Wednesday 30 January 2013

January Gulls

A few shots from today of a lightly marked first-winter Kumlien's Gull at Rossaveel. It looked even lighter in the field compared to these shots. One first-winter Icleand and adult Med Gull also. Less than 20 large gulls present which was disappointing. I think we have the extremely stormy conditions to thank for the Kumliens's and the Iceland.
Also a few pics of a leucistic Black-headed Gull down at Newtownlynch Pier last weekend and one of the Lough Mask Common Gulls.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 30th January 2013.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 30th January 2013.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 30th January 2013.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 30th January 2013.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 30th January 2013.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 30th January 2013.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Rossaveel, 30th January 2013.

Leucistic adult Black-headed Gull, Newtownlynch Pier, 19th January 2013.


Leucistic adult Black-headed Gull, Newtownlynch Pier, 19th January 2013.

Leucistic adult Black-headed Gull, Newtownlynch Pier, 19th January 2013.

"226Y" Adult Common Gull, Newtownlynch Pier, 19th January 2013. Ringed at Lough Mask, Co. Mayo.

Monday 21 January 2013

Florida 20th November 2012

So last day in Florida. I spent the first half of the day in and around Lake Apopka Restoration Area. This is/was one of the richest inland sites in Florida. It was all once farmland and has been converted back into wetlands. Thousands of waterbirds died in mass here a few years ago probably due to
bioaccumulation of pesticides. Most of the site is still off limits to visitors for this very reason. The Clay Island area is one of the few areas where you could access the site was a little frustrating as it consisted of flatland overgrown with tall vegetation which made it impossible to scan from the paths although I did have an Otter rolling around in the dirt here. There was at least one high tower which gave good views of the area. At one stage I did a very quick 360 scan and counted at least 13 Northern Harriers and 11 Ospreys in flight around the tower. There was hardly any open water on view which meant it wasn't great for waterfowl or waders. Plenty of rails and crakes were heard but as usual none were seen.
I also had a look at an area of farmland nearby where a Say's Phoebe has been wintering for a number of years. Unfortunately this Florida rarity wasn't on view while I was present.
Very last site of the trip were the Mead Gardens in Orlando city to twitch a two hummingbirds. I saw the rarer Rufous Hummingbird but failed to see the Ruby-throated Hummingbird here. I somehow managed to miss Ruby-throated Hummingbird completely over the last fortnight.
I had managed to see around 180 species during the fortnight, 124 of which were lifers for me which wasn't all that surprising given that it was my first trip to the States but hopefully not my last. Trip list below.

Painted Bunting
Clay-coloured Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Downy Woodpecker

Orange-crowned Warbler

Ovenbird

River Otter

Osprey

Female Eastern Bluebird

Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

Red-shouldered Hawk

American Goldfinch

Rufous Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Red Cardinal




Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Wilson's Plover
House Wren
Wood Duck
Semipalmated Plover
Sedge Wren
Gadwall
Piping Plover
Marsh Wren
American Wigeon
Killdeer
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
Mottled Duck
American Oystercatcher
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Blue-winged Teal
American Avocet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Shoveler
Greater Yellowlegs
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Pintail
Willet
Hermit Thrush
Green-winged Teal
Lesser Yellowlegs
American Robin
Redhead
Long-billed Curlew
Grey Catbird
Ring-necked Duck
Marbled Godwit
Northern Mockingbird
Greater Scaup
Ruddy Turnstone
Brown Thrasher
Lesser Scaup
Red Knot
European Starling
Surf Scoter
Sanderling
Ovenbird
Bufflehead
Western Sandpiper
Northern Waterthrush
Hooded Merganser
Least Sandpiper
Black-and-white Warbler
Red-breasted Merganser
Dunlin
Orange-crowned Warbler
Ruddy Duck
Short-billed Dowitcher
Common Yellowthroat
Wild Turkey
Long-billed Dowitcher
American Redstart
Great northern Diver
Wilson's Snipe
Northern Parula
Pied-billed Grebe
Laughing Gull
Palm Warbler
Slavonian Grebe
Ring-billed Gull
Pine Warbler
Wood Stork
American Herring Gull
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Magnificent Frigatebird
Gull-billed Tern
Yellow-throated Warbler
Northern Gannet
Caspian Tern
Prairie Warbler
American White Pelican
Forster's Tern
Black-throated Green Warbler
Brown Pelican
Royal Tern
Eastern Towhee
Double-crested Cormorant
Sandwich Tern
Chipping Sparrow
Anhinga
Black Skimmer
Clay-colored Sparrow
American Bittern
Rock Pigeon
Vesper Sparrow
Great Blue Heron
Eurasian Collared Dove
Savannah Sparrow
Great Egret
White-winged Dove
Grasshopper Sparrow
Snowy Egret
American Mourning Dove
Swamp Sparrow
Little Blue Heron
Common Ground-Dove
White-crowned Sparrow
Tricolored Heron
Barn Owl
Summer Tanager
Reddish Egret
Burrowing Owl
Northern Cardinal
Cattle Egret
Lesser Nighthawk
Painted Bunting
Green Heron
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Red-winged Blackbird
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Rufous Hummingbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Common Grackle
White Ibis
Red-headed Woodpecker
Boat-tailed Grackle
Glossy Ibis
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Bronzed Cowbird
Roseate Spoonbill
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Brown-headed Cowbird
Black Vulture
Downy Woodpecker
Purple Finch
Turkey Vulture
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
American Goldfinch
Osprey
Northern Flicker
House Sparrow
White-tailed Kite
Pileated Woodpecker

Snail Kite
Eastern Phoebe

Bald Eagle
Vermilion Flycatcher

Hen Harrier
Ash-throated Flycatcher

Sharp-shinned Hawk
Great Crested Flycatcher

Cooper's Hawk
Tropical Kingbird

Red-shouldered Hawk
Western Kingbird

Short-tailed Hawk
Loggerhead Shrike

Swainson's Hawk
White-eyed Vireo

Red-tailed Hawk
Blue-headed Vireo

American Kestrel
Blue Jay

Merlin
Florida Scrub-Jay

Peregrine Falcon
American Crow

Sora
Fish Crow

Purple Gallinule
Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Common Gallinule
Tree Swallow

American Coot
Barn Swallow

Limpkin
Carolina Chickadee

Sandhill Crane
Tufted Titmouse

Grey Plover
Brown-headed Nuthatch

Snowy Plover
Carolina Wren