Buff-breasted Sand

Selection of the best of the weekend lot. Had planned to check the Roonagh/Corragaun Lough stretch on Saturday but left it late waiting for the low tide. Got word that Seamus Feeney and Declan Skehan had found a juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Corragaun Lough in the morning. Caught up with the sandpiper in beside the lake itself with about 130 Ringed Plover and 30 Dunlin. The whole flock was very flighty and I couldn't approach the flock too closely. The whole lot got up and relocated out onto the large open area of salt marsh/machair. I had a juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper here last year on 10th September. I think there's another previous record of the species here also.
Checked several of the beaches and Roonagh Lough itself but nothing special doing.

The first half of Sunday was a wash out so took a trip out to Rahasane Turlough in the afternoon. Aonghus had a Pectoral Sandpiper here on Friday, the first autumn Yank wader in the county. Water levels which were worryingly high up until only last weekend have dropped dramatically. All the action was as usual up at the East/Craughwell end. A flock of 50 Black-tailed Godwits were the same that I had the previous weekend at the opposite end of the turlough as they contained the same juvenile colour ringed bird along with a new colour ringed adult, the juvenile Spotted Redshank and the juvenile Ruff.



Juvenile colour ringed Black-tailed Godwit



Juvenile Spotted Redshank in the there somewhere, I swear.

I also came across these two Garganey. Obviously a first year and adult bird. I reckon the young bird could be a male due to the equal width white bars bordering the speculum. Don't think these are broad enough for an adult male, while the forewing colour isn't strong or bright enough either. Great shot here showing from left to right eclipse adult male, (adult?) female, first year male and eclipse adult male.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7892550@N03/5055727866/

 

First-year male and adult female Garganey.

  


First year male and adult female Garganey.

  

First year male Garganey

 





Mid August

A few more pictures from the last week or two from a few different spots.
More and more waders turning up. Seems to be one of the best years for wader numbers in this part of the world. Waders must have had a pretty successful season up in the Arctic which is more than can be said for down here. Dunlin numbers in particular seem to be up and I've had single juvenile Knot at most waders spots so far which isn't usually the case here. Single juvenile Ruff also at Truska marsh and Murloch down Ballyconneely direction in last few days also.

Moulting adult Redshank, Kilkieran

Juvenile Redshank, Kilkieran

G4YYGW Colour ringed Sanderling, Omey Strand. First noted here back on 7th August 2008.

Juvenile and adult Sandwich Tern, Omey Stand. Note the ring on the juvenile! Where did this guy come from? There's a hell of alot to be said of colour ringing.

Wheatear, Omey Strand.

Juvenile Herring Gull, Omey Strand.

Juvenile Herring Gull, Omey Strand.

Juvenile Herring Gull, Omey Strand.

Juvenile Great Black-backed Gull, Omey Strand.

We (finally) managed to get out to some of the islands the other week namely Cruagh Island, High Island and Inishark. Most birds have finished up at this stage but there was still a little life on Inishark. Still a few breeding Kittiwakes left in the breeding colony. Decent numbers of juveniles present. All the Guillemots had long since made the leap of faith.

Fulmars off Inishshark.

Fulmar, off Inishshark

Great Skua off Inishark (bird number one).

Great Skua off Inishark (bird number two, note different primary moult).

Great Skua off Inishark (bird number two, note different primary moult).

Great Skua off Inishark (bird number two, note different primary moult).

The water levels at Rahasane Turlough seem to be rising with each passing week which is bad news for waders. Levels so high now that there's very little mud/ground left. Birds are squeezed into the extreme perimeter of the turlough, usually on the very side of the turlough which makes for impossible viewing. There is on tiny sliver of land left along the Dunkellin River which runs through the middle of the lough. Two Ruff and three Knot with forty Black-tailed Godwits there on Sunday, little else. You'd really have your work cut out trying to find anything Dunlin sized scurrying through the tall grass.

Turlough Horses, Rahasane

Common Seals, Mannin Bay. A few pups on the left.

Beautiful Demoiselle, Dawros River

21st February 2012

Headed out to Rahasnae Turlough to have a nosey about for the American Wigeon. I don't think it's been really looked for since I last had it a fortnight back apart from Rich Bonser. The place was packed with duck and I spent the next two and half hours going through the throngs of birds. Best I could manage was an apparent male American x Eurasian Wigeon, a pair of Shelduck (site tick for me), a tight pack of 33 Little Egrets and a "unkindness" of five Ravens.

 Male American x Eurasian Wigeon, Rahasane Turlough.

  Male American x Eurasian Wigeon, Rahasane Turlough.

 A small part of the horde at Rahasane.

33 Little Egrets by my count.

Must have been a deep animal in the immediate vicintiy, note the full crop.

Had a look around Ahapouleen Turlough,Tawin Island, Kilcaimin and Ardfry. High tide was in so the numbers of birds were low enough.