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.