Dermot Breen's Blog: Inishbofin & Inishmore

Monday 30 September 2013

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.