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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

County Monaghan (1 Viewer)

Thanks Gerard.

I've seen plenty in Louth, especially in Dundalk Bay area and around Ardee where I often see them feeding at the side of the main road leading from Ardee to the motorway. They are extinct as a breeding species in Monaghan. Very few arable farms in the county. It remains a complete mystery as to why this bird I saw was so far north in the county. That's one of the beauties of our interest I suppose, stumbling across the unexpected.

Si.
 
Thanks Gerard.

I've seen plenty in Louth, especially in Dundalk Bay area and around Ardee where I often see them feeding at the side of the main road leading from Ardee to the motorway. They are extinct as a breeding species in Monaghan. Very few arable farms in the county. It remains a complete mystery as to why this bird I saw was so far north in the county. That's one of the beauties of our interest I suppose, stumbling across the unexpected.

Si.

There is still some arable areas in the very south of the county. I had a couple of pairs of yellowhammers in breeding habitat during an atlas survey a couple of years ago, along the road to the Riverbank Inn off the main Duiblin/Derry road. And a couple of pairs of Lapwing also.

This evening on a quick visit to Concra Wood beside Lough Muckno I had a single Grasshopper Warbler and a male Crossbill. Good numbers of Redpoll and Siskin also.
 
Evidence of Great Spotted Woodpecker activity in Rossmore Park just outside Monaghan town. I found four different bore holes on the trunks of dead lodge pole trees within the forest park. These have been made sometime this year. As a regular walker here with my dog, I shall keep an eye and ear open for any woodpeckers. There is good habitat in the park for a small population of them.

Si.
 
Male Great Spotted Woodpecker in Rossmore Park today. Seen by two local birders. Be interesting to see if any have settled here. Will eagerly await late winter/early spring for any drumming birds.

Si.
 
A Little Egret was reported at Carrickmacross on friday. I dont think its a county first. Have they been seen at the Ballybay Wetland Centre?

http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web/Display/sighting/63629/Little_Egret.html

Not a county first Peter. Had one on the local bog behind McElvaney's lorry yard at Killymarley in 2008 and there were reports of one outside Monaghan town a couple of years earlier. Not sure if they have been seen at Ballybay, although a great white egret was there about 4 or 5 years ago.

Si.
 
Great spotted woodpecker high in a treetop near the nature walk in Rossmore Park this afternoon plus 10 crossbills. Made for a pleasant visit there on a dull damp afternoon.

Si.
 
A garden first today. 2 Tree Sparrows seen feeding with House Sparrows on seed thrown on the lawn. A pair or two breed or have bred in the next townland of Coolmain, but rarely visit Killymarley.

Si.
 
Took a trip upto Slieve beagh yesterday. The weather started off misty with a cool breeze but the day turned out to be a nice sunny one.

Arriving at the ring road that includes the penal cross i was greeted by singing skylarks and meadow pipits. Further on I was checking the heather for red grouse when a male popped up and flew within 10 metres giving great views.
I then went to a small valley where a reeling grasshopper warbler gave brief views after a wait of 40 minutes. In the distance could be heard two cuckoos. also on show was a male hen harrier, mistle thrushes,stonechats,siskins,lesser redpolls,willow warblers by the bucket load and chiffchaffs.
Further on at a stream heading towards Knocktallon were a pair of dippers who were showing the signs of feeding young.
I popped into rosmore park on the way home to try and catch some crossbill but to no avail. Plenty of woodland species including jays and goldcrests.

An excellent day out in Monaghan overall.

Regards Gerard.
 
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers in Rossmore Park this afternoon, one drumming which could have been territorial. Could they be a pair? I was not able to ascertain the sex of both birds. A local birding colleague saw one bird emerge from a tree hole last week, so there could be a breeding pair. I saw no activity at the said holes this afternoon. But to have 2 woodpeckers here though is promising.

Si.
 
Bingo! Breeding of Great Spotted Woodpecker confirmed at Rossmore Park. Female seen with juvenile this morning. Another bird drumming within the forest park. This could be a breeding first for Co. Monaghan!

Si.
 
Not a county first Peter. Had one on the local bog behind McElvaney's lorry yard at Killymarley in 2008 and there were reports of one outside Monaghan town a couple of years earlier. Not sure if they have been seen at Ballybay, although a great white egret was there about 4 or 5 years ago.

Si.

I had one at Monalty lake during the oral hearing for the Quinn power plant at Toomes, which I think was winter 08/09...
 
A brambling flew over my house this morning. Headed towards a lane lined with beech trees nearby, but I was unable to pick up on it again. A very infrequent bird on my local area/patch.

Si.
 
Another great spotted woodpecker site in Co. Monaghan. Derrygorry Forest Park on the border with Co.Tyrone. 1 bird heard drumming early this morning.
Cuckoo back on Slieve Beagh with a male bird heard near the Penal Cross.

Si.
 
A 'drumming' snipe was seen displaying over one of the bogs in my local area yesterday evening. This is the first time in 5 years that I have observed this behaviour from one of our sadly declining species. Hopefully a pair may return to breed.

Si.
 
Bad news on the local G S Woodpecker front! A pair nested again at Rossmore Park just outside Monaghan town, but sadly it appears the nest was recently raided as the nest site hole was seen to be made bigger. Culprit? Pine Martin.

Si.
 
2nd winter Iceland Gull flying around the local recycling centre at Scotch Corner at lunchtime. ? only the second county record for this species.

Si.
 
While on my way to do some birding at Dundalk Bay yesterday I spotted an Osprey soaring low over Larragh Loch which is just off the main N2 near Castleblayney. I was able to stop the car safely and observe the bird moving off in a westerly direction. I couldn't be sure whether it was an adult or juvenile bird. This would be Co Monaghan's first record since a relatively long stayer at Loch Moore in the north of the county in 2004.

Si.
 
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