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

County Galway Birding (local patch) (1 Viewer)

The Great Northern's are likely to be still heading north even at this late juncture in the spring Stewart. We get them from as far away as Arctic Canada and Greenland, so they aren't in any great hurry to catch the summer starting that far north,
small numbers of non-breeders summer here too,
atb
Hugh
 
Stewart J. said:
Stayed at the Sandhill Caravan Park, Sandhill overlooking Galway Bay yesterday. Was rather surprised at the numbers of Whimbrel present/ passing over well in excess of 50 one group alone numbered 19.
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The annual whimbrel passage here between late April and mid May is an impressive feature of the Galway Bay year. There are hundreds throughout this period spread along the shorelines, and congregating in nearby pastures, at least in the eastern part of the bay. The largest feeding group I saw this spring numbered 136, and I watched at least 350 coming in to roost on islands in the SE part of the bay one evening. This roost seemed to be pulling in birds just from this corner of the bay, so I'm sure there are other similar roosts elsewhere in the bay.

Paul
 
Many thanks Paul and Hugh, for a Northumbrian like myself we only experience the edge as it were of Whimbrel passage with small groups passing over 5-6 being a good record. G N Divers are scarce along the NE coast and mainly a winter visitor.
 
Stewart J. said:
Stayed at the Sandhill Caravan Park, Sandhill overlooking Galway Bay yesterday. Was rather surprised at the numbers of Whimbrel present/ passing over well in excess of 50 one group alone numbered 19.

Also very eye-opening were the numbers of Great Northern Divers, difficult to count accurately but in excess of 20 one group numbered 9 and seemed to be having a co-ordinated fish? Quite a variety of plumage's from winter and many in between to at least 2 in full breeding plumage.

Is this a summering area for them or a gathering before moving North?
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Interesting to read this, I've just had a similar experience last week in the Burren, with a peak count of 31 GND from one headland, 26 of which were adults in BP. I'm guessing they will all head for Iceland but it does seem late in the year.
 
Hello,

I'm a photographer and will be visiting Cliffden for the pony show in mid August. I'm hoping to see some birds that we don't find here in Florida. Does anyone have any advice on places to go? I'll have a car but will most likely be completely lost ;). The Gannet tops my list of birds I'd like to shoot. Any chance I'll run into these in Connemara, and during this time?

Thanks in advance!

Bill
 
I reported a poss AGP on the main site pages from early June, ive never seen one but by the call and jizz it appears to be the species i saw over Mervue, anyone heard of it since?
 
Hi Bill

Your best chance of getting close enough to a Gannet is to get out onto a small fishing boat or even ferry boat. I have one good contact who regularly takes out fishing trips and knows his birds. Let me know if your interested. Some other good spots locally are Inishbofin island, the Ballyconneely area (south of Clifden) and Omey Island which can be reached at low tide. Most of the birds you'll encounter here will be new to you. Speaking from personal experience Florida is a far better location for the number of species and individual birds, tameness of the subject birds and light conditions for photography. However there should be a few opportunities for some good photography here, if you get the weather ;) I'm based in Clifden myself, where the Pony Show takes place. I might be able to meet up with you when you're over here and show you a few spots and birds if you want on one of the days.
 
Just thought I'd post this because it may be of interest to some of you. I recently found a Little Stint at Barna pier (12/9/14) , the bird had two colour rings on its legs and I was able to read the rings and contacted the ringing project. The bird was a juvenile and was ringed on the 31st of August this year at the Revtangen Ornithological Station in Klepp, west Norway. As far as i know this is only the 2nd or 3rd record of a Norwegian ringed stint in Ireland!
 
Hello Cathal! i saw the same bird and reported the ringing i was waiting to hear back about where it was ringed cheers mate, might see you at the pier soon, the Stint was my first, Neil
 
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Spent last weekend on Inishbofin (at the Anthony McGeehan led birding trip). Fab weather throughout but no rarities found. Species count for the weekend was 50, best bird was a Whinchat, showing well over the 2 days on fence posts and shrubbery just past the Dolphin Hotel. Plentiful numbers of Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Wheatear around and on the shoreline - Sanderling, Dunlin and Ringed Plover.
 

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Had a Yellow-browed Warbler calling this morning near the courthouse in Galway city. Directly opposite the front door of St. Nicholas' Primary school is a large blue door with a no parking sign. Behind this is a communal garden/yard of some description with a few sycamores. The bird was calling from in here. It was not seen and seeing as it was 20m away from the front door of a primary school I thought it best not to return and stand around with binoculars! Will go back after school finishes this afternoon and see if I can pin it down.
 

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Nimmo's Pier; the first Saturday of the month. 10.30am
The Saturday 4th October, for a nice walk along the pier and Claddagh Beach. Just not about birds but also a social event to catch up with those other birders you have not seen since the last outing or meeting. How's your year list going, maybe a rarity my show you never know.
 
Skua fest off Silver Strand today. This morning from 10:30-11:45 I had 38 Arctic Skua and 6 Pomarine Skua. Winds were from the east and all the birds were heading east into the bay. This evening from 17:00-18:30 I had 116 Arctic Skua, 17 Pomarine and 4 Greats. Winds this evening were S/SW. Vast majority of birds were juveniles and most were very close in. Not a single Grey Phal., Black Tern, LT Skua or Leach's Petrel for my year list :-(
 
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