as they need to reach peak condition, if they are going to produce the eggs and do most of the incubating?(only a guess).
I think that the opposite is true for Snowy Owls. Females stay near the breeding grounds and smaller males are pushed further south in winter. Is that true, or did i just make it up?
Brosnabirder
Well-known member
You may well be right Peter about females needing more productive wintering grounds and so frequenting lowlands in order to reach breeding condition. On the other hand I recall reading in another thread that in northern England females rather than males are more likely to be found on higher ground because they have the ability to hunt prey of a much greater size range than males. Confusing or what. Unfortunately I can't place the thread or even the specific forum now. Did you read that about Merlin in the Merlins of the Wicklow Mts book? Lovely book
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Yes. The very one.
He said its always been afternoon when he's seen it. Where he saw it yesterday was in the area between where the horses are and the beach, but he's seen it in different places around there, and its very much hit and miss.
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Thanks Sandra,
Yes I would agree. Very hit and miss, and I missed again, third time unlucky.
Never mind it was a fabulous morning to be 'out in the field' so to speak.
The rocky area bordering the Boyne looks like it might be good for passing Purple Sandpipers but its hard to see down as far as the end rocks. But still worth a look. I suppose there, Clogher Head and Ballagan are the best places to pick one up, and Feb and March might be the best months as birds start moving north.
Doing some maths, I reckon to make 160 birds for Louth for the year, you need to be on at least 120 birds by the end of March. By my reckoning I need about a new species per week till the end of March. Its not going to be easy.
There are about 20 summer migrants to be had and about 20 on passage in Autumn( if your quick).
I reckon I am short 15 birds for a really good start to the year, and before the winter ends. Although a good November and December might see some of that ground made up.
Not much else around. Cruisetown was quiet as was Hermitage, although a skylark feeding with the pipits on the beach, gave me a bit of a shock.
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Nice shots, very artistic.
I have noticed that Dunnock are much more obvious these days. Not your usual 'heads down, tails up'.
I had my first two Yellowhammer of the winter in the garden today. Normally I expect them to come in for food 1st or 2nd week of January, they normally stay( and numbers keep growing, 12 last year) till early April and then they dissappear.
I think they are late arriving in the garden this year because its so wet the farmers have not had a chace to plow the stubble. And its that bit milder .
Reed Bunting are the most reluctant to come in. Its normally this time of year plus some hard frost that does the trick. But still no more than 4 birds.
Derek Watters
Well-known member
Great light today, especially after the weekend mist - as seen by Breffni's excellent shots, but you're right Peter about it being quite - covered same coast as you this afternoon (Cruisetown to Seabank) and unusually quiet. Only a handful of gulls at Cruisetown - but this did include 2 Icelands. Seen Hen Harrier on several occasions in the fields at Cruisetown.
Otherwise nothing. :C
Derek
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