Dotterel update

I returned to Slyne Head yesterday to find the two Dotterel again present in the usual spot along with a few European Golden Plover nearby (no American Goldies quite yet). I headed off to retrieve the trail camera which I had put out in the marsh a few nights previously. I put it out to see if anything interesting would show up on it, who knows maybe a crake species or Solitary Sandpiper? Not surprisingly it didn't quite pan out like this but it was nice to pick up a Water Rail and a few Snipe. After checking a few other spots I returned to have another look at the Dotterel. On the way I inadvertently flushed two Pectoral Sandpipers from a very small pool in the car ruts near the surfers beach. I then noticed that there was a Peregrine sitting further along the car ruts. It flew off and as it did so it appeared to be carrying a largish bird, it couldn't be, could it? A quick search failed to find either Dotterel. I followed the Peregrine but before I could get close a farmer herding cattle flushed it. When I reached the spot at which it had been feeding I discovered a few feathers and even a lower and upper mandible. It was one of the Dotterel. I must say I was disappointed that one of these great little characters had been taken but then again this is the sort of danger that Dotterel like every other species in nature faces every day. There's been no sign of the remaining bird since and it has probably wisely moved on. It's been relatively quiet in the gardens on Slyne Head. The best have been a Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher and a male Blackcap in the Trident/Ballyconneely Holiday Homes garden. The first two have been present there for over a week now.

Dotterel scapular feathers.

Assorted Dotterel feathers including primaries and secondaries.

Dotterel bill

One of the Slyne Head gardens, this site hasn't been farmed in years which has resulted in a dense carpet of Dwarf/Western Gorse.

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Male Blackcap doing his Black-and-White Warbler impression!

Woodpigeon

Snipe

Water Rail

 

Inishmore Sept 2014 part 3

A selection of some of the rest of birds I had out on Inishmore last weekend, mostly passerines. A fairly quite trip on the passerine front with only around half a dozen Chiffchaffs, ten Goldcrests, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers seen. I was a little surprised to see a covey of eight Red-legged Partridge on the island. Some shooter or group of shooters obviously has brought the birds out onto the island probably in notion of improving the avifauna of the island. It's about as beneficial to conservation as introducing giraffes onto the island!

Wheatear

Wheatear

Chiffchaff

Goldcrest

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

 

Starling

Red-legged Partridge

Slyne again

I got back down to Slyne Head on Friday. Much the same line-up as on Wednesday. One new bird was a Lesser Whitethroat. It only showed briefly but it looks interesting from the shots. The nape and crown are brown and don't contrast with the mantle. The ear coverts weren't very dark and the upperparts are sandy brown. Could it possibility be one of the eastern races? Unfortunately as I didn't see it in profile so I couldn't see if it was particularly short winged or long tailed nor could I see if it had much white in the outer tail feathers (looks like it may have white one the other tail feathres from below in the last shot here?). I also never heard it call either :-(

 

 

 

Slyne Head 29th October 2013

I had a quick look down around Slyne Head yesterday lunchtime in the hope that the recent storm may have dropped something nice in from across the pond. Most of the action was around the Trident garden with one tristis Chiffchaff, 1-2 Chiffchaffs, Spotted Flycatcher and a Pied Flycatcher (last two very late migrants) in the area.
The tristis kept company with a collybita calling Chiffchaff. Both looked extremely similar to each other (the Chiffchaff possibly had a yellower supercillium) and weren't readily easy to separate. Thankfully the Siberian Chiffchaff gave the characteristic call of that race. Another very Siberian-like Chiffchaff in a garden across the road was also heard to call like a typical collybita. The exposure of most of the Siberian shots wasn't quite right as it was very overcast at the time. They are heavily cropped which doesn't help the quality either.
There was a Long-eared Owl (possibly a resident bird as opposed to a migrant), Crossbill, 2 more Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap nearby also.
Nothing with the flock of 250 Golden Plovers at Truska. It's looking like 2013 may be the first time I haven't found at least a Pectoral Sandpiper or American Golden Plover in this area, the first time in the six Autumns I've been checking it.

Siberian Chiffchaff.

Siberian Chiffchaff, almost Booted Warbler like in colour tones.

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffhcaff

collybita Chiffchaff (on call).

collybita Chiffchaff (on call).

Pied Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Raven

 

Inishbofin & Inishmore

A few shots from the last week or so. I didn't make it out to Inishbofin for the Eastern Kingbird on Wednesday. There was a great sense of relief knowing that I had seen the first European record last year on Inishmore. Unfortunately like last years bird it too disappeared overnight.
Visiting birders had found a Blackpoll Warbler, Common Rosefinch and two Wrynecks while dipping on the kingbird. Wryneck is an extremely rare species in county Galway with only two previous records, both relate to specimens picked up on Eeragh Island lighthouse (off the West end of Inishmore) on 6th October 1886 and 19th September 1912. I was on Inishbofin the following day and while one of the Wrynecks had been seen first thing that morning we failed to see it. However towards the end of the day Anthony McGeehan found a juvenile Woodchat Shrike up at the East end. While it was on show for long periods it was a little distant hence the record shots. It quickly disappeared and wasn't seen later that evening. Galway only recorded it's first Woodchat Shrike last Autumn shortly after the Eastern Kingbird which was also in the same area.

I was back out on Inishmore for the weekend to see if there was much around and the answer was relatively disappointing. Saturday was particularly bad with just two Curlew Sandpipers and a Jack Snipe. A single Blackcap and a handful of Goldcrests were really the only passerine migrants seen. Sunday was a little better with a Reed Warbler, Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaffs, 10 Goldcrests, Spotted and Pied Flycatcher. I'll be back out with a few others from this Friday for a week at least and fingers crossed for some decent birds.

Juvenile Woodchat Shrike, Inishbofin, 26th September 2013.

Juvenile Woodchat Shrike, Inishbofin, 26th September 2013.

Chaffinch, Slyne Head.

Willow Warbler, Inishbofin.

Pied Flycatcher, Inishmore.

Pied Flycatcher, Inishmore.

Pied Flycatcher, Inishmore.

Curlew Sandpiper, Inishmore.

Curlew Sandpipers, Inishmore.

Curlew Sandpiper &Dunlin, Inishmore.

Curlew Sandpiper, Inishmore.

Dunlin, Inishmore.

Curlew Sandpiper & Ruff, Omey Strand.

Common Seals, Inishmore. The poor guy had fishing line entangled around its neck which has badly injured it.

Common Seal, Inishmore.

Common Seals, Inishmore.