January 17 Gulls

A few shots from the last few weeks, mostly gulls unsurprisingly given the time of year.

Norwegian ringed Black-headed Gull, Loughrea, 1st January 2017. Ringed in Oslo on 22nd July 2013. Seen several times during each summer near ringing site but not outside of  Norway or during the winter months.

Polish ringed Black-headed Gull, Loughrea, 1st January 2017. Ringed on 29th May 2011. First re-sighting of the bird.

Third-calendar Lesser Black-backed Gull at Waterside, 8th January 2017. Nearly as rare as Ring-billed Gull here during the winter.

Third-calendar Lesser Black-backed Gull at Waterside, 8th January 2017. 

Third-calendar Lesser Black-backed Gull at Nimmo's Pier, 8th January 2017. 

Fourth-winter argentatus Herring Gull, Waterside, 8th January 2017. 

Fourth-winter argentaus Herring Gull, Waterside, 8th January 2017. 

Ring-billed Gull, Waterside, 8th January 2017. Very dull bare part coloration. Not one of the regulars in the city area. One of four individuals recorded so far this winter.

Adult leucistic Black-headed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 8th January 2017. Long returning bird.

Adult leucistic Black-headed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 8th January 2017. Long returning bird.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel, 10th January 2017.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel, 10th January 2017.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel, 10th January 2017.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel, 10th January 2017.

Little Egret, Sruthán Pier, 10th January 2017.

Renvyle Shoreline

It's been a while since I've done a blog post. This is mainly down to a) the lack of birds and b) the very rough and continuing bad weather which doesn't exactly help when looking for birds. The gulls have gotten off to a rather disappointing start with very few white-winged gulls around at the moment. Nimmo's Pier is having another quiet winter and most of the other gull spots seem to be holding very low numbers of gulls. Considering the huge numbers that were in Galway Bay in November, you have to wonder where those huge numbers came from and then promptly disappeared into the ether?

I was out by Renvyle yesterday and several common species gave good views along the shoreline beside Renvyle Castle.
I should have plenty of photos for the blog come late February as I'm off to Arizona and California for three weeks in a fortnights time, really looking forward to it. The weather will certainly be an improvement anyway!



Male Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Male and female Stonechat.

Female Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Meadow Pipit



Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Second-winter Common Gull

First-winter Herring Gull with the remains of a crab.

 

White-wingers & Harriers

A few pictures from today and Saturday. I had a first-winter Glaucous Gull and a second-winter Iceland Gull down at Rossaveel today. Not many gulls present, certainly less than one hundred large gulls. The Iceland Gull had very advanced bare part colouration for a second-winter e.g. the bill and eye but the plumage looks typical enough for a second-winter. I would expect a third-winter bird to show some grey adult type scapulars and wing coverts.

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Rossaveel

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Rossaveel, the black specks behind the eye are actually ticks/mites.

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Rossaveel

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Rossaveel

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Rossaveel

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Rossaveel

Second-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel.



Second-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel.



Second-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel.

Second-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel.

First-winter Herring Gull, Rossaveel. Well marked uppertail coverts but pale based tail feathers...

First-winter Herring Gull, Rossaveel. Well marked uppertail coverts, nice pink based bill but pale based tail feathers...

 I was out on Saturday with Cathal again trying to nail the orange harrier. No sign unfortunately but we did have at least two ringtails. One of the birds I photographed had four bars on p10, six on p9 & p8, 5 or 6 on p7 and five on p6.. This would be quite promising if this were the orange juvenile harrier that's been around lately. Apart from the above average number of bars on the primaries it bares little resemblance to a Northern Harrier however.
Also had the Great White Egret near the mouth of the Cregg river. We also saw one of the White-tailed Eagles out on a small island in the middle of the lough. It was just too far to make out the tag but it's probably D Bar. It looks like his radio tag has failed which is a shame (no radio signal on Sunday or today from there). The female's radio tag has also failed as the battery has died recently. It's going to be a little bit difficult to keep up with their movements from here on out. We also saw the returning male Ring-necked Duck and a had a good count (for an inland site) of three Long-tailed Ducks at Loughrea.

Hooded Crow mobbing Hen Harrier, Lough Corrib.

Hen Harrier, Lough Corrib.

Hen Harrier, Lough Corrib.

 

3rd December 2014

A few shots from my travels yesterday. Stoat again in the car park at the end of the road at Dogs Bay. I had one here a few months back, probably the same individual.
I was surprised to come across Star down at Murlach also. This is about as far west as I've seen him before, a few nervous looking Teal on the lough!

Irish Stoat, Dogs Bay, Roundstone.

Irish Stoat, Dogs Bay, Roundstone.

Irish Stoat, Dogs Bay, Roundstone.



Star the White-tailed Eagle, Murlach, Ballyconneely. Eyeballing some of the quacks ;-)

Star the White-tailed Eagle, Murlach, Ballyconneely.

First-winter Herring Gull, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely.

Adult Herring Gull, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely.

Adult Herring Gull, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely.

Winter & summer plumaged Little Grebe, Aillebrack Lough, Ballyconneely.

Little Grebe, Aillebrack Lough, Ballyconneely.

Little Grebe, Aillebrack Lough, Ballyconneely.

Meadow Pipit, Dogs Bay, Roundstone.