-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
County Galway Birding (local patch) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter birdsgalway
- Start date
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
With the Yankie wader season upon us I went through the record books just to see how Galway has fared during the autumns of 2001 to 2011. Here's the number of individual birds during the years.
2001 - 1
2002 - 2
2003 - 4
2004 - 3
2005 - 0
2006 - 3
2007 - 6
2008 - 10
2009 - 11
2010 - 16
2011 - 21
We'll have our work cut out for us to try and beat last years extraordinary total. Just of note although amazingly there were zero American waders seen in the county during the autumn of 2005 there was a spring Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper, both first and currently only county records.
On a different note Craig Nash found an Ortolan Bunting out on Inishbofin today. The first county record. Previous to today the only bunting species on the county list were Yellowhammer, Corn, Reed, Snow and Lapland Buniting.
Dermot
2001 - 1
2002 - 2
2003 - 4
2004 - 3
2005 - 0
2006 - 3
2007 - 6
2008 - 10
2009 - 11
2010 - 16
2011 - 21
We'll have our work cut out for us to try and beat last years extraordinary total. Just of note although amazingly there were zero American waders seen in the county during the autumn of 2005 there was a spring Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper, both first and currently only county records.
On a different note Craig Nash found an Ortolan Bunting out on Inishbofin today. The first county record. Previous to today the only bunting species on the county list were Yellowhammer, Corn, Reed, Snow and Lapland Buniting.
Dermot
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
Some shots of the Inishbofin Ortolan Bunting up on the blog now. Showed rather well!
Captain_of_Crunch
YVdpep_re64
Fantastic photos, Dermot. Might head up on Friday if its still around. Whereabouts on the island has it been seen?
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
The bird has been looked for this morning and there's no sign. Clear skies last night may have been responsible. It was mostly hanging around the house just before the Dolphin Hotel with the Escallonia hedging all around it. Periodically flew out to the pull-in at the side of the road to feed on seed which was put out by Craig. It had also been seen further back East along the road.
Captain_of_Crunch
YVdpep_re64
Thanks. A pity that it didn't hang around, Ortolan isn't the easiest species to see in Ireland.
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
I think the yearlist is missing quite a few extra species at this stage. I make it at least 183.
Latest addition is American Golden Plover down at Truska on Tuesday. Record shots on the blog.
Latest addition is American Golden Plover down at Truska on Tuesday. Record shots on the blog.
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
County yearlist running at 188 by my rough calculations, may well have missed a few?
Latest additions Wilson's Petrel and Puffin today off Baile na hAbhann seen by Aonghus and Common Rosefinch on Inishbofin seen by Anthony yesterday. Full yearlist below (haven't counted White-tailed Eagle). We'd want to get a surge of a few good additions in the next week or two to hope to get over the 200 mark which at the moment doesn't look like it may happen.
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Fulmar, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Wilson's Petrel, Storm Petrel, Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Garganey, Shoveler, Pochard, Ring-necked Duck, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Goldeneye, Smew, Red-breasted Merganser, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Osprey, Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine, Red Grouse, Pheasant, Water Rail, Corncrake, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Dotterel, American Golden Plover, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Pectoral Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Snipe, Woodcock, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Grey Phalarope, Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Great Skua, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Sabine's Gull, Black-headed Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Forster's Tern, Little Tern, Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Puffin, Rock Dove, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Swift, Kingfisher, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Dipper, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Wood Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Jay, Magpie, Chough, Jackdaw, Rook, Hooded Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Twite, Redpoll, Arctic Redpoll, Crossbill, Common Rosefinch, Bullfinch, Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting, Yellowhammer, Ortolan Bunting, Reed Bunting.
Latest additions Wilson's Petrel and Puffin today off Baile na hAbhann seen by Aonghus and Common Rosefinch on Inishbofin seen by Anthony yesterday. Full yearlist below (haven't counted White-tailed Eagle). We'd want to get a surge of a few good additions in the next week or two to hope to get over the 200 mark which at the moment doesn't look like it may happen.
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Fulmar, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Wilson's Petrel, Storm Petrel, Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Garganey, Shoveler, Pochard, Ring-necked Duck, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Goldeneye, Smew, Red-breasted Merganser, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Osprey, Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine, Red Grouse, Pheasant, Water Rail, Corncrake, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Dotterel, American Golden Plover, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Pectoral Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Snipe, Woodcock, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Grey Phalarope, Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Great Skua, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Sabine's Gull, Black-headed Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Forster's Tern, Little Tern, Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Puffin, Rock Dove, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Swift, Kingfisher, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Dipper, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Wood Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Jay, Magpie, Chough, Jackdaw, Rook, Hooded Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Twite, Redpoll, Arctic Redpoll, Crossbill, Common Rosefinch, Bullfinch, Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting, Yellowhammer, Ortolan Bunting, Reed Bunting.
Wilson's Petrel and two Grey Phalaropes off Baile na hAbhainn yesterday. The petrel was quite a shock to say the least. I picked it up not far offshore heading west out of the bay at 15:25. Saw it first for a few seconds before it was lost to view behind the two large rocks blocking your view as you scan from Baile na hAbhainn pier. When it came into view again it banked briefly to the right and the long legs protruding behind the tail could be seen. Flew west low to the water surface for another minute before being lost to view.Have seen shedloads of stormies and Leach's from the same spot over the years but didn't even consider Wilson's a possibility from here - especially not on the 4th of October.
birdsgalway
Tom Cuffe
At 12 noon today on Inishmore Hugh Delaney connect with a MEGA EASTERN KINGBIRD
I think a first for Europe so there will be a few twitchers around.
I think a first for Europe so there will be a few twitchers around.
Last edited:
Deshiggins
Well-known member
birdsgalway
Tom Cuffe
@GalwayBirdNews: 7/10 BLACKPOLL WARBLER in garden along high road below Dun Arainn, Inishmore, H.Delany.
birdsgalway
Tom Cuffe
@GalwayBirdNews
10/10 Woodchat Shrike, Kilmurvey, Inishmore, N.Warnock. Another first for Galway! Yellow-browed Warbler still present.
10/10 Woodchat Shrike, Kilmurvey, Inishmore, N.Warnock. Another first for Galway! Yellow-browed Warbler still present.
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
Photo's of the Eastern Kingbird and the Woodchat Shrike on the blog now.
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
Some shots of a very shy Dusky Warbler out on Inishmore yesterday on the blog now. Also Ring Ouzel and Woodchat. Two county ticks in the one day, happy days.
birdsgalway
Tom Cuffe
@GalwayBirdNews
22/10 MEGA OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT, Kilmurvey, Inishmore, H.Delaney.
22/10 MEGA OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT, Kilmurvey, Inishmore, H.Delaney.
Dermot Breen
Well-known member
See below
Paul Troake
troakiebloky
Picture attached of the Blue-winged Teal at Rahasane today (best of a series of digiscoped record shots, ringed on right leg).
Best of the rest: 70 Greenland White-fronts, 1600+ Golden Plover, 1300 Black-tailed Godwits, Spotted Redshank, Kingfisher, Merlin, 40+ Whooper Swans, 60 Pintail, 47 Gadwall, Knot, 25+ Little Egrets, Scaup and Woodcock.
Troakie
Best of the rest: 70 Greenland White-fronts, 1600+ Golden Plover, 1300 Black-tailed Godwits, Spotted Redshank, Kingfisher, Merlin, 40+ Whooper Swans, 60 Pintail, 47 Gadwall, Knot, 25+ Little Egrets, Scaup and Woodcock.
Troakie
