County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (2 Viewers)

[breffni]

Peter Phillips is giving a talk about rare and scarce birds from Cape to Tory over the last 15 years tonight at the Spirit Store, Dundalk Docks at 8pm - all welcome

Yesterday a gannet and 2 lit gulls off balaggan point + a confusing array of gulls; today only the gannet of note at cooley point - massive erosion along whitestown. DB brent at carlingford....

 

[Peter Phillips]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oscar-Merne-bird-hide/664045363655993?id=664045363655993&sk=info

I just set up a facebook page for the Oscar Merne bird hide at Lurgangreen. The idea is to use it to post photos and sightings and other bird related news on the page, similar to the Rogerstown facebook page.

Also to boost the hides profile among the birding and wider communities.

Please "like" it or send a "friend request" (or whatever your supposed to do!!)if you think spending money on infrastructure for birdwatching is worthwhile, or you just like birds!

 

[Peter Phillips]

Yellowhammer

32 Yellowhammer in the garden today near Ardee. Maximum recordeded last winter was 64 in March.
Numbers in the garden appear to be increasing year on year. I dont think the local population is increasing its just birds are finding it harder to find enought food in late winter in an increasingly industrialised agricultural landscape.

Maybe my provisioning them with food is helping a little........

Also my first Siskin of the winter on the nut feeder. I hope the Redpoll are not far behind them.

 

[squidge]

I had 3 lesser redpolls not far from the house in Drogheda today.

Regards Gerard.

 

[Monahawk]

Numbers of redpolls visiting my garden have fallen considerably this winter. Although I'm in Monaghan, the last two or three winters I have had in excess of 30 birds on or around my feeders or in the birch and alder trees in the garden. This winters highest count is a paltry 3 birds. I dare say many are winter migrants and have found ample food supplies elsewhere. Any variations in redpoll numbers visiting Louth gardens?

Si.

 

[Peter Phillips]

Patchwork Challenge

I am taking part in patchwork challenge this year.

http://patchbirdingireland.blogspot.ie/

http://patchworkchallenge.blogspot.ie/

The idea is to see how many species you can see in your local patch. Mine is Lurgangreen.

Best birds today were a Jack Snipe a Chiffchaff 2 Pink footed Geese and 38 White fronts bring me up to 70 species so far and a 'steady as she goes' 79 points.

 

[Peter Phillips]

Glaucous Gull

1st winter Glaucous Gull at Clogher Head this morning. it was Found yesterday by Don and Gerry. Also reported today at lunch, was a Black Redstart. if only I had looked around !

 

[Peter Phillips]

Glaucous Gull

Some shots of the Glaucous Gull today at Clogher Head

 

[breffni]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oscar-Merne-bird-hide/664045363655993?id=664045363655993&sk=info

I just set up a facebook page for the Oscar Merne bird hide at Lurgangreen. The idea is to use it to post photos and sightings and other bird related news on the page, similar to the Rogerstown facebook page.

Also to boost the hides profile among the birding and wider communities.

Please "like" it or send a "friend request" (or whatever your supposed to do!!)if you think spending money on infrastructure for birdwatching is worthwhile, or you just like birds!

Good work Peter - thanks!!

 

[Peter Phillips]

Slavonian Grebes

4 Slavonian Grebes from the hide at Lurgangreen today, at high tide. 74 species and 84 points so far for my patchbirding challenge at Lurgangreen.

 

[Peter Phillips]

5 Slavonian Grebes from the hide today. 3 Twite at the east end of Giles's Quay. Very flighty....

 

[Midlander_ie]

5 Slavonian Grebes from the hide today. 3 Twite at the east end of Giles's Quay. Very flighty....

Hi Peter, is the hide at Lurgangreen open/ accessible every day ?
Hoping to take a trip over Dundalk way one of these days for a look at the the Slavs and possibly the twites if still around by then ! Access to Lurgangreen from the Dublin road south of Blackrock ?
Thanks
Tom

 

[Deshiggins]

Hi Peter, is the hide at Lurgangreen open/ accessible every day ?
Hoping to take a trip over Dundalk way one of these days for a look at the the Slavs and possibly the twites if still around by then ! Access to Lurgangreen from the Dublin road south of Blackrock ?
Thanks
Tom

Hi Tom: the hide is at the mouth of eh Fane River, just south of Blackrock, as you say. It is on a short road off the old Dublin road (R132 or Castlebellingham Road), about 5km south of Dundalk. It is just beside where the coast road that goes around Blackrock (R172) joins the Dublin Road. The Twite are at Gyles Quay which is East of Dundalk Town off the R173/R175 which is the road along the south side of the Cooley Peninsula from Dundalk to Greenore. It is about 10-15km along the road.

Des

 

[Midlander_ie]

Hi Tom: the hide is at the mouth of eh Fane River, just south of Blackrock, as you say. It is on a short road off the old Dublin road (R132 or Castlebellingham Road), about 5km south of Dundalk. It is just beside where the coast road that goes around Blackrock (R172) joins the Dublin Road. The Twite are at Gyles Quay which is East of Dundalk Town off the R173/R175 which is the road along the south side of the Cooley Peninsula from Dundalk to Greenore. It is about 10-15km along the road.

Des

Many thanks Des !
Worth a ramble over one of these days !
Tom

 

[Peter Phillips]

Many thanks Des !
Worth a ramble over one of these days !
Tom

The hide is not currently openable unless you have a key! You can ring me if your coming over and I might be able to get it open for you. My number is 0851309767.
There will be a roster drawn up after its official opening and a few snags have been fixed.....
It should be open weekends at least from then on.

The Slavonian Grebes are best viewed near full tide.

 

[Midlander_ie]

thanks for the info Peter. Will probably hold off on trip until weekend when hide open !
Tom

 

[breffni]

Wild Bogs of Ireland

Spirit Store, Dundalk Docks

Monday Feb 3rd 8pm
Title: The Wild Bogs of Ireland
Speaker: Nuala Madigan (Education Officer Irish Peatland Conservation
Council)
Description: Boglands are one of Ireland's wild landscapes. They are thousands of years old often being described as living history books and are home to a great diversity of wildlife. This talk will explore peatlands from their formation through to their modern uses and threats with particular attention to their diversity of species they support.

 

[Peter Phillips]

Glaucous Gulls

A productive few hours around the coast this morning. Lots of large gulls at Clogher Head sheltering from the wind including 3 Glaucous Gull, 2 first winters and an adult. Also a distant dark first winter Herring or Lesser black backed type but it disappeared and did not return. Lurgangreen had 2 male Gadwall. No sign of the Slavonian Grebes on the high tide.

 

[Derek Watters]

I had a Red Grouse in the Cooley Mountains while hillwalking last week. I'd stopped for a wee break and when I went to move off it took off from about 6ft in front of me.

 

[Peter Phillips]

I had a Red Grouse in the Cooley Mountains while hillwalking last week. I'd stopped for a wee break and when I went to move off it took off from about 6ft in front of me.

Nice record... Where abouts? I would'nt mind having a look