County Galway Birding (local patch) (1 Viewer)

[birdsgalway]

I have a male Redpoll in the garden for the past two weeks feeding at the niger seed with the Goldfinch. This is the first time in 20 years in Tirellan I have Redpoll during the summer. Still no Greenfinch for the past two years.

 

[AOD]

161 Storm Petrel, Lettermullan, 20/05/2011
162 Long-tailed Skua, 2 off Baile na hAbhainn this morning. 2 Arctic Skua and a Bonxie also.

 

[Dermot Breen]

163 Sabine's Gull, Inishbofin ferry.

 

[AOD]

First-summer male Montagu's Harrier at Shannawoneen/Lough Nuala north of Spiddal yesterday morning. Last sighting was at 10am at Lough Nuala when it was lost to view just north of the lake. The second county record after Steven Bierly's stunning adult male back in April.

 

[AOD]

3 fledged Long-eared Owl chicks causing a racket near Moycullen last night. Breeding confirmed in only five 10km squares for the county. Get out and have a listen people!

 

[birdsgalway]

Few shots from yesterday Chiffchaff and Reed Bunting. Seem to be posting less and less to this forum.||

 

[birdsgalway]

Out at Mutton Island Causeway this evening 40+ Manx Shearwater, 1 Sooty Shearwater and 6 Gannet, all very distant approx 3 miles out based on the Margaretta Buoy which can be seen in the photo.
This is a long range digiscoping shot of 3 Manx and the Margaretta Buoy with the Burren in the back ground .

 

[AOD]

164 Sooty Shearwater, Mutton Island, 15th June (Tom Cuffe)
165 Garden Warbler, Kilrainey, Moycullen 27th June

 

[AOD]

An update on the Long-eared Owl situation for the BTO Atlas. Breeding now proven in ten 10km squares with juveniles heard calling in 5 of these squares last night.The east and north of the county are devoid of records - more a case of lack of observers rather than lack of Long-eared Owls I would think.

 

[birdsgalway]

A few shots from the past few days.

A Corncrake was heard calling near the city for the past few weeks which indicated at the time there maybe a nest. However no calling since Sunday, which may be a negative on the nest. Most of the local farmers are very interested and would love to see the Corncrake back on their patch. So here's hoping this is a future location for Ireland's most endangered bird.

Nothing on the Long-eared Owls in the Menlo area. Would be nice to have them that close

 

[Dermot Breen]

An update on Long-eared Owls from Connemara - there are none apart from one pair near Carna. They have been previously recorded in IL65 (Clifden & Cleggan area) and IL75 (Letterfrack & Kylemore area) in past Atlas's but I haven't had any joy in locating any.
Had three different Badgers though including one that was so blind it walked straight up to my car while I was parked along a laneway with me standing outside the car and the headlights on. You could hear the click clack of its claws as it trodded along on the tarmac. Its no wonder so many are hit on the roads.

Dermot

 

[Dermot Breen]

Some recent additions
166 Balearic Shearwater
167 Wilson's Petrel (3rd county record and first land based record)
168 Leach's Petrel
169 Puffin
All Anthony McGeehan's sightings out on the Island of the White Cow.

Has no one seen Spotted Redshank or Green Sandpiper in the county in 2011 yet??

Dermot

Dermot

 

[birdsgalway]

170 Spotted Redshank Rosshill 13 February (Galway Bay Count)

 

[birdsgalway]

A couple of shots of the Dipper at the Owenriff River Oughterard.

171 Tree Sparrow Inisbofin Gordon D'Arcy 5 July

 

[birdsgalway]

Two from yesterday juv Med and 2nd Ring-billed Gull Long Walk at low tide. Adult Ring-billed there today also.

 

[Dermot Breen]

172 Rose-coloured Starling, Inishbofin, Anthony McGeehan.

 

[birdsgalway]

Adult Mediterranean Gull on Claddagh beach on Thursday

 

[abi107]

Monty Hall's Great Irish Escape is on BBC2 on Thursdays at 8 pm. He's based on Inishnee near Roundstone. The show is mainly about cetaceans, but still thought it'd be of interest to people on here.

 

[AOD]

173 American Golden Plover. 1st summer on the beach at Loughaunbeg, Inveran (M063 212) yesterday. Have only seen Golden Plover here on a few occasions and always only a handful. The bird was present for only a few hours and then disappeared with around 50 of the 80 Golden Plover present. No sign of it today and only 15 Goldies present. Three Arctic Skua offshore yeaterday also at Inveran.

 

[Dermot Breen]

Some pics of the AGP. Amazing to think there are only three county records previous to 2000. There have been about eleven since. Only one has been in August previously.

Dermot