Any sign of the buzzard that was released there on Sunday?
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County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter breffni
- Start date
Any sign of the buzzard that was released there on Sunday?
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Black Tern
I managed to catch up with a Black Tern this morning at Cruisetown Strand. The bird was feeding about 100 metres out from the car park looking towards Clogher Head.8 Wheatear also present. Lots of martins and Swallows at Dunany Point and One Willow Warbler,One Chiffchaff in the lane
my list
155 Black Tern
I managed to catch up with a Black Tern this morning at Cruisetown Strand. The bird was feeding about 100 metres out from the car park looking towards Clogher Head.8 Wheatear also present. Lots of martins and Swallows at Dunany Point and One Willow Warbler,One Chiffchaff in the lane
my list
155 Black Tern
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Derek Watters
Well-known member
What Buzzard was that?
My dipping days are finished! I caught up with Enda's black terns on Sunday and got Breffni's Osprey just after 4pm today over the Southern end of Marsh South. Also had the curlew sandpiper at Dundalk Docks, which I understand has been there this few days. Enda had 4 Curlew S'pipers on Saturday at Lurgangreen and Eamonn had 3 today also at Lurgangreen - so there's a few about. Also heard reports of a Spotted Redshank last week at Dundalk Docks - anyone confirm this? Finally, Eamonn also had a very late common swift this afternoon at Seabank.
Did an iwebs count today which is when i picked up the osprey - huge numbers of oyca maybe 15,000 birds in all between balaggan point and dunaneey point! Also fair numbers of wigeon and teal.
A rehab'ed buzzard was successfully released at Dunaney on Sunday - it will probably hang around the area for a while.
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Derek Watters
Well-known member
Just basing my prediction on the bird that appeared on 15 August 2007 at the same location - it stayed for 3 or 4 days.
Further to my previous posting, Eamonn had 11 curlew sandpipers at Lurgangreen yesterday evening and I also note that two other late swifts were seen on the east/south east coast yesterday (one was in Co Down so possibility arises that it could even be the same bird seen in Louth).
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Peter Phillips
Well-known member
I was out at Keenan's Cross Pond and Hermitage /Dunany this morning. Someone has cut a bigger hole in the fence at KCP and put up this diving board. I hope they wear helmets..you would do yourself no end of damage jumping head first onto those rocks. Maybe we should just break in as well.. and build a bird hide. I am sure nobody would pay any notice...
Just 3 Tufted Ducks a Mute Swan family with an only child and a couple of Little Grebes present.
A few migrants at Hermitage including One Whitetrhoat, 5 Chiffchaff,1 Willow Warbler and 2 White Wagtails. Lots of Meadow Pipits present and 3 Lesser Redpoll with the flock of Linnets.
Just 3 Tufted Ducks a Mute Swan family with an only child and a couple of Little Grebes present.
A few migrants at Hermitage including One Whitetrhoat, 5 Chiffchaff,1 Willow Warbler and 2 White Wagtails. Lots of Meadow Pipits present and 3 Lesser Redpoll with the flock of Linnets.
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Ringtail hen harrier this morning at Cooley point (came in over the sea). Here's video of the buzzard being released: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-ko-8YYtaU
No news as yet. Caroline Workman is keeping an eye out for it. We'll give it a few days to settle in and then check on it. Having been in a cage while recouperating, it will need a bit of time to get used to it's freedom etc.
Derek Watters
Well-known member
Osprey at Seabank today Wednesday (2.30pm) per Frank Carroll and yet another two swifts at Balbriggan. Summer is coming!
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Just to fill in a bit more detail on the buzzard - it was found with an injured wing by a local falconer and brought to a vet who gave it little chance of ever flying again. Maurice Conaghy took on to take it into his care and see what he could do, and after about a year and a half of nursing it back to health he reckoned it was finally fit enough to be released. So it was a great success for Maurice when the buzzard successfully managed to fly off at Dunany on Sunday. There is still a piece of leather around its leg so if anyone spots it they should be able to identify it. Please let us know if anyone does see it.
And well done Maurice!
Photos below are courtesy of Eric O'Neill.
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Derek Watters
Well-known member
Just in from Eamonn Larrisey - Osprey has just flown south from Seabank to Annagasan where it landed, but took off again due south.
He had yet another swift today!
He had yet another swift today!
I was at Seabank around lunch time but no sign of the Osprey at that stage!!!!! Will be worth checking out Dunany tomorrow - timing is everything!
Derek Watters
Well-known member
More Swifts!
EL had yet another common swift at Knockbridge yesterday evening. I have always had an interest in swifts (being my favorite bird). .
This year approx 85% of local swifts had departed by 20th August with the last swifts reported to me from Beaulieu Pond on 24th August. Nothing was reported for over 3 weeks and then there are 8 sightings along the east coast in four days; I underline sightings, as it is obvious that for each bird actually seen, many more are probably passing unseen / unreported.
I have, in previous years, been in the Algarve (1,100 miles south of us) at this time of year and all the summer pallid, alpine and common swifts had already departed south.
A similar situation occured here in 2004 when swifts were reported 1 week after the main body had departed. I queried this occurance on the IBN at the time and nobody provided any answers.
Anyone here read anything or have any opinions on this?
Best yesterday evening at Ballagan were 5 roseate terns, a single, very yellow looking wheatear and 1 arctic skua.
EL had yet another common swift at Knockbridge yesterday evening. I have always had an interest in swifts (being my favorite bird). .
This year approx 85% of local swifts had departed by 20th August with the last swifts reported to me from Beaulieu Pond on 24th August. Nothing was reported for over 3 weeks and then there are 8 sightings along the east coast in four days; I underline sightings, as it is obvious that for each bird actually seen, many more are probably passing unseen / unreported.
I have, in previous years, been in the Algarve (1,100 miles south of us) at this time of year and all the summer pallid, alpine and common swifts had already departed south.
A similar situation occured here in 2004 when swifts were reported 1 week after the main body had departed. I queried this occurance on the IBN at the time and nobody provided any answers.
Anyone here read anything or have any opinions on this?
Best yesterday evening at Ballagan were 5 roseate terns, a single, very yellow looking wheatear and 1 arctic skua.
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Caroline Workman saw the Buzzard on Wednesday. I saw a buzzard in that area on Thursday morning but could not get an ID on it.
Derek Watters
Well-known member
I had an excellent day seawatching at Clogherhead yesterday (10am-3pm). The weather was warm and sunny, with calm winds and mirror seas - not ideal seawatching conditions. On my arrival I could see a large raft of birds feeding frantically just 200m offshore. As I looked through the scope, it was a paleagic without the seasickness! Enda and Don were present and told me that a sooty shearwater was present among the 100 or so manxies and auks. The bird was on view for 45 mins before drifting NE affording great views.
Later on we had a 1st winter puffin which remained in view for an hour.
Large numbers of maxies then started passing the headland due south. Among these was a balearic shearwater, the flight style, brown upperparts, larger size, "dirty" underwings all setting it easily apart from the maxies it was in close proximity to.
Also present were a black tern, 2 wheathear, c.200 auks and reasonable numbers of sambo and commic terns. Two gannets also give excellent views as they flew in very close to the cliffs.
Of course I couldn't finish off without congratulating Enda on becoming the highest listed birder in Louth in a single year beating the previous record of 165. WELL DONE ENDA !
Later on we had a 1st winter puffin which remained in view for an hour.
Large numbers of maxies then started passing the headland due south. Among these was a balearic shearwater, the flight style, brown upperparts, larger size, "dirty" underwings all setting it easily apart from the maxies it was in close proximity to.
Also present were a black tern, 2 wheathear, c.200 auks and reasonable numbers of sambo and commic terns. Two gannets also give excellent views as they flew in very close to the cliffs.
Of course I couldn't finish off without congratulating Enda on becoming the highest listed birder in Louth in a single year beating the previous record of 165. WELL DONE ENDA !
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Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Well Done Enda!
That sounds like an eventful few hours,Derek. Nice shots.
I was out myself this morning.The wind was northerly with clear skies..Just about all the migrants including the hundreds of Martins and Swallows have cleared from the headlands....just 3 Goldcrests between Hermitage and Dunany and a single Wheatear at Dunany beach..the sea was very quiet also. The wind is to be from the North East for the next few days..it might bring a few goodies from the Northern Isles with it.
That sounds like an eventful few hours,Derek. Nice shots.
I was out myself this morning.The wind was northerly with clear skies..Just about all the migrants including the hundreds of Martins and Swallows have cleared from the headlands....just 3 Goldcrests between Hermitage and Dunany and a single Wheatear at Dunany beach..the sea was very quiet also. The wind is to be from the North East for the next few days..it might bring a few goodies from the Northern Isles with it.
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
Mystery Bird of Prey
I was walking along the lane at Hermitage this morning when I saw a worried looking Turnstone flying north along the coast.A few seconds later I noticed what I thought was a Merlin in persuit .When I got my bins on the bird (for just a couple of seconds)I noticed it was all dark..but still it looked Merlin like. It dissapeared from view.By the time I got back to the car to survey the beach the bird had vanished. A couple of minutes later I could see what looked like a Peregrine coming directly towards me low over the water.The bird had prey in its tallons.I managed to get the camera out of the car in time to take these two shots......comments welcome.
I was walking along the lane at Hermitage this morning when I saw a worried looking Turnstone flying north along the coast.A few seconds later I noticed what I thought was a Merlin in persuit .When I got my bins on the bird (for just a couple of seconds)I noticed it was all dark..but still it looked Merlin like. It dissapeared from view.By the time I got back to the car to survey the beach the bird had vanished. A couple of minutes later I could see what looked like a Peregrine coming directly towards me low over the water.The bird had prey in its tallons.I managed to get the camera out of the car in time to take these two shots......comments welcome.
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Peter Phillips
Well-known member
I think with hindsight and looking at the photos again its probably a very dark/melanistic Peregrine....I think its to well built for any of the smaller dark European falcons.
