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

[Sancho]

Thanks, Derek and Breffni, hopefully they´ll show up on Sunday, we´re going up to have a look, maybe try for the Forster´s too if it´s still about. Looking forward to it, thanks for the constant updates re Co. Louth, we don´t get up there enough.

 

[breffni]

Twite were there yesterday, as were brambling in the scrub under the old railway bridge at fitzpatricks (which is a pub half way between greenore and carlingford).

Correction: half way between dundalk and greenore - sorry about that...

 

[Derek Watters]

Twite were there yesterday, as were brambling in the scrub under the old railway bridge at fitzpatricks (which is a pub half way between greenore and carlingford).

Did you not mean half way between Greenore and Dundalk?? Can you see them from Fitzpatricks?? B

 

[breffni]

With patience possibly - it might take a few pints though! They were with a mixed finch flock under the railway bridge to the left in the scrub and then moved to the old railway bank - first seen on Monday - no reason why they shouldn't still be there...

 

[Sancho]

With patience possibly - it might take a few pints though! They were with a mixed finch flock under the railway bridge to the left in the scrub and then moved to the old railway bank - first seen on Monday - no reason why they shouldn't still be there...

Is that Twite and Brambling together under the railway bridge? Or are the Brambling there, and the Twite at Soldier´s Point? As for the few pints....I might well try that method, I´m not doing the driving!

 

[Enda]

2xbrambling still at Rockmarshall (opp. fitzpatricks pub) seem to be hanging out with a flock of chaffinchs

 

[MargaretM]

Approx 100 Whooper Swans in a field opposite the beach at Cruisetown today. Also saw a Merlin at Salterstown.
Tommy captured the photo of the Sparrowhawk in the garden during the week as it cheekily perched outside the kitchen window beside the bird feeders!

 

[gareth2005]

Some of you might have noticed already but Co.Louth is now covered in greater detail on Google earth latest version

 

[james mullen]

Did anybody notice yesterday Sunday 16th the large influx of Fieldfare and to a lesser extent Redwing they just seemed to be everywhere!.Also feeding at my bird table has become a frenzied affair.Their seems to be less birds in number than any other Winter, but food consumption is huge.Is this an omen of harsh weather ahead ?.

 

[Sancho]

Did anybody notice yesterday Sunday 16th the large influx of Fieldfare and to a lesser extent Redwing they just seemed to be everywhere!

Had a great day up your local Patch yesterday, Louth folk, you´re blessed with sites. Yeah, lots of Redwing. Managed to hear but not see a Twite, LB Dow didn´t oblige at the Docks, but we had a great tour round courtesy of Breffni and....We´ll Be Back!!!

 

[gareth2005]

Did anybody notice yesterday Sunday 16th the large influx of Fieldfare and to a lesser extent Redwing they just seemed to be everywhere!.Also feeding at my bird table has become a frenzied affair.Their seems to be less birds in number than any other Winter, but food consumption is huge.Is this an omen of harsh weather ahead ?.

I too have noticed a decline in numbers on last year, probably due to the mild winter so far. I have noticed that the Goldfinches have just arrived back on the feeders. I havn't had them since last Spring.
Also a 4-5 Long tailed tits in the garden this week.

 

[Derek Watters]

Did anybody notice yesterday Sunday 16th the large influx of Fieldfare and to a lesser extent Redwing they just seemed to be everywhere!.Also feeding at my bird table has become a frenzied affair.Their seems to be less birds in number than any other Winter, but food consumption is huge.Is this an omen of harsh weather ahead ?.

I counted several hundred fieldfare and redwing in the fields off the Racecourse Road in Dundalk early last week - more than I'd seen in years - the bushes were full of them.
I don't think bird movements are a prediction of future weather but rather an indication of current or past conditions in areas from which they have moved. Europe is very cold at the moment (-4C in Spain last night) and the easterlies caused by the anticyclone over southern Scandinavia are extending right over us. So maybe we will have more arrivals over the coming days. No white Christmas however!

 

[Derek Watters]

Did anybody notice yesterday Sunday 16th the large influx of Fieldfare and to a lesser extent Redwing they just seemed to be everywhere!.Also feeding at my bird table has become a frenzied affair.Their seems to be less birds in number than any other Winter, but food consumption is huge.Is this an omen of harsh weather ahead ?.

I counted several hundred fieldfare and redwing in the fields off the Racecourse Road in Dundalk early last week - more than I'd seen in years - the bushes were full of them.
I don't think bird movements are a prediction of future weather but rather current or past conditions in areas from which they have moved. Europe is very cold at the moment (-4C in Spain last night) and the easterlies caused by the anticyclone over southern Scandinavia are extending right over us. So maybe we will have more arrivals over the coming days. No white Christmas however!

 

[breffni]

There was a huge mixed flock of fieldfere and redwing at balaggan this morning (up to 1000 birds in all). The brambling are still at Rockmarshal, at least 7 birds this morning. On Sunday did not find the twite or dowitcher but there was a black redstart at the docks and we had a hen harrier at marsh south. Also a red-throated diver in the harbour heading inland!

 

[Peter Phillips]

Fieldfare

Some of you might have noticed already but Co.Louth is now covered in greater detail on Google earth latest version

Just checked the site. It looks great.

I just had the Ring necked Duck at Keenans pond yesterday- but lots of Fieldfare arrived. Up to now I have only seen them in ones and twos but had over 100 near the house today and flushed dozens from the road near Hermitage yesterday.

Is the Dowitcher back at the docks?

Glad to hear you had a good day in my adopted county, Sancho. Well Done Breffni

 

[breffni]

Spent an hour yesterday trying to get shots of the several brambling at rockmarshal (opp fitzpatricks) in the virtual dark. There are at least 7 females/1W and just one male that i could see. The whole flock is now around 300 birds...

Fieldfare and redwing in the area also. The black redstart was hanging around the piles of steel opposite the spirit store at dusk last night. No sign of the dowitcher.

Also a family of PB Brent with one parent lacking white neckband and all juvs similarly lacking neck band...not sure how unusual this is...

 

[Peter Phillips]

Garden Bully

Inspired by your lovely picture of a Redwing .I went out to the garden to try and replicate it.Unfortunately while the weather was great the Mistle Thrush and neighbours cat were determined to ruin my afternoon by scaring everything away

 

[MargaretM]

Inspired by your lovely picture of a Redwing .I went out to the garden to try and replicate it.Unfortunately while the weather was great the Mistle Thrush and neighbours cat were determined to ruin my afternoon by scaring everything away

Talking of neighbour's cats, does anyone have any good tips for getting rid of them? We have a device that is meant to send out a noise that they dislike but we have 2 or 3 cats patrolling the garden and cannot seem to scare them off.
By the way, great photos Peter.

 

[Derek Watters]

Cats

Talking of neighbour's cats, does anyone have any good tips for getting rid of them?

Poison or a gun! :cat:
Only joking Margaret. On a serious note I had a problem with them here too. There's a powder you can get in gerden stores that deters them from damaging plants etc. I put it on walls etc from where they were harassing the birds. However the rain washed it away. So I placed it in cracks in the wall near where they were hiding and also along routes they took. Although not 100% it has certainly helped.

Was in Belfast yesterday and was amazed at the 1000's of redwing / fieldfare along the route. Obviously a mass influx rather than just a localised thing.

No sign of the LBD at the docks today but BRs there

 

[breffni]

I had the problem a few years ago. If they're feral and you can catch them an outfit called Cat Rescue that will take them off your hands. Not sure what they do with them - it seems to be mainly run by old ladies.