County Galway Birding (local patch) (5 Viewers)

Paul Troake · Mar 22, 2008

Tom

I've had 3 yellowhammers at a place called Oakwood North, which is south of Abbey (to SE of Tuam). I also saw a few 9km to the ENE in December, and 6km to the SW last winter, so there are a few around that area.

Troakie

Paul Troake · Mar 22, 2008

Just seen a report on Birdguides of 2 female surf scoters at Rossaveal yesterday. Presumably the Nimmo's birds, or are they still there??

Troakie

JonH · Mar 22, 2008

Great Memories

Hi Guys & Girls,
Great to see a thread from County Galway, I was fortunate enough to live close to Lough Corrib for a year or so. (I have to say it's my spiritual home) I'm a keen angler so spent a lot of time on Corrib, saw plenty of Scooter and Mergansers whilst I was afloat. Never experienced before filling feeders in the morning and them being empty by teatime. One of my favourite memories is watching Choughs on the coast. Happy Birding from Suffolk. JonH

birdsgalway · Mar 23, 2008

County List
132 American Wigeon
Found on Rahasane Turlough by John Murphy yesterday. Spent nearly 3 hours there to day with no luck. 2000 plus ducks including Wigeon,Teal, Shoveler and Pintail, 39 White Fronted Geese. Needle in a haystack.

Troakie I think Birdguides were guilty of a little typo regarding the Scoters and they are still at Nimmo's. Thanks for the location on the Yellowhammers.

American Herring Gulls have not been seen for 3 days.

Dermot Breen · Mar 24, 2008

Hi Tom

Just looking at your shot of the colour ringed Black-headed Gull. The right leg with the metal ring seems to be deformed. The leg below th knee seems to have shrunk. The ring itself isn't too tight on the leg though. One would imagine it has been deformed since birth so I wonder why a ring put was put on the leg in the first place?

Dermot

birdsgalway · Mar 24, 2008

Dermot

Agree leg is deformed but the length of the leg is ok see pic attached. Just wonder was the leg broken at some stage and is now healed and looks deformed. The gull would lift the leg up and it would quiver and shake the leg,then hold it up as per the first photo.

Tom

birdsgalway · Mar 24, 2008

Nimmo's Pier is much the same for the past 4 days of the long weekend. American Herring Gulls still missing in action. I think it has something to do with the lack of activity at the fish factory which is closed for the past few days and the fishing boats have been tied up also.

At Menlo Pier to day a few pic of Great Crested Grebes. The grace and elegance of the Grebes compared to the love fest of 6-1 with the Mallards. There was a serious stand of between the Coot and the Grebes. The Coot made a quick exit.
Tom

Brosnabirder · Mar 24, 2008

Nice Grebe pics Tom.

The American Wigeon was reported at Rahasane today. See this link
http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web?task=Display&sighting_id=2833
Agree with your comments about finding birds at Rahasane. Can be a very dispiriting place to search

birdsgalway · Mar 24, 2008

Tom
Even more dispiriting to know that Dick Combs connected today. Tim Griffin had it yesterday at about 11am.|=@| I though I had it at one point but could not be sure. (bird to the left)

Brosnabirder · Mar 25, 2008

I went there in September to see the American Black Tern. That wasn't too hard to spot whizzing about the place so I went home quite happy. However when I got home I discovered 2 Pec Sandpipers were seen there the same day. What is worse I had gone through the Dunlin just to check.

Are the water levels still high? It was still high when John Carey was there the weekend before last.

www.irishbirding.com has reports from Nimmos today. Can't see anything new on the list but good to have the update anyway. Glaucous, Ring-billed and Iceland Gulls and the Surf Scoters still present.

birdsgalway · Mar 25, 2008

Tom

I dipped on the two Pectoral Sandpipers also but got some great views of the American Black Tern.

Water levels are reasonable high which has an advantage of keeping everything out of the channels.

Forster's was present this evening in its usual place.

Brosnabirder · Mar 26, 2008

More reports from Nimmos today. Nothing new that I can see.
http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web?task=BasicBirdSightingSearch

The Tern was a treat alright. Nice that it stayed for a few days too. Allowed the lazier twitchers among us (myself included) to see it.

DEREK CHARLES · Mar 27, 2008

Hello everyone,

a few pics from my trip to Nimmos last week.It really is a great place.

Derek

birdsgalway · Mar 28, 2008

Derek
As always excellent series of photos and good to meet up with you on Saturday.

Just checking the updated sightings report by Chris Peppaitt http://www.birdwatchgalway.org/sightings.htm that John Murphy had the American Herring Gull on Saturday 22 March. Does not say whether it was the Adult or Juvenile
Tom

birchall · Mar 28, 2008

Did anybody local (Galway area) make a copy (VCR or DVD) of the programme RAPTOR FORCE shown on RTE 2 last Wednesday. If so I would love to borrow for a very short time. I guarantee prompt return.

John Carey · Mar 29, 2008

Hello All,

Was at nimmos on Saturday and though conditions were blustery, I am 90% sure that I had a visual of a black throated Diver. Was anyone else there on Saturday? Normaly they are on the other side of the bay but was pretty sure it was BTD. I also had fantastic sighting of a Red Throated and several Northern. There was a good visual of Guillimot also.

Thanks to Tom Cuffe for letting Tim Griffin know about the Wheatear near the Causeway. I bumped into Tim and the info helps us find our first Wheatear of 2008. Great Sighting too. Surf Scoter still present near Mutton Island.

Brosnabirder · Mar 30, 2008

Called into Belclare Turlough this morning on my way by.
Lots of water but very few birds there.

Paul Troake · Mar 30, 2008

...County list 133 - Manx Shearwater - 2 off Silver Strand this morning.
Also male wheatear, 4 sand martins and my best view ever of otter, eating a fish on a rock below the cliffs at Illaunafamona - almost filling my scope!

Troakie

Brosnabirder · Mar 30, 2008

A scope filling view of an Otter.
Lucky **^&$%£

birdsgalway · Mar 30, 2008

County List
134 Marsh Harrier (Tim Griffin near Menlo probably over wintered)

Troakie did you bring the camera would love to see the otter. The last time I seen one was distant views at Rasahane.

John I was at Nimmo's yesterday and today the best I could get was 3 Great Northern Divers and 2 Red Throated Divers. The Surf Scoters were so close to Claddagh beach and the sun in my eyes could only get a silhouette of the birds before the usual 4 legged canine made them take flight. How was your trip up the mountains.

The American Herring Gull was at the docks today, fishermen were active again. 11 Icelands gulls and the Glaucous+Herring Gull hybrid were also the slipway.

County Galway Birding (local patch) (5 Viewers)

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