Ah sorry, didn't think of tufties! Convincing case made. Only ever seen one tufty on Sheskinmore Lake though.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
West Donegal (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter rdspalm
- Start date
Ah sorry, didn't think of tufties! Convincing case made. Only ever seen one tufty on Sheskinmore Lake though.
rdspalm
Well-known member
Derrybeg 16-17th May
Golden Plover and Ringed Plover mixed flock at the entrance channel, Magheragallon. Sandwich Terns fishing off the coast. The usual resident Laprwings in small numbers (5-6).
I heard a Cuckoo in the distance at Derrybeg but no sign of the Cuckoo at Bunbeg Harbour. Weather very windy and cold.
Golden Plover and Ringed Plover mixed flock at the entrance channel, Magheragallon. Sandwich Terns fishing off the coast. The usual resident Laprwings in small numbers (5-6).
I heard a Cuckoo in the distance at Derrybeg but no sign of the Cuckoo at Bunbeg Harbour. Weather very windy and cold.
rdspalm
Well-known member
Gweedore Sightings
I was surprised to spot a male Merlin at Magheragallon, Derrybeg on Saturday evening.
Went in search of the Cuckoo at Bunbeg. Heard him calling in the distance and spotted him on telegraph wires. Drove round to the far side of the harbour and managed to get a distant photo. Not a lot else about this weekend except the usual summer residents.
Richard
I was surprised to spot a male Merlin at Magheragallon, Derrybeg on Saturday evening.
Went in search of the Cuckoo at Bunbeg. Heard him calling in the distance and spotted him on telegraph wires. Drove round to the far side of the harbour and managed to get a distant photo. Not a lot else about this weekend except the usual summer residents.
Richard
rdspalm
Well-known member
Derrybeg 26 ~ 28th June
This has to be Kestrel weekend. Saw 3 Kestrels. First 2 at Derrybeg hunting over the coastal Magher. The third at Bunbeg Harbour, initially perched on top of an electricity pylon and then hunting over the back of the harbour area.
Saw a grey hawk possibly a Peregrine at Carrickfinn on Saturday afternoon. Could not get a close enough look.
Apart from this birding was very quiet.
Richard
This has to be Kestrel weekend. Saw 3 Kestrels. First 2 at Derrybeg hunting over the coastal Magher. The third at Bunbeg Harbour, initially perched on top of an electricity pylon and then hunting over the back of the harbour area.
Saw a grey hawk possibly a Peregrine at Carrickfinn on Saturday afternoon. Could not get a close enough look.
Apart from this birding was very quiet.
Richard
Watch out for young kestrels at this time of year- they often do a bit of entertaining aerobatics. Once saw five juvs. together at Sheskinmore.
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
Had a 2 productive days in Donegal last Friday and Saturday.
On Friday evening at Blanket Nook I had an adult Wood Sandpiper, a first/second-summer Sabines Gull and an adult summer Mediterranean Gull.
The following day the two gulls were again present but they Wood Sand appearred to have departed. At Inch there was a very attractive male Ruff in full summer plumage feeding with Redshank in front of Tready Point hide (hard to view from this hide due to high bank in front of it with tall grass). Also present were 591 Tufted Ducks, 174 Mute Swans, c.50 Teal, 10 Wigeon and plenty of terns and gulls breeding on the island, with most having chicks on the wing now.
In the last attached pic you can just about make out the adult Med on the extreme left and the Sabs on the right.
Looking at the BTO Bird Atlas site Blanket Nook and Inch Island Lake have a very impressive list so far. The 10km square in which Blanket Nook is located (IC31) has a breeding season list of 103 species and the 10km square which Inch Island Lake (IC32) is based has 102 species. This is an incredible high number and there are a very few (if any other?) 10km squares in Ireland with such a high number. Of course not all of these are breeding. There are still a few obvious species missing so there is the potential to add a further ten to each one.
Dermot
On Friday evening at Blanket Nook I had an adult Wood Sandpiper, a first/second-summer Sabines Gull and an adult summer Mediterranean Gull.
The following day the two gulls were again present but they Wood Sand appearred to have departed. At Inch there was a very attractive male Ruff in full summer plumage feeding with Redshank in front of Tready Point hide (hard to view from this hide due to high bank in front of it with tall grass). Also present were 591 Tufted Ducks, 174 Mute Swans, c.50 Teal, 10 Wigeon and plenty of terns and gulls breeding on the island, with most having chicks on the wing now.
In the last attached pic you can just about make out the adult Med on the extreme left and the Sabs on the right.
Looking at the BTO Bird Atlas site Blanket Nook and Inch Island Lake have a very impressive list so far. The 10km square in which Blanket Nook is located (IC31) has a breeding season list of 103 species and the 10km square which Inch Island Lake (IC32) is based has 102 species. This is an incredible high number and there are a very few (if any other?) 10km squares in Ireland with such a high number. Of course not all of these are breeding. There are still a few obvious species missing so there is the potential to add a further ten to each one.
Dermot
Attachments
Peter Phillips
Well-known member
We have 109 for IO18 (cruisetown Strand) so far -Winter only...but have 86 for summer with still a good few common ones to get
Well done on the Sabines...god bless your eye sight!
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
The winter 10km for Blanket Nook is 93 species and the Inch 10km is 107 species for winter also.
I had a look at I018 and of the 109 species there appears to be five subspecies/forms/hybrids counted as full species which the system does for some reason - Light & Dark-bellied Brent, Greenland & European White-front, argentatus/argenteus Herring & Herring Gull, Pied/White & Pied (yarrelli) Wagtails and Carrion/Hooded Crow hybrid.
I also had a look at some of the 10kms in some likely hotspots like Wexford and Cork and the best I could find was the 10km over Ballycotton IW96 which stands at 110 species for winter and only 67 breeding. The Wexford squares are not as rich as one would expect but this could be down to people just not adding records to the Bird Atlas?
I initially thought the Sabines was an adult-type, then we reckoned it was a second-summer and finally thanks to Killian we think it's a first-summer. Apparently they have a complete moult over the winter.
Dermot
I had a look at I018 and of the 109 species there appears to be five subspecies/forms/hybrids counted as full species which the system does for some reason - Light & Dark-bellied Brent, Greenland & European White-front, argentatus/argenteus Herring & Herring Gull, Pied/White & Pied (yarrelli) Wagtails and Carrion/Hooded Crow hybrid.
I also had a look at some of the 10kms in some likely hotspots like Wexford and Cork and the best I could find was the 10km over Ballycotton IW96 which stands at 110 species for winter and only 67 breeding. The Wexford squares are not as rich as one would expect but this could be down to people just not adding records to the Bird Atlas?
I initially thought the Sabines was an adult-type, then we reckoned it was a second-summer and finally thanks to Killian we think it's a first-summer. Apparently they have a complete moult over the winter.
Dermot
rdspalm
Well-known member
Dermot,
Where do you get the 10km information from? I have never seen any Irish statistics other than some IWEBS books I got from Jean and Kendrew Colhoun quite a few years ago. I'd be very interested to do a little research into birds seen in west and East Donegal.
Richard
Where do you get the 10km information from? I have never seen any Irish statistics other than some IWEBS books I got from Jean and Kendrew Colhoun quite a few years ago. I'd be very interested to do a little research into birds seen in west and East Donegal.
Richard
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
Hi Richard
Have a look at the below Bird Atlas website. You need to register to join but once you're in you should be able to look at the species list for any 10km square for winter or summer. At the moment its limited to 10 searches per day. A really useful tool. Don't forget to add records yourself while on there.
http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/index.htm
Dermot
Have a look at the below Bird Atlas website. You need to register to join but once you're in you should be able to look at the species list for any 10km square for winter or summer. At the moment its limited to 10 searches per day. A really useful tool. Don't forget to add records yourself while on there.
http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/index.htm
Dermot
rdspalm
Well-known member
Thanks for the info Dermot. I certainly will have a look.
Did a bit of sea watching yesterday morning at Foreland Heights.
Not a lot of unusual stuff about. Plenty of Gannets both adult and juvenile. One flight of Manx Shearwater, about 10 birds. Not much else except gulls. I would have expected more given Saturday's storm.
Richard
Did a bit of sea watching yesterday morning at Foreland Heights.
Not a lot of unusual stuff about. Plenty of Gannets both adult and juvenile. One flight of Manx Shearwater, about 10 birds. Not much else except gulls. I would have expected more given Saturday's storm.
Richard
Helsinki Birder
Stealth Birder
Hi richard,
The trick is to seawatch DURING the storm. They tend to disperse pretty quickly once the winds change the sea can become a dead zone sharpish.
On saturday at the bridges, once the winds went southerly the birds dried up instantly.
Owen
The trick is to seawatch DURING the storm. They tend to disperse pretty quickly once the winds change the sea can become a dead zone sharpish.
On saturday at the bridges, once the winds went southerly the birds dried up instantly.
Owen
Had a very pleasant weekend in the Dunfanaghy area this weekend. Wasn't really birdwatching but did get to see a few species once i got out and about.
On Saturday on the bay I managed to see Curlew, Black Tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Heron, Herring Gulls and Black Headed Gulls.
I did the Horne Head walk on Sunday and saw some of the above but the list also included Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.
I also visited Ards forrest and added Robin, Wren, Song Thrush, Chifchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Mallard, Moorhen
Also saw a good number of ducks in a few lochs but couldn't see what species they were. but i presume they were mallard.
On Saturday on the bay I managed to see Curlew, Black Tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Heron, Herring Gulls and Black Headed Gulls.
I did the Horne Head walk on Sunday and saw some of the above but the list also included Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.
I also visited Ards forrest and added Robin, Wren, Song Thrush, Chifchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Mallard, Moorhen
Also saw a good number of ducks in a few lochs but couldn't see what species they were. but i presume they were mallard.
rdspalm
Well-known member
Monday 24th. Day off, went walking above the Poisoned Glen. A few Meadow Pipits and a pair of Ravens on patrol over the cliffs. No Golden Eagles on view today. On return to the car saw a Kestrel over the conifer plantation. A few Curlew on the fields at Magheragallon, Derrybeg, and a flight of Ringed Plover over the estuary. Looking forward to the autumn change now.
Just a quick note following a few days near Rosbeg.
There seemed to be a few more birds about at the end of August than during July so perhaps things starting to change for Autumn. One thing that struck me was the number of pied wagtails about. They seemed to be everywhere from the middle of the beach, the roads, into the towns and around the farmland and sand dunes. Is this always the case and am I just noticing this for the first time, or are there greater numbers about this year?
Generally the beach at Tramore had lots of sanderling (40+) with a few dunlin amongst them together with ringed plover (also good sized flocks) and oystercatchers. Usual array of gulls about. There were shags or cormorants (subject to proper identification) in the estuary with a number of grey heron. Wheatear, meadow pipits and usual lbj in the nature reserve. The ravens were around at the rocky end of the beach. Didn’t get down to Sheskinmore so nothing to report there. Some mallards occasionally at the back of the beach and in the low lying ponds in the reserve, especially in the late evenings. There was also a coot or moorhen in some of these areas particularly the ponds at the end of the beach. Didn’t get a good look before it disappeared into the reeds. Lots of chough about; high over the rocky areas in the nature reserve (also at the beach at Portnoo) and at the grassy areas at the end of the estuary (where the river comes out of Sheskin)
A couple of grey wagtails were also visible from the bridge over the Owentocker in the middle of Ardara.
Suppose things will start to change shortly so looking forward to next trip
There seemed to be a few more birds about at the end of August than during July so perhaps things starting to change for Autumn. One thing that struck me was the number of pied wagtails about. They seemed to be everywhere from the middle of the beach, the roads, into the towns and around the farmland and sand dunes. Is this always the case and am I just noticing this for the first time, or are there greater numbers about this year?
Generally the beach at Tramore had lots of sanderling (40+) with a few dunlin amongst them together with ringed plover (also good sized flocks) and oystercatchers. Usual array of gulls about. There were shags or cormorants (subject to proper identification) in the estuary with a number of grey heron. Wheatear, meadow pipits and usual lbj in the nature reserve. The ravens were around at the rocky end of the beach. Didn’t get down to Sheskinmore so nothing to report there. Some mallards occasionally at the back of the beach and in the low lying ponds in the reserve, especially in the late evenings. There was also a coot or moorhen in some of these areas particularly the ponds at the end of the beach. Didn’t get a good look before it disappeared into the reeds. Lots of chough about; high over the rocky areas in the nature reserve (also at the beach at Portnoo) and at the grassy areas at the end of the estuary (where the river comes out of Sheskin)
A couple of grey wagtails were also visible from the bridge over the Owentocker in the middle of Ardara.
Suppose things will start to change shortly so looking forward to next trip
There can be a lot of pied wagtails about at the end of the summer. Probably a mixture of juveniles/immatures, post-breeding birds and birds on migration? Like someone said above there's always a possibility of a white wagtail (subspecies) in with them.
Great majority of the shags/corms at the estuary are shags! The odd cormorant turns up on Sheskin. Lough.
Mallards often roost in the wee dune pools and moorhen breed on a few of them. I've only one record of coot at the reserve and that was at Sheskin. Lough.
