Cork birding (1 Viewer)

HH75 · Feb 15, 2008

Hi all,
Not heard any news locally today, but recent sightings include the Buff-bellied Pipit remaining at Redbarn (seen to at least Wednesday, saw it on Monday myself), 2 Kumlien's Gulls at the Lough (adult and 2nd cal), decent numbers (by Cork standards) of Iceland Gulls, a few Cattle Egrets scattered here and there, the Lesser Yellowlegs at Rosscarbery, the usual Black Redstarts, some Black-throated Divers (mostly in the far west of the county), Ring-billeds, Mediterranean Gulls, and that's about the size of it.
There are lots of other birds that are probably still in the county, but, given the low number of observers, and the fact that some are at sites far from where we all live, these may not have been looked for for weeks...welcome to the reality of Cork birding, when birder numbers aren't artifically swollen by autumn visitors!
Regards,
Harry

Peter Phillips · Feb 15, 2008

Let me be the first to congratulate you.Well done Harry. A sure- 5 star thread.

I can see this becoming a very busy thread. Below are a few snaps from last October on Cape Clear Island, certainly my most memorable holiday, in the 7 years I have been visiting.

Below are are few snaps from that week. I know there were much better taken at the time. I think Dave Dillon has a particularly nice one of the Icterine Warbler, if memory serves me right. Joe Curtis won't be short of a few pictures either.

The last snap is one of our twitch to Mizen Head to see (or not see) the Blyths Reed Warbler, which is probably best forgotten. Two of the 'heads' are regular bird forum contributors.

The Chough pic was taken on Galley Head on the way down to Cape.

You have a few nice pictures of the Red Barns Buff-bellied Pipit on Surfbirds, good man harry.

buzzard12 · Feb 16, 2008

Nice to see a Cork thread started, will be dropping by to keep up with what is bound to be a great thread....

ardnasx1 · Feb 16, 2008

Well done Harry, the Irish scene on birdforum is really taking off now! Keep them coming!

bird48 · Feb 19, 2008

Dear all,
this is my first message, I am a french birder and plan to go in Ireland for a gull-watching trip next week-end, and of course the buff-bellied pipit in Youghal is very tempting... Hence, I would greatly appreciate if you could provide me more information about the direction to take in Youghal, its favoured locations, etc...
It would be a great help, thank you very much in advance

cheers

HH75 · Feb 19, 2008

Hi there,
Directions for the Redbarn Buff-bellied Pipit, for anyone who may be interested:

'If starting from Cork city, take the main Youghal road. A short while after passing through the village of Killeagh, the road splits into the main Youghal bypass and the old Youghal road (which leads into the town): take the latter, and then the first decent right turn. You'll know if you take the correct turn, as you will pass through a sizeable area of Phragmites reeds bisected by the road, with a hide on the left hand side. Go as far as the first crossroads, then take a left, and park by the hotel at the bottom. The bird tends to favour the washed-up decaying seaweed above the high tide line, either east or west of the hotel: it has wandered as far west as the wooden groynes, but no further as far as I am aware.
If coming from Rosslare, head for Youghal, pass through the town, and take the first left after the reedbed starts on the left hand side (there is a left just before the reedbed, but this is no good to you): this is the same as the right turn mentioned above, and the rest of the directions follow on as before.'
Hope this is of assistance?
Regards,
Harry

bird48 · Feb 19, 2008

Thank you !!! greatly appreciating your help

birdsgalway · Feb 19, 2008

Great to see another county tread started. With only 6 post and 160 views already. Its looking good for the Cork tread. Roll on the Autumn.

Tom

HH75 · Feb 19, 2008

More or less a case of 'as you were' locally since I last posted here, with the addition of a 2nd cal Spoonbill which appears to be ranging between Great Island and Glounthaune. At least 18 Cattle Egrets were seen Sat-Mon, and the adult (a very subtle bird) and 2nd cal Kumlien's Gulls remained at the Lough to at least today, along with the usual Ring-billed and Med Gulls there. The Buff-bellied Pipit was seen to at least Sunday, and, barring predation, will probably remain in its favoured area for another few weeks yet?
A Glaucous x Great Black-backed Gull is at Youghal dump, and a 'Lesser Scaup type' male Aythya hybrid found late yesterday evening at the Lough by Dan Ballard and Paul Connoughton unfortunately didn't oblige today: saw it yesterday myself, but rather fancied getting pics of it...the light was too bad for digiscoping by the time that the bird was found yesterday.

birdsgalway · Feb 19, 2008

Harry
Any photos of the strange Hybrid beast.

Viking Gull = Glaucous X Herring Gull hybrid
Nelsons Gull = Glaucous X American Herring Gull hybrid
?? = Glaucous x Great Black-backed Gull hybrid
Tom

j curtis · Feb 27, 2008

Harry,
Best of luck with the new thread and hope it goes really well. Peter Phillips gave me the link.
Attached a few images and will post some more next week when I sort out my slides.
Joe

HH75 · Feb 28, 2008

Hi Joe,
When was the rosefinch pic taken? Saw an adult male on Cape myself back in June 2001, my first anywhere...lovely birds in that plumage.
Regards,
Harry

j curtis · Feb 28, 2008

Harry,
The male was first heard calling by Steve Wing and he was on it like a flash; some time later Peter Phillips spotted the female. The date was 11th June 2001. The weather was circa 18 deg. and the wind was a light N/West, not considered a great 'birder' wind.
Eddie Dunne was giving a workshop on nature photography at the time and that finished classes for that day. I love the latin name for the Rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus, as lovely as the bird itself.
Attached a 2003 image that turned up of some 'hotshot' birders,
Regards,
Joe

Brosnabirder · Feb 28, 2008

A piece of social history there too.

Note the cigarettes on the table

HH75 · Feb 28, 2008

Hi Joe,
That's the male that I ticked so (also saw the female)! The irony of that was that, after going down to Cape just for those, I found my own juvenile at the Old Head that autumn (1st Sep 2001)...isn't it always the way?
Hadn't seen that pic, must send it on to John Lynch and Tony Nagle, who were seated with me (I travelled to Cape with them that time). Mike O'Keeffe is also visible in the right hand corner.
Regards,
Harry

birdsgalway · Feb 28, 2008

Just though I would bring Michael O'Keeffe in from the shadows
Hope you don't mind Joe.

j curtis · Feb 28, 2008

Harry,
You are very expert at Photoshop I must say,
Know any of these birders?
Regards,
Joe

DEREK CHARLES · Feb 29, 2008

Hello Joe,Harry.
I recognise a couple of faces from the boat. Andrea Kelly complete with waterboots! Eric Dempsey on the phone as usual and the irrepressible Michael Davis.
Harry will no doubt know the rest of the faces.

Derek

HH75 · Feb 29, 2008

Hi Joe,
In the second lot of pics:
Pic 1 (L to R): Seamus Enright, Maurice Hanafin, Mike O'Keeffe
Pic 2 (L to R): Eric Dempsey, Kieran Grace, Micheal Cowming

Would that all bird IDs were so easy!
Regards,
Harry

HH75 · Feb 29, 2008

To get this back on topic, the Buff-bellied Pipit continues to be seen at Redbarn (to at least yesterday per BINS), with the 2nd cal Spoonbill remaining in the harbour (mainly in the Glounthaune area), the 3rd-w Glaucous Gull still at Cobh, and, after that, we can but guess at whether or not any of the long-staying rarities elsewhere are still present: many have not been looked for since I last mentioned them! It's a big county...

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