Inishmore RBF

Another quick trip out to Inishmore on 26th October to try to see a Red-backed Shrike that was found out there by Joe Proudfoot two days previously. Any shrike in Galway is a rare bird. The first Red-backed Shrike was "obtained"/killed hitting the light at Eearagh Island Lighthouse which is located just off the west side of Inishmore in Ocotber 1927. There are two records from Inishbofin both of which were found in September 2005 by Steve Dodgson. Another strangely underrecorded species here. Suffice to say I had no luck with my Red-backed Shrike search. Huge amounts of Inishmore are potentially suitable for a shrike, kilometres apon kilometres of stone walls and hectares and hectares of bramble and bracken patches.

I had time to check the Kilmurvy area and managed to pick up a Red-breasted Flycatcher in Kilmurvy Wood inside the walled garden. Most of the leaves from the trees on the island had now lost their leaves but in this sheltered little spot there were still a few leaved Sycamores present. Niall Keogh had found a Red-eyed Vireo in this very same spot just over week previously which hung around for a few days. This RBF gave quite good views considering they are normally secretive and fast moving a lot of the time. Ireland's first Taiga Flycatcher was only found a few days previously down in Cork. This is the eleventh Galway record and of those seven have been recorded on Inishmore. Thanks to Aonghus O'Donaill for the record information.