@Sancho: here ya go
Friday 28/05 - Tacumshin
Arrived relatively early at the East End car park hoping that the reported Hobbys and Red-footed Falcons were still present. It was still relatively overcast and quick scan of the skies did not reveal any hunting
Falco species. Trudged through the muddy channel (waders are a definite advantage) to the East End Pool. A nice selection of ducks were present, including a female
Gadwall with 9 ducklings and a late adult male Wigeon. Neither the
Glossy Ibis or the
Forster's Tern showed themselves though. A Reed Warbler sang briefly from the (what else) reed bed fringing the Pool. A
Green-veined White and an unidentified Caterpillar added some non-avian interest.
Walking on towards the Patches, a small falcon dashed over - "only" a Kestrel though. However, this was quickly followed by the real deal when a
Hobby flew over, catching dragonflies. It stayed over Sigginstown Island for a few minutes before flying off westwards. A very nice and long-overdue Irish tick! The Patches themselves were relatively quiet, with only c50 summer-plumaged Dunlins, Black-tailed Godwit (100), Greenshank (1), Grey Plover (1) and a few Ringed Plovers present. Walked back to the East End car park and headed over to the Lingstown end of Tacumshin.
Consisting of a very large reedbed, the Lingstown end of Tacumshin is always interesting. Water Rails are common and a few Reed Warblers can usually be heard in summer. Arriving at the site, a small "falcon" flying over revealed itself as a
Cuckoo, while a Wheatear sat on a gate post. A scan of the skies did not reveal any flying raptors - though the clouds were gradually lifting and the temperature increased noticeably. Noticed two very distant raptors perched on gorse, which looked interesting. Headed out towards them through the reedbeds (water far too deep for wellies) towards the White Hole.
Azure Damselflies were abundant, with a few
Large Red Damselflies and
Migrant Hawkers also present. A quick scan from an embankment in the marsh revealed that the two raptors were now actively hunting over the gorse, though still too distant to identify. After a long wait one of them finally drifted closer, eventually revealing itself as an adult female
Red-footed Falcon. Showed very well, catching dragonflies overhead and was soon joined by a sub-adult male and another female, as well as several
Hobbys. B
B
Total of 53 species in 4 hours of birding.