County Galway Birding (local patch) (1 Viewer)

[nialltkeogh]

I have often wondered if the Cruisetown bird was responsible for the erratic sightings of Forster's in Wexford Harbour during the winter.
Perhaps it is the same individual seen at Lady's Island & Tacumshin this summer?

I'd imagine the Nimmo's bird is different to the east coast bird.

Niall

 

[breffni]

There are definately two birds anyway: http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/w...0&orderby=latestfirst&keywords=forster's+tern

taking all the sightings it might be possible to track the trajectory of each...

 

[nialltkeogh]

East coast bird arrives at Cruisetown early winter, moves to Wexford Harbour mid-winter, back up to Killyleagh, Co. Down late winter/spring, then down to south Wexford for the breeding season.

With no overlap in the dates between these sites I'd imagine it is the same bird alright doing a tour of the east coast.

Have seen Forster's at Cruisetown in Nov '07 and Tacumshin this summer. Always managed to dip the Nimmo's bird!

Niall

 

[Pariah]

Cracking Little AGP dermo!!
Always a great and enjoyable bird to find.
Someone will have to tally up how many county year ticks ya have found this year.....any excuse to get extra free pints!!

Owen

 

[Paul Troake]

One little auk today at Rusheen Bay - flew right past me along the edge of the bay at the north side of the drumlin next to Silver Strand, heading in to a strong south-westerly towards the beach, late morning. One for the county year list? Does anyone know how many records there are for the county?
Also a petrel offshore, probably storm, though never showing for long before settling. Otherwise pretty quiet offshore - a few kittis heading west distantly, a few razor/guillies, one gannet...
Also 4 little egrets in the bay plus one Sandwich tern, 18 greenshanks & 45 brents. One purple sandpiper in flight west of Black Rock.

At Claddagh, a 1st-w Med gull was feeding amongst a flock of bhgs at the base of the Mutton causeway and the wader roost on the fields included 170 ringed plover and 109 dunlin. Yesterday there were 5 common scoter offshore and a pintail flew west.

Troakie

 

[birdsgalway]

County List
210 Little Auk Rusheen Bay Paul Troake 11.11.08

previous Little Auk records
1991
5th January Exhausted and later died near Oughterard (T.Whilde)
12th January Found dead near Athenry (D. Cronin)
1993
16th January Rossaveel
1999
17 January near Clarinbridge (I. Brophy and M. ten Cate)
2001
23rd November: Cloghmore
2002
15th February Nimmos
2004
8th October: Slyne Head (Ger O'Donnell).
20th January: Nr. Dock Gates, Galway City (Ray Gilmore).
13th January: Nimmo's Pier, Galway City (John Murphy & Stan Nugent).
2006
3rd December: Spiddal Pier (Aonghus O'Donaill).
2007
9th November: found dead near Spiddal (Fearghas MacLochlainn).

Was on the Corrib count on Saturday generally numbers were very very low. The best I seen was a Hen Harrier, two Raven and 10 whooper Swans.

 

[Paul Troake]

An impressively comprehensive response - thanks Tom!

 

[Dermot Breen]

What were the numbers out on the Corrib Tom? When is the Bay count??
One adult winter Med Gull at Mannin Bay but otherwise very quiet today.
Snow Goose again up on Belmullet today btw.

Dermot

 

[Dermot Breen]

Colour ringed Ringed Plovers @ Omey.

Details of two colour ringed Ringed Plovers out at Omey Strand on 26th October. Second bird also seen yesterday.

"The pale blue ring confirms it was ringed as a chick (one of approximately 20) in the area of Achiltibuie, Coigach, Wester Ross in 2008. Unfortunately the pale blue is just a marker for chicks to identify the area they were raised in but I cannot identify the specific chick. I do know however that it was one of ringed on the coast between Acheninver and Achnahaird (i.e grid squares NB91, NC00 & NC 01) between April and August."

"NW33314 was ringed at Snettisham, Norfolk, British National grid ref TF6433 on the 3/7/2006 when it was a chick."

Dermot

 

[Dermot Breen]

211 Common Eider Gowlaun Beach.

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

Dermot Eiders are scares as the Little Auks. The way you guys are going 220 for the county total could be reached. (I notice in 2003 the 'A' Team were in action)

Previous records for Eiders.
1992
22th December; (1) Parkmore
24th December; (1) Traught
1996
28th December; (1) Traught (G. D'Arcy T. Griffin et al.)
1999
22th October; (1) Ballyloughan (D.Breen).
2002
13th January; (2) Galway bay count
2003
5th April; (11) Traught (Dermot Breen, Tim Griffin, Aonghus O'Donaill & Michael Davis).
5th April: (2) Nimmo's Pier (Dermot Breen).
2004
10th September; (2) Nr. Slyne Head lighthouse (Ger O'Donnell).

 

[Paul Troake]

Today at Spiddle:
3 grey phalaropes distantly out in the bay, 1st-w glaucous gull on rocks by the beach, 5 purple sandpipers on the beach and dipper on the river.
Spiddle seems to be a good spot for gulls, though very underwatched I think. I wonder how many birders pass through en route to Rosaveal without checking the gulls here. There was also a very large flock of gulls and auks out in the bay, which it turned out were feeding on fish brought to the surface by a couple of occasionally surfacing/breaching minke whales.

Troakie

 

[John Carey]

Had the largest flock of starlings I have seen since moving to Galway yesterday. Circa 4500 birds (although most possibly more) about 2.5 km east of Oranmore on the N6. This is the second evening in a row to see the birds so am hoping there is a roost there and might try and pick them up again over the weekend.

A great sight.....even at 90kph!

 

[Dermot Breen]

Aonghus and myself had first-winter off Kilronan, Inishmore a few years back one winter. Wasn't there a small flock of birds off Traught two years back also?
American Golden Plover still out at Omey with the Golden Plover today. They have been missing on a few occassions recently though. Some pics from today.

Dermot

 

[Neil Sharkey]

American GP and Galway Newsletter

Aonghus and myself had first-winter off Kilronan, Inishmore a few years back one winter. Wasn't there a small flock of birds off Traught two years back also?
American Golden Plover still out at Omey with the Golden Plover today. They have been missing on a few occassions recently though. Some pics from today.

Dermot

Excellent photos Dermot. At long last I know what to look for to indentify an American GP.
To anyone interested the latest Galway Newsletter is out - including an account of Dermot's Western Sandpiper. Email me at [email protected] for a copy.

 

[Dermot Breen]

County Year List

Went through the county list last night and discovered that Raven is down twice at number 126 and 141. When I totaled them up I only came to 209 so I must be missing something else.
There was a good report of an adult-type Golden Eagle near Lough Nafooey in September I think so thats another one for the list.
Golden Eagle 210/211?
As for further additions to the yearlist I'd predict Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Bewick's Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Green-winged Teal, Smew, Goosander, Ruddy Duck, Laughing/Bonaparte's/Yellow-legged Gull, Waxwing, Carrion Crow and Tree Sparrow. I think we could realistically get about half a dozen of these. Hopefully we might get something completely unexpected before the year is out.

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

Dermot thanks for spotting the double entry re the Raven. Attention to detail pays of in more ways then one.

Listed below is the last 26 attached to the list including corrections.
185. Yellow-browed Warbler
186. White's Thrush
187. Garden Warbler
188. Long-billed Dowitcher
189. Snow Bunting
190. Corncrake
191. Lapland Bunting
192. Little Blue Heron
193. Canada Goose
194. Barnacle Goose
195. Semi-palmated Sandpiper
196. Barred Warbler
197. Lesser Whitethroat
198. Black-necked Grebe
199. Tree Pipit
200. Turtle Dove
201. Rose-coloured Starling
202. Short-eared Owl
203. Ring-necked duck
204. Juv/fem Blue-winged Teal
205. Yellow Wagtail
206. Red-brested Flycatcher
207. Brambling
208. American Golden Plover
209. Little Auk
210. Common Eider
211. Golden eagle

 

[Brosnabirder]

Weekend News

Saw the Red-necked Grebe today. It was found by Paul Troake yesterday and attracted a few people. Some pics by Ronan McLaughlin on www.irishbirding.com
Is this yet another addition to the county year list Tom?
Also present at Black Rock today were a female Common Scoter, five GN Divers, one Long-tailed Duck and several Black Guillemots

Also Dermot found another Lesser Scaup on Lough Rea today. Nice find.

This morning Tim saw the GW Egret on the ground and in flight over the Curraghline.

 

[Brosnabirder]

Forthcoming Mid Shannon Bird Report

Stephen Heery is putting the finishing touches to the Fourth Mid-Shannon Bird Report at the moment. If anybody has any last minute records for the area between 2004 and 2007 please get in touch.

 

[birdsgalway]

County List
212 Red-necked Grebe Paul Troake Backrock Salthill 15.11.08

Hooked up with the Grebe today with Tom Chadwick, Tim Griffin and Aonghus O'Donaill. A lifer for me also another lifer yesterday for what I am 99% sure is a Lesser Scaup at Anglingham on the Corrib (pic below). Also yesterday there was the possibility of 2 Ring-neck Duck to distant to call would be a lifer also BUT!!!.

Could be a case of the 'Black Art' working here with the predictions. Prediction by Dermot on Friday found by Troakie on Saturday. Which one is next lads?

All pics are video grabs oh for a bit of sunshine.