County Galway Birding (local patch) (1 Viewer)

[birdsgalway]

Couple of shots of the Grey Phalarope at Nimmo's today giving stunning views. Would be nice if it is still there tomorrow for Tim Griffin's first of the month outing on the Pier

Troakie yes you did mention seeing the otter at Nimmo's and to enlighten others I have been going to Nimmo's for about 4 years and have yet to see the otter there. The number of visiting birds that have also mentioned seeing the otter is a just little frustrating :C.

 

[Brosnabirder]

Nice Phalarope pics Tom

I was out at Traught yesterday
1 Little Stint and 1 Spotted Redshank at the causeway were the highlights.

At Coral Beach, Carraroe today 2 Long-tailed Ducks and 5 Great Northern Divers were the best. I also saw 2 Merlin on the road between Oughterard and Rossaveal.

 

[Dermot Breen]

Lesser Scaup & RN Duck @ Angliham Yesterday

Hi all

Have attached a few shots of the Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Duck at Angliham, Lough Corrib yesterday (you can clearly see the small black nail on the LS). Really must get myself sorted out with a proper camera, I would have gotten decent shots.
Anyway the Lesser Scaup was picked up at the very north-weatern corner of Anghliham (not the NW of the Corrib). She was reasonably distant but the head shape was immediately obvious. It then quickly swam right in into a flock of around 500 birds mostly Tufted just 150 metres offshore. It was thankfully flat calm out there. There was a flock of 1000 birds mostly Pochard off the quarry itself, this was where the hybrids were.
Overall the colouration of the body was quite warm brown. The head shape was well peaked behind the eye, almost like an obtuse triangle (those maths lessons finally came to use!). It could flatten the crown feathers when feeding just before diving. There was the slightest of tuft/crest at the back ot the crown but no where near like a female Tufted.
The white blaze at the base of the bill was well defined and not as extensive at a female Greater Scaup. It also showed no pale ear coverts like an adult female Greater. This feature, the dull yellow eye and the freshness of the plumage which lacked any grey mottling lead me to believe it was probably a juvenile bird. It also have nice regular barring on the flanks whereas most Tufted and Greater Scaup were quite blotchy and messy here.
Also present was the drake Ferruginous x Pochard hybrid, Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid (Redhead like), 5 Greater Scaup, adult female Marsh Harrier, 1 adult male & 3-4 ringtail Hen Harrier and a single Yellowhammer with a flock of Reed Buntings (first one I've seen in Galway in a number of years).
There were probably 2-3 times the amount of duck on the far side and further out on the lake. God only knows whats out with them:eek!:. As the current Governor of California say "I'll be back!"

Dermot

 

[nialltkeogh]

Hi Dermot,

A great day out! Fair play to ya combing through them masses of duck.
If ya can manage to find something at Lough Owel (closer to home for me) that would be much appreciated!!!

Did you get any shots of the hybrids???

Definitly back into quack season. Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, 4 American x Eurasian Wigeon hybrids, Green-winged Teal and Garganey all between Kilcoole & Broadlough, Co. Wicklow over the past month.

See Ya,
Niall

 

[Dermot Breen]

No shots of the hybrids. The Fug duck have alot more Pochard in it - Pochard size, no white undertail covs.
Did you see the American hybrids yourself Niall? How close were they to American or were they your typical Eurasian drakes with the green flash behind eye?

Dermot

 

[nialltkeogh]

Dermot,

Didn't see the Amer. Wigeon or the hybrids myself, it was Moray Souter who found them...havn't been seen since the 28th Oct.

I was talking to Moray yesterday at Kilcoole and he showed me a shot of one of the hybrids (which are all males). Essentially they look like a full male Eurasian except with an exstensive green flash around and behind the eye like a Teal. This is a definite feature an not just light dependant like the small green eye patches shown by male Eurasian. The pink/grey border on the side of the breast looked quite mottled and not as well defined as Eurasian. The white patch on the upperwing coverts was quite extensive, even at rest, which was what Moray said drew his attention to the birds first.

Most of the Wigeon along this stretch of coast are in Webb's field, Kilcoole at the moment, with a min. of 960 there yesterday. (flock size estimated at around 1,000-1,200 max.), but there was no sign of the yanky wigeon.

See Ya,
Niall

 

[Pariah]

Nice one Dermo!
A very nice bird.
You have brought winter upon us however.
Shame on you! Now I feel the need to go do ennel and owel as a consequence.

Owen

 

[birdsgalway]

County Total
209 Lesser Scaup Dermot Breen Anglingham Lough Corrib 02.11.08

Dermot it is hard to believe you're taking photos at that range with you digiphone and getting such great results.

About 25 good souls turned out for the first of the month outing at Nimmo's Pier with Tim Griffin. 32 species were seen and the Grey Pharlarope obliged with stunning views for every one.

At Rusheen bay on Sunday morning over 500 Dunlin with Ringed Plover, 42 Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Greenshank 22 Brent Geese, the bay had a real buzz about it. Buzzard flew over head at Silver Strand being mobbed by a Hooded Crow. Also the fields toward Barna were alive with Finches.

Lough Atalia had the Common Sandpiper also Heinz 57 is still there.

Went down to Anglingham, but a bit on the late side to have any chance of picking up the Ring-necked Duck and Lesser Scaup found by Dermot Breen.

 

[John Carey]

Hello all,

Is Snow Bunting on the county list yet? Pete Capsey and Neil Sharkey had them on the slieve aughties. Also had a buzzard- good weekend in Galway for the buzzards!

 

[birdsgalway]

News Update

County List
190 Snow Bunting Aonghus O'Donnaill Diamond Hill, Connemara National Park 03.10.08
191 Corncrake (Inish Bofin and Omey Island)
192 Lapland Bunting Dermot Breen 2 Juv at Doonloughan, Mannin Beg. 03.10.08

Snow bunting came in at 190

 

[John Carey]

Many thanks Tom,

Gentle reminder to those concerned.....Atlas counting has resumed......all I have to do now is find a free weekend!

 

[Dermot Breen]

Paul and Andrea Kelly had that drake Lesser Scaup at Loughrea on 11th Feb 2008 so I presume its already on county list?
Forgot to mention there were around 5 drake Pochards present on Sunday that were either adults coming out of eclipse or less likely, advanced first-winter males with black bills and definite black tones to the forehead. Worth bearing in mind when claiming the first Canvasback for Ireland (which I have no doubt must surely be annual on the Corrib). Weather set to be unsettled for the weekend so probably won't be too suitable for the Corrib.
Flew over the Corrib today and there are tracks leading into the SW end of the lough. However I'm not too sure how friendly the locals are if you were to go down them.
Have already signed up for a few tetrads out here. Seems to be virtually no take up in west Galway for Bird Atlas.

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

Dermot you're correct regarding the Lesser Scaup which I had down at 25. I asked the question a few messages back whether Paul and Andrea had a Ring-necked Duck at Loughrea and was obviously confusing the two duck sp.

Dermot you will have to explain this new jet set life style. I FLEW OVER THE CORRIB.
Most us have to use Google Earth.

 

[Dermot Breen]

Tom we've ditched the Berlingo vans for helicopters o

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

Lastest News

County List
209 American Golden Plover Dermot Breen Omey Island 05.11.08

Forster's Tern is back on Cladagh beach, also 1st winter Iceland Gull as per Paul Troake 2.30pm

 

[Paul Troake]

Also a flock of 21 twite dropped in at Claddagh this afternoon for about 10 minutes, before flying across the river, dropping down towards the waste ground on the far side.
At Rossaveal yesterday, 2 adult Med gulls and 2 otters.

Troakie

 

[breffni]

Forster's Tern is back on Cladagh beach, also 1st winter Iceland Gull as per Paul Troake 2.30pm

I wonder if this is the same bird as has been frequenting Cruisetown beach?

 

[Dermot Breen]

AGP Shots

Some record shots of the AGP from yesterday.
Not sure about the Forsters Breffni.
Juvenile Common Buzzard at Tully today. First reported by locals. Twitched it in the afternoon. County tick.

Dermot

 

[breffni]

Last year a Forster's hung around Cruisetown beach in Louth from October to early December then disappeared. In mid-December a Forsters turned up in Galway and stayed into March moving between Claddagh and Nimmos.

 

[Peter Phillips]

Someone suggested to me last year that they thought the Cruisetown and a bird in Down? might be the same bird.