County Galway Birding (local patch) (1 Viewer)

[John Carey]

Great news on the Red necked Grebe in Galway...well done to all.

Rahasane was very flooded on Sunday. Water levels about 4-5 ft higher than during Golden plover count a few weeks ago. All species present but not in numbers. The plover were visible in flight but never actually entered the turlough. Cica 6000 birds. Best sightings were 6 oystercatcher, 2 Sparrowhawk (one fantastic view) and a pair of greenshank. One small flock or 7 snipe zipping over every now and again.

Mr. Breen picked up the lesser scaup on Lough rea which gave good views and plenty of shoveller, coot and tufted on the lough too. Also 42 greylag on the lake, first time I have seen them there.

:t:

 

[Dermot Breen]

Two crap shots of the drake Lesser Scaup. Light was not good to say the least so had to put ISO up very high.
Great White Egret also seen today. Didn't see it yesterday despite being at Angliham when it was reported. Must be just spending most of its time in the channels and ditches.

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

Just got a call from Tim the Forster's Tern showing well at Mutton Island Causeway at high tide. The Red-necked Grebe still at approx same location Salthill today and has been there all week.

 

[Neil Sharkey]

Galway Newsletter and Bird Report

Current Newsletter and new format 3rd Quarter Bird Report now on www.birdWatchgalway.org site or e mail me at [email protected] for a copy.
It would help Chris Peppiatt - our Bird Report compiler - if all rarities and unusual sightings were reported via the BirdWatch Galway web site using the link option there. Thanks Neil Sharkey.

 

[Dermot Breen]

Nimmo's today

Nimmo's Pier today - adult winter Forsters Tern (showing extremely well on rocks just offshore on the beach), 3 Sandwich Terns, 3 adult winter Ring-billed Gulls, one first-winter Iceland Gull and finally a very interesting third-winter Herring Gull found by Tom Cuffe. Looks very smiths like around the head and breast but since its not first-winter nor full adult it will be near impossible to say for sure if it is an American Herring Gull. Tom got a shots including the open wing which I'm sure he probably post here when he gets a chance.
I got good shots of the Forsters and a few others today but it will be Monday before I can upload them.
Nothing out at Loughrea this afternoon nor this morning though was a bit choppy out there today. Didn't see the grebe today either.

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

At Nimmo's this evening Herring Gull which looks very like an American Herring Gull. Photos attached.

Did not see the Forster's Tern, the Ring-billed Gulls or the Iceland.

At Anglingham this morning the place was devoded of ducks as the place was being shot by at least 3 groups.

 

[Dermot Breen]

Nimmo's Pier 22nd Nov

Pics of the three Ring-bills and other at Nimmo's on Sat. Bird one and particularly bird number two looks very familar to me. Bird three possibly third-winter? - bill with green-blue tones, fairly heavy streaking on nape.

Dermot

 

[Dermot Breen]

Some more

Shots of the Sandwich from Nimmo's.
Photos of Black Brant (Brant pics in next mail) and Dark-bellied Brent may be of interest. These two were in Killala Bay, Mayo yesterday. No records of Black Brant and I think there may well be only one (unsubmitted?) record of Dark-bellied Brent for Galway. Anyway they are both very distinctive.
Though the pics aren't great you can make out the very obvious white collar on the Brant that joins in the front of the throat and goes a fair bit back, the black fore flanks, making it difficult to tell where the black breast & the flanks begin and black belly which extends behind the legs. The Dark-bellied Brent has a similar pattern on the underparts but lack the black colouration of the Brant, usually more dark colour on the top of flanks on Dark-bellied, Black Brant always whitish here.

Dermot

 

[Dermot Breen]

213 Pink-footed Goose reported on Inishbofin yesterday.

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

County List 2008
214 Hoopoe Christy Meehan Traught Beach 24.11.08

 

[birdsgalway]

Dermot
Just trying to get a handle on your info on Brent and relate it to Collins

Light-bellied Brent is Branta bernicla hrota (Greenland)
Dark-bellied Brent is Branta bernicla bernicla (Russia)
Black Brant is Branta bernicla nigricans (North America)

Just wonder why Brant is not Brent, therefore Black Brent.

 

[nialltkeogh]

Hi Tom,

Brant is just the American vernacular name for the Brent Geese.

As far as I know, they refer to all Branta ssp. as 'Brant'.

Regards,
Niall

 

[birdsgalway]

Thanks Niall.
I think we should should call it the Black-bellied Brent to follow the naming re the hrota and bernicla.

 

[Brosnabirder]

Went to see the Hoopoe at Traught today. Nice find and a nice bird.

To add a little to Niall's info on Brant Geese.
There are two theories on the origin of the name of Brent Geese.

A Brant is an older name than Brent and came to English from a silmilar Old Norse word brandgads . It literally means burnt or black.

B It derives from the birds call.

Either way Brant appears to be the older name and presumably the word was taken to America by early settlers and continued to be used there after we on this side of the Atlantic changed to using Brent.

It appears that Brant became Brent because it was believed that a classical Greek waterbird Brenthos and Brent Geese were the same thing
Some info here on that:
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Brent-Goose

By the way I had to look all this up. It didn't come off the top of my head

 

[John Carey]

By the way I had to look all this up. It didn't come off the top of my head [/QUOTE]

Tom!

You are much too modest.....I know that that all came of the top of your head. :-O

Nice to see the whoopoe making an apperance back in Galway. Might have to make an apperance myself soon.......

 

[Dermot Breen]

Hoopoe Pics

Huge numbers of diving duck off Angliham last evening, no shooting thankfully. Didn't have much time to go through them though so who knows what was missed. Just a single female-type Ring-necked Duck in same area that I had the male Ring-necked Duck and female Lesser Scaup the last time off the northwest tip looking over at Muckross.
Male Scaup x Tufted Duck hybrid also somewhat similar to a male Lesser Scaup. Very similar the hybrid that spent a few winters on Lough Atalia (or thesame individual?) with Greater Scaup when they used to use it in numbers (what numbers winter there these days btw?).
Rahasane is also fantastic at the moment. Over a thousand Wigeon, 200 Pintail, 60 Tufted Duck, 70 GWFs with single Greylag in tow, 1 Little Egret, etc. there yesterday.

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

Dermot
Great shots of the Hoopoe. Hope to go to Traught tomorrow. Could you post approx location of the bird.

Tom would have to agree with John facts like that just roll of your tongue your way to modest.

 

[Brosnabirder]

Hi Tom
The Hoopoe was on the strand in front of the car park at Traught yesterday. It was mostly just left of the car park as you look out to sea and ranged as far as the toilet block. Look for it just above the high tide line which is marked by seaweed. It can be difficult to spot on the ground initially but was fairly confiding once found. It was tolerant of the numerous dogs and dog walkers too amazingly. Best of luck. It's been reported today on irish birding


Since nobody else has mentioned it, Congratulations to Dermot on his two finders accounts in the last two issues of Birdwatch magazine. Great stuff, gives a real flavour of the excitement at finding a real rarity. Congrats to Tom too. Cracking photo of the Little Blue Heron in this month's Birdwatch to accompany Dermot's article.

 

[birchall]

Has anybody an update on the Hoopoe today. I might make a trip to Traught tomorrow if it's still around.

 

[birdsgalway]

Brendan
Hoopoe was there today 12 noon feeding along the sand above the sea weed and in the sea weed to the left of the carpark. Was scanning the area for 20mins before I pick him up and that was because he took flight from where he was skulking in the sea weed. Very confiding bird down to 20 feet. Severe bitter on shore wind made it difficult to photo. Out of a hundred shots only a few worth keeping. One strange looking bird and a tick for me.

PS
Thanks Tom for the location at Traught and to echo your sentiment to Dermot who also has an article in Birding World on the Little Blue Heron.