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

[Peter Phillips]

Seawatching

I spent 2 hours at Clogher Head this morning..in strong south easterlies

Manx Shearwater 400
Terns sp 500 (mainly Common a few Sambos)
Gannet 50
Kittiwake 80
Auks 100
Red throated Diver 2
Common Scotor 40
Arctic Skua 6 (5 dark 1 pale)
Great Skua 3

Surprisingly no Sootys

my list 155 Great Skua

County List

166 Little Auk
167 Sabines Gull

 

[yew]

I am not sure if pictures are of Redstart, Stonechat or Wheatears but know the fourth must be some kind of wood pigeons. Anyway I saw so so many of red coloured birds in fields walking along promenade from Son Ferrer Mallorca to beach as in last picture. I also saw a gorgeous snow white breasted similar bird along here too but gave up trying to photograph as it was determined not to be. In the woods there were lots of quite small rusty red winged birds gently fluttering flying constantly in groups but could not get near them as ground was crackling from dry heat and alerting them of my presence. They were very graceful little birds and definitely not Spanish sparrows though many of those at the tennis courts. (I was only the unpaid ball girl but I will have food for the thin hungry sparrows next year).

 

[Derek Watters]

I spent 2 hours at Clogher Head this morning..in strong south easterlies

A good morning Peter, not great in the afternoon. I spent an hour there 4-5pm and it was very quiet. Met Eamonn Larrisey who also mentioned how quiet it was after the rain cleared. However he did have a Grey Phalarope at Clogherhead.

PS I note the times on the thread have changed from the date/time to "a week ago" etc - it's not as good as previous system.

 

[breffni]

I am not sure if pictures are of Redstart, Stonechat or Wheatears but know the fourth must be some kind of wood pigeons. Anyway I saw so so many of red coloured birds in fields walking along promenade from Son Ferrer Mallorca to beach as in last picture. I also saw a gorgeous snow white breasted similar bird along here too but gave up trying to photograph as it was determined not to be. In the woods there were lots of quite small rusty red winged birds gently fluttering flying constantly in groups but could not get near them as ground was crackling from dry heat and alerting them of my presence. They were very graceful little birds and definitely not Spanish sparrows though many of those at the tennis courts. (I was only the unpaid ball girl but I will have food for the thin hungry sparrows next year).

Sounds like a lovely holiday - the birds look like stonechats and woodpigeons. Cant think what the rusty red-wing birds in flocks might have been. Nice olive trees in the scenery shot, and I'm sure those poor hungry sparrows will be waiting for you next year!

 

[MargaretM]

Had Spotted Flycatcher in the garden today, hard to keep my mind on work watching it and a Wren flitting around just outside the window.
Short visit to Clogherhead this afternoon and all very quiet there, just 3 Great Crested Grebes in quite close to the harbour.

 

[Peter Phillips]

However he did have a Grey Phalarope at Clogherhead.

PS I note the times on the thread have changed from the date/time to "a week ago" etc - it's not as good as previous system.

Yes I agree, not as good..and reminisent of two recent birding trips...One to Cape Clear..."you should have been here yesterday (1 day ago)the three yanks were showing really well" and to Clogher Head ..."yes, the Sabines was here just a few minutes ago (not long ago)"

As the saying goes "what comes around...goes away"

County year list

168 Grey Phalarope

Nice shots Derek,Dolce and Margaret....my phone is not working at the moment so I cant text news...apologies in advance..if I find something really good

 

[Peter Phillips]

Clogher Head

The was a mini fall (by local standards) at Clogher Head today with 5 Goldcrests and 2 Blackcap present on the headland. No willow/chiffs..it felt more like late October than early September..wind southerly moderate. The sea was quiet..numbers of GC Grebes growing...and some Sambo Terns moving south..Sparrowhawk (last week or so) still hanging aroud the rocks looking for migrants/pipits.

 

[breffni]

Dead here this morning - terns all gone. One arctic skua presistently taking on a great black backed gull and a common sandpiper lurking in the rocks. Also a sparrowhawk flying far out to sea and then coming in fast and low with the wind to ambush the ringed plovers.

A few recent shots...

 

[breffni]

Adult sabines gull at templetown beach this evening for an instant - long awaited tick only 300 yards from my house!

 

[yew]

We know they are a prohibited species now but two of them came with house and garden and made a home in an olive tree for themselves. Sadly after pool was built one disappeared only to return few years later from a neighbouring garden perhaps. Then a lost baby one was found nearby and added to the family. It settled in very happily eating an abundance of lovely flowers on top of tomatoes, lettuce, fruit daily but the two older ones are huffing a bit still and love to take food of him or push him away.The third picture is of baby one trying to wander off to eat flowers the other end of garden. He seems to just ignore their selfish behaviour and loves his new home.They seem in perfect health but then they are all well fed and safely homed with high walls all around house. The first picture is of their bed in the olive tree, not sure if they carved it out or just found it there.
Yes Breffni I am pretty certain they were Stonechats after looking at photos today. I am still unsure of smallish birds in woods with rusty red backs visible when gracefully dipping flying down from high trees to ground feed in groups. They look like colour of back of Nightingales but there were so many of them and I would have thought them uncommon. Indeed my ten year old companion was more interested in looking for duendes which is some sort of spirits believed in by many Spanish and Mexican people than birds. We sort of got him changed over to believing in Lephrachauns instead.................... say no more.

 

[yew]

I was a bit shocked to discover this quite large dragonera lizard seemed to be living on the inside of the patio roof and watching us nightly. I started checking doors were closed at night but it didnt seem interested in anything other than staring us out over late dinner.

 

[MargaretM]

Quiet at Clogherhead this morning. Saw a couple of Dolphins (I am assuming as they were coming well up out of the water); 2 Red Throated Divers; small number of Scooter; quite a few Terns; a few Auks and what looked like a family of GC Grebes - 2 adults and 3 juveniles.
At Salterstown this afternoon there were at least 100 Black Tailed Godwits flying between the sea and a field accross the road. Saw a flock of small birds looking distinctively yellow, turned out to be Goldfinches.

 

[Peter Phillips]

Adult sabines gull at templetown beach this evening for an instant - long awaited tick only 300 yards from my house!

Well Done. Nice finders tick

 

[MargaretM]

Just missed the Black Terns at Cruistown yesterday. Hope to get there today, fingers crossed they will still be hanging about.

 

[breffni]

Hope to get them myself later. With three and a half months still to go Enda is now one bird off the current county record (as far as we know) at 164 (following a near possible pommie) though Gerry very close behind at 162...Peter near 150 and I'm only just over 140 (text me is anyone sees a gadwall!) But there may be others with big county lists yet to declare.

An arctic skua and a med gull at Templetown beach this morning.

 

[Derek Watters]

With three and a half months still to go Enda is now one bird off the current county record (as far as we know) at 164 (following a near possible pommie) though Gerry very close behind at 162...Peter near 150 and I'm only just over 140 (text me is anyone sees a gadwall!) But there may be others with big county lists yet to declare.

I'm on 167 and I'm still missing blackbird, house sparrow and wren! . :-O
OK 140. I think it's time to start betting on who will be top lister and what the final tally will be.
All joking put aside, these figures are excellent. We have all benefited from the combined time and effort of everyone involved. The information accumulated this year from Louth may well be invaluable in years to come.

PS - After my excellent performance over the past 2 - 3 weeks (missed 2 different sab gulls by less than 15 mins and a balearic by 15 seconds!) I am now well ahead of the competition on the "dippers list".

 

[breffni]

Two juv black terns put in two brief appearances this afternoon together at the northern end of the beach. Also a dark phase arctic skua and a few roseates among the terns (calling anyway). PB Brent were at Seabank/Dee.

Just had a call about a possible pecker visiting a garden in the drumin area.

 

[Peter Phillips]

Are they claiming the Pomarine Skua or was is just a possible?


County Year List

169 Black Tern
170 Curlew Sandpiper

I think we will do well to break 180 for the year for County louth..I predict Enda will break the 170 mark

Will Galway make it to 200? I think they will need a very good October on the Islands to have a chance

 

[MargaretM]

I had no luck today with the Black Terns, maybe tomorrow..........
At Dunany there had to be at least 100 Swallows and House Martins, fantastic to watch and frustrating to try and photograph.

 

[Enda]

Are they claiming the Pomarine Skua or was is just a possible?


County Year List

169 Black Tern
170 Curlew Sandpiper

I think we will do well to break 180 for the year for County louth..I predict Enda will break the 170 mark

Will Galway make it to 200? I think they will need a very good October on the Islands to have a chance

Not claiming the pom skua not 100% sure on it
164 without the pom.
i think Gerry should go well over 170 as he is missing some of the gettable ones that i have like snow bunting,short eared owl,purple sand,curlew sand,black tern,bonxie,to name just a few.
i would think ill struggle to get to 170 as i have most of the common & scarces already