Drimnagh Birdwatch

Greystones, Co Wicklow

2012-02-16T23:03:00.000Z

Last Sunday I had it in my head that I might fit in a visit to 3 of the East coastlines; Greystones, Bray and Dun laoghaire but instead I ended up spending the whole day just in Greystones.

Did Greystones do something different with its hair?
I was last in Greystones about 4 years ago, if not more, and it seemed to me on Sunday, like I was in a different town altogether.
Did they just bulldoze down the old harbour and build a new one?
And whilst they were at it, did they build another 20 coffee shops, cafes and restaurants? The place was heaving with people, walking, sitting around having coffees, eating, there was quite a buzz. Greystones even has its own veggie place 'The Happy Pear' (recommend!).

The only clue that it was the same Greystones as years ago was the familiar chip shop on the corner, hanging in there, keepin it real.
Other than that, Greystones has definitely experienced a make over - and for the better.

Anyway - burds.

Jim had spotted some 7 Snow Buntings in behind the green wired fences near the chip shop (at the harbour), which I scored a big Fail on.
Looked and looked, but couldn't see anything in there except Oystercatchers, Redshank, Pipits, various gulls and crows.

Walking from the harbour over to the beach there were great views of Turnstones, Purple Sandpiper, Rooks, Starlings, Rock and Meadow pipits. Out to sea there were Shags, Cormorants, Razorbills and Guillemots.
On the way back from lunch (when I didn't have my camera) I saw a Black redstart down on some boulders below the path at the back of the old yellow hotel, there was a Rock pipit down there too.

Out at sea, there was also a Red throated diver which came in quite close to the shore when I was way down the other end of the beach (heading for Kilcoole). I got some 'ok' shots, still not close for sharp detail though.

The day was surprisingly sunny and pretty warm. So strange to think that just over the sea the UK was going through winter hell.

Greystones, Co Wicklow with new harbour, Feb 2012

Guillemot, in the sea - Greystones

Razorbill, Greystones

Herring Gull balancing its tea in a shell

Herring Gull balancing, Greystones

Greystones beach, Co Wicklow

Purple Sandpiper - my first time ever seeing one! I'll admit I initially thought it was a young Redshank (with yellowy legs) but there was something different about it which suggested it was a different bird. It was very tame, a Redshank would have noisily fled once I got this close, the legs were much shorter, stubby and yellow, the plumage a lot greyer and darker, so this was in fact my first Purple Sandpiper. Purple Sandpipers are nearly always found on rocks, boulders, especially ones covered in seaweed, they're also often found with Turnstones as they eat the same food - and this Purple Sandpiper was in with about 20 Turnstones.

Purple Sandpiper sliding

Turnstones in Greystones

Rock pipit sliding

Rock pipit standing

Meadow pipit hovering , Greystones Feb 2012

Out in the Irish sea, relatively close to shore - a Red throated diver. Even from a distance you can see the bill pointed upwards, when you see this, you can usually be sure it's a Red throated diver not a Great northern diver

Red throated diver

with a white throat - in winter; in summer the throat turns a deep blood red colour

Grey stones beach, I walked from the harbour to quite a bit beyond those rocks. I'm assuming the path heads to Kilcoole? There were Brent Geese and Oystercatchers on a driving range and footie pitches to the right.

Male Linnet (left) Female Linnet (right) Male with summer red breast flush showing, Feb 12th 2012

Male Linnet, summer plumage, Greystones, Feb 12th 2012

Varying degrees of summer plumage showing on these Black headed gulls. Feb 12th 2012

The fishermen seemed to be having a slow day and weren't having much luck catching fish...

Unlike this Shag which wasn't having any problems

Shag with very tropical looking fish, Greystones, Co Wicklow

Shag fishing

I had a great day out at Greystones and would love to do the Greystones to Bray walk - or Bray to Greystones then on to Kilcoole (if you can), hopefully in summer when the evenings are longer and more can be fitted into a day.

Mandarin ducks, UCD lake

2012-02-14T18:35:00.000Z

Feb 14th - Happy Valiers and Hello Mandarin Ducks!! on the ucd main lake.
40. Mandarin Duck.

Des saw 2 Mandarins swimming out in the middle of the lake !! Typically I chose this lunchtime to work through, but when I saw his email, I looked at my work, thought sod that and pulled on my jacket.
Didn't see any Mandarins swimming around in the open by the time I got over, but a closer look on the little island where the swans always nest gave a glimpse of a male mandarin's head!
Rang Niall and Ciaran.
I know that Mandarins are 'just' escapees and domestic and sniffed at by serious birders - but still, there was something different on the lake! A brand new species and a beautifully plumaged species at that, and once Mandarins arrive in places they do seem to stay without doing any other birds any harm (Phoenix park, the Basin.. other places I can't think of).
So this could be the start of Mandarin Ducks on the main lake in ucd and that'd be quite cool ...

Went down to the lake later during a break in the afternoon, luckily there was a couple feeding bread to the ducks which seemed to be attracting the Mandarins too, so I was able to see the male and female Mandarin out in the open and get some footage with my ipod.

I've seen Mandarins a few times before, first time was in Berlin and the second time was in Phoenix park. Both these times I've noticed how they don't usually eat the bread people threw to them, whereas today the male was diving right in there.

As for the Mute Swans being symbols of love and gentleness and together forever ....
It may be Valentines but as you can see from the footage, there's no love lost between the Mute Swans and the Mandarins, especially the female Mandarin.
That's what you get when you try to move in on a Mute Swan's nesting territory.

I've only just noticed that I should have turned my ipod sideways to video, this footage looks crap, but you get the idea.
Start of footage shows Mute Swans defending territory against the female Mandarin, the male Mandarin gets a bit of a chase, but nothing compared to the continual chase of the female.

Iwebs Feb 2012

2012-02-11T22:43:00.001Z

Iwebs Feb 2012 was the toughest so far.
We started counting about 9.45am from the wooden bridge, everything was hunkydory, moved to the main road and the amount of birds where we had just been seemed to have quadrupled.
We count them pre high tide roost which can result in mis counts as the birds keep jumping up to steer clear of the rising water, which meant re-counts and re-counts again.
This tide seemed to have them more active than usual too, plus I'm slow counting my species anyway, so I was getting a tad frustrated, and I didn't even have to count the small waders which kept lifting for Sinead and Jerry!
Plus, I find the huge expanse we have to cover with no markers difficult.
PLUS, I've graduated onto counting 9 species now: Oystercatchers, Brent geese, Black headed gulls, Curlew, Greater black backed gulls, Common gulls, Herring gulls, Herons and Shelduck, tbh, my head was errrwrecked.
Anyhow, the counts were done and the coffee was downed by 1pm.

I wanted to go to Wicklow again so planned to take the east toll road from Clontarf to go via bootytown, the N11 and down to Wicklow that way.
Except that didn't happen.
Something similar to this did:
(this is footage from Rosslare port, Co Wexford- and yes, he does do a pee in the middle of the road, bonus points if you spot the 2nd guy doing the same in the bushes!)

I'm going to blame the Magnificent signage rather than my lack of brain cells for what happened, but I ended driving through the port tunnel in the completely opposite direction (going North towards the airport) and having to get back South via the M50, €6 in tolls to go the wrong way later and I was finally on the N11 and eventually around Sally Gap area by 3ish.

Road near Lough Dan, Co Wicklow, Feb 11th 2012

Foggy Wicklow colours

Coronation plantation, Co Wicklow, Feb 2012

Several Ravens around Coronation plantation, Co Wicklow

River Liffey in its infancy, running through Coronation plantation, Co Wicklow

Apart from the calls of the Ravens and the calls of a pair of Great tits I didn't hear (or see) anything else, and I did sit down, stay quiet and listen.
I would have liked to have stayed much longer but it was getting dark and I had to make my way back.

Coronation Plantation, Wicklow

2012-02-05T21:59:00.000Z

Took a drive out to the Coronation plantation in Wicklow today.
Temp in Drimnagh was 7º, Temp at Sally Gap was 2º, drips of water had frozen into icicles.
There was no snow except for a dusting on the top of some of the highest points. Amazing scenery up there, but I only had my big lens so no landscapes here I'm afraid.

The River Liffey, Coronation plantation, Wicklow

Usually a good spot for Dippers

Coronation Plantation monument. I looked at the inscription but it was very worn away and in parts unfinished, there was a date that started 18 but didn't finish (assumed 1831, William iv Coronation, which is when these Scots Pines were planted).

Cold snap after an incredibly mild few months. Wicklow, Feb 5th 2012, 2º

I walked up through the heather to the top, it was near desolate except for some Sika. Sika Stag - antlers re-growing

More Sika, Wicklow mountains. Sika are non native - they're Japanese deer imported for Powerscourt estate originally

Found this down next to the river on a mound of grass (that's a 20c coin, no comments on exposure please).

The whole skeleton of this animal was on the ground - no idea what it was, I just know it's not a rat - if it is, I'm leaving.

Out of the corner of my eye I kept thinking the black in the sky was a Raptor.

But it's the top of the RTE transmitter on Kippure mountain.

Should have lightened this, but shows you how dark the day was - There's a Red Squirrel in there if you look closely.

It was a quiet day - which was really nice - every time I stopped to listen, there wasn't anything much to hear - birdwise or anything wise.
Just the river and the wind.
I did hear, then saw a Wren. I saw where a Greater spotted woodpecker had made holes in a tree and I heard what I think was a Great tit. Other than the pellet there were no other Raptor signs and I didn't see any Red grouse around the plantation or south of the Sally Gap which I had been hoping for.
Oh, several Ravens in flight in this area.

Water rail, UCD, Dublin

2012-01-19T22:15:00.004Z

Exactly a year ago today (19 Jan) I spotted a Water rail in UCD down by the 'secret lakes', it was a great find but was to be my only sighting of it over the whole year.
This winter I reguarly scanned the area again, before and after Christmas, but together with no Redwing nor Teal, I assumed lack of Water rail was in keeping with the mild winter non-arrivals.
Until Tuesday, when Niall and Billy got in touch to say there was a report on Irish Birding by Des Higgins of a Water rail in UCD - in exactly the same location as last year!
I headed down on Tues and sure enough saw it darting along the vegetataion, then it came out into the open and showed off its distinctive plumage good n' proper. It's a striking package for a little bird.
Its location is right next to a path well used by joggers, walkers and dog walkers, so the views were quite out in the open but fleeting due to disturbance and its nature. Soon enough Billy ambled along and I was able to show him where the Water rail was, he had his camera and managed a few decent shots.

Today I brought my lens into work and headed down during lunch - please be there, please be there.
I had the place to myself and not a single jogger/ walker went by, so it was silent except for bird song and the Water rail.

Water rail, UCD, Dublin

Water rail, UCD, Dublin, Jan 19th 2012

Water rail started singing/ alarm call?

Once I saw the Water rail starting to throw shapes and sounds around the place, a little ding sound went off in my brain and I started to record.
So, aswell as a still image I also present you with 30 seconds of a Calling Water rail in UCD:

Apologies for the shakiness, the (heavy) lens was handheld and there was nowhere to rest the lens and when you're videoing you've got to hold the camera out in front to look at the monitor blah, blah, excuses, blah.
Anyhow - pretty cool to have a Water rail out in the open, to hear it calling was a bonus.
You can see at the start of the footage its looking around in every direction, but from 30 secs on it fixes me with the filthiest look I think I've ever been given. I'm assuming it's throwing evils at me anyway, could have been something else.
After the Water rail had disappeared back into the vegetation, I decided to leave it alone and wandered off to see what else was around.
It was quietish today, but still there were some nice sightings.

Blue tit, UCD, Dublin - my favourite punk bird.

Long tailed tit, UCD, Dublin, Jan 2012

Robin, UCD, Dublin, Jan 2012

Mistle Thrush showing white feathers from underwing, UCD, Dublin, Jan 2012

Silvery, 'cold brown' back of a Mistle Thrush, UCD, Dublin, Jan 2012

Tough Tufted Duck gang, UCD Main Lakes - Jan 2012

Moor hen with very red legs, Main lake, UCD (Niall has said the amount of red in the legs is due to this bird being pumped with loads of testostrone coming into breeding season)

Oiks, Footie pitches next to Chapel - UCD, Jan 2012

Oyster catchers, UCD - Jan 2012

Lots of grey squirrels around campus, this one was eating a thrown away apple core. UCD - Jan 2012

2 SE owls, 2 Peregrines, 2 Merlins and a dead Skylark

2012-01-15T22:13:00.000Z

HB, SC and me sen - The Point, Bull Island, Dublin, Sat 14 Jan 2012

Spent all day on Bull Island yesterday.

First was the January iwebs count (very low numbers of everything, not a single Little Egret) then I joined Helen and Sinéad who needed to see what roosted where at high tide.

If I write a quick list of our sightings - you'll get the gist of the kind of afternoon we had:

1 Merlin close up sitting, preening itself as we arrived and still preening itself as we walked away.
A Skylark lifted and was chased by a Merlin. Skylark flew a curve and escaped, another Merlin joined in the chase, so now we're watching 2 Merlins chasing the Skylark. Poor Skylark snatched midair by 1st Merlin only for the 2nd Merlin to try and pull the Skylark's body from the other Merlin's claws - all happening mid flight.
'Short eared Owl!!' shout was called as one flew low over our heads, followed by 'There's Another'! Whilst swapping from binoculars to scope I lost sight of the SE Owls by focusing on a Peregrine Falcon which had gotten involved in the chaos.
2 Peregrine Falcons sitting on the grass, each eating their own separate catches.

Didn't have my camera, so no shots, no bird photos, just happy memories.
Aaaaaaah.
until I think about the Skylark - so sorry.
Blub.

Thanks to Helen and Sinéad and John and Ger for a great day.

Howth Head from the Point, Bull Island, Dublin - yes in January! (taken on ipod)

An hours walk in UCD = 27 different bird species

2012-01-09T13:32:00.003Z

2012 means the start of a new UCD list.
The Grand Total for 2011 was 50 different bird species (that I saw).

It was quiet enough at work last week to fit in just over an hours walk, and in that hour I saw all of these:

(in order of sighting)

1.Oystercatchers - footie fields near Clonskeagh Gate, then 25 on Belfield Bowl
2.Robin - several around campus
3.Wood pigeon - lots around campus
4.Magpie- lots around campus
5.Mistle thrush, saw 8 (4 different pairs)
6.Great tit - secret lakes woods
7.Moorhen - secret lakes, plus 3 more later on main lake
8.Blackbird (didn't see the leucistic one)
9.Blue tit - several- lots around campus
10.Chaffinch, several, but biggest gathering was 6 together in a tree next to library
11.Coal tit - secret lake woods
12.Jackdaw- lots around campus
13.Feral pigeon - up on roof and window bars of library building
14.Bullfinch - 6 male Bullfinches in the one tree next to library
15.Mute swan - 2 at Main Lake
16.Tufted duck - 24 at Main Lake
17.Black headed gull - 65 at Main Lake
18.Herring gull - 1 at the lake, 1 on top of admin bldg
19.Mallard - 30 at Main Lake
20.Pied wagtail - Main Lake and in front of Main Restaurant
21.Hooded crow - Rosemount woods
22.Long tailed tit - flock of 12, Rosemount Woods
23.Goldcrest - 3 Rosemount Woods
24.Wren - 1 Rosemount Woods
25.Goldfinch - big flock in the bushes next to stream, Rosemount Woods
26.Rook - didn't see one any of the usual places, then saw a juv on field beside Quinn
27.Siskin - saw them once last year and saw a flock of around 30 today, tree next to Hannah Sheehy Bldg

No Redwings at all around campus, missed seeing any Dunnocks and no Grey Wagtail at the Rosemount stream.
Heard but didn't see a Song Thrush.
Everything else was easy enough to see - and all in the places I expected to see them - birds really do like to keep their territories don't they.
Was cool to see not just 1Goldcrest but 3, and when I had given up hope pf seeing any Bullfinches, the feathery red breasts in the tree near the library made me smile - 6 Bullfinches!
I don't think I'd usually see all these birds, I do think I got lucky seeing 27 in an hour, still, makes for a good start.

There's a Buzzard in them there fields

2012-01-02T22:22:00.000Z

So there is lass.
Aye.
Rain, galeforce winds and more rain has resulted in loads of general lazing about since the last post.
Happy days.
Very happy days.
However! The weather today didn't look too horrific, so I risked the dark grey skies and pulled on my Sprayways.
Standing in some woods on my own, 2 Buzzards quietly circled and played right above my head without noticing me standing in the trees below.
That was a great moment.
Also saw my one and only Redwing of the whole Christmas break.

Jan 2nd, 2012 and this is the only Redwing I've seen in 10 days - none of the Fieldfares or Woodcocks I saw last year

Buzzard going right over my head (cropped and lightened)

Adult Buzzard? Although there's no black tips to wings - look at the scraggedy tail feathers

Juvenile Buzzard - cropped but not lightened, that's the glare of the sun which put in a welcome appearance. See how perfect the juvenile's feathers are - in pristine condition.

You can't really see it in the quality of the compressed image above, but there was actually a bit of Wood pigeon gut on the end of this buzzard's beak - can you see?
As I walked through a tunnel this Buzzard flew out from the trees at the side of the railway verge, I looked over the fence and saw a blanket of Wood Pigeon feathers all over the ground - no carcas left whatsoever, just a red, bloody vein hanging from a tree branch.
Lovely.
With this in mind, knowing that the Buzzard would want a rest to let the pigeon digest, I edged along the fence to a tree I thought (hoped) it might have flown to and perched in.
Happily it was there, I was really quiet and careful not to disturb the Buzzard's r&r time, afterall, everyone needs a sit down after eating a whole raw woodpigeon.

Juvenile Buzzard, home, Yorkshire

Buzzard having a full belly snooze.

Juvenile Buzzard - f8, iso 320, 500mm lens - cropped

I also got a video of the Buzzard in the tree ( I was there for about 30 mins without the Buzzard flying off), but I'll post the video another time from another computer.
This will deffo be the last post from home.
10 days at home has been a luxury, I've said it before, I'm saying it again - I wish Yorkshire was magically part of Ireland so it could be easier to come home anytime - but there you go.
It's not.
I hope every one has enjoyed their break - Happy New Year etc, here's to wise choices and happy times.

20 Red kites. Yes, 20.

2011-12-27T22:33:00.000Z

Happy Yule.
Hasn't December been mild?!
Third mildest Christmas since before time began apparently.
It's great to be home, as always - for many reasons, but I guess the only reason people reading this blog are interested in are the birdy reasons - so best get to it.

First morning home (Dec 24th), I kid you not - the first birds I saw low over our house, whilst havin a brew:
6 Red kites (circling)
2 Buzzards (circling)
3 Sparrowhawks (seemed to be playing in the air together?)

Today (Dec 27th, don't ask me what actual day it is, I'm in that happy, dream like state where what day it is doesn't actually matter), low over the house:
20 RED KITES, yes, as in, TWENTY RED KITES,
joined by 2 low soaring Buzzards and a Kestrel.
CRAZY.
I was supposed to be going to Leeds with my bro but he knew better once he saw what was happening and settled back to watching Bullseye repeats whilst I ran outside.

I thought seeing 6 Red kites the first day back was astounding enough, but to see 20 Red kites, at the same time was a bit surreal to be honest.
Especially when the 2 Buzzards came to join the gliding party and then a Kestrel - everything was just gliding around without a care in the world - it was a lot of Raptor to take in.
I tried to get some of the Vision on video, but the raptors were all too close (nice complaint) and circling directly overhead didn't make videoing easy whilst handholding my 500mm lens.
So I mostly just watched.
I did manage some video footage when they flew further away, but this computer has seen better days (years), and is sulking/ crashing/ billowing smoke on video uploads, so going to stick with these few photos before it has a complete meltdown.

Like I mentioned, the weather has been great, so I've been walking the fields everyday - without fail seeing Red kites, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels.
Also seen Jay, Wren, Robin, Chaffinches, Herring gulls, BH gulls, flock of LTT's, Great tits, blue tits, Blackbirds, Pheasants and a flock of geese today - not sure what type.
These pics are a few I took of a young Red kite and young Buzzard

Juvenile Red kite, home, Yorkshire (white tips to coverts = juv)

Red kite - you can see it caught little worm and has it in its claws

Red kite snacking mid air

Red kite eating a worm mid air.

Despite seeing all these raptors, especially Red kites, I've never actually seen one close up and stationary, until today - and suprisingly it was the more human wary buzzard I got close to.
This sighting was late in the day, well, by winter standards, about 3.30pm and it was very dark already - so I've lightened this image to highlight the detail.

The closest I've ever seen a Buzzard. Beautiful Christmas jumper

Buzzard, home, Yorkshire

I think this is a young Buzzard.

Blurry I know, but I've never seen a Buzzards eyes before.

I managed a video of the Buzzard, but will have to upload another time.
The Buzzard stayed on the pylon for quite a while, happy enough with me below taking photos, eventually the Leeds to Harrogate train went by and the Buzzard flew off.
Great day.

In case I don't get on here again before Thursday, there looks to be an amazing 6 part series called 'Earthflight' starting this Thursday on BBC 1 at 8pm. I'm sure you can look up the trailer for a preview, the filming looks incredible.
If you do get to watch it, let me know if it was any good - I'll be watching the life story of Hilary Devey over on BBC2.
:o)

UCD Total for 2011 = 50 different Bird Species

2011-12-15T22:00:00.000Z

Ho ho ho.
Just tried to update one of the links in my Irish Birding Links section and deleted the lot by accident.
Ho ho ho.
will update all soon.....

Whilst I'm here, only 5 days left at work and I'm not sure I'll get to see any new species, so I think its safe to say that my Species count for UCD in 2011 is a very round numbered 50.

List of 'Common as muck and easily seen' over an hours walk around UCD campus (via Main Lake, Vets woods and Rosemount woods) - 22 Species
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Hooded crow
Pied wagtail
Blue tit
Great tit
Coal tit
Long tailed tit
Blackbird
Robin
Wren
Chaffinch
Wood pigeon
Moorhen
Black headed gull
Mallard
Mute swan
Tufted duck
Herring gull
Redwings (Jan - March)
Swallows (May - September)

Common, but not as common as muck - 9 Species

Bullfinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Goldcrest

Dunnock

House martin (June - August)

Swift (May - August)

Feral pigeon (they live on the roof of the arts block)

Mistle thrush

Cool little sighting around UCD, randomly seen during a walk - 8 Species

Grey heron

Grey wagtail

Blackcap

Starlings

Lesser black backed gull (summer)

Song thrush

Collared dove

Chiffchaff (May - July)

Rare in UCD - 6 Species
House sparrow - yes that's what I said, House Sparrow (seen once in the whole year)

Siskin - again, seen once in the whole year.

Oystercatcher - seen a few times in flock feeding on footie fields in really bad rainy weather (Nov/ Dec)

Linnets - seen in big flock handful of times in year

Teal (Jan - Feb)
Lesser redpoll - seen once, but probably around a lot more than noticed

Rare in UCD - sight for sore eyes - 4 Species

Kingfisher - seen twice in year

Water rail - seen a couple of times (January)

Little egret - seen once flying by my office window

Mediterranean gull - seen twice in July

So there you go.

The Treecreeper eluded me, as did Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Willow warbler, Brambling and Stock dove which are all around campus but I failed to see.
Oh well.

Here's my favourite photo this year from UCD.

I know its a mortal sin to have sticks going across yer bird photos - especially the face! but something about the state of this little Great tit chick thats ticks boxes for me.

330 Brent, Sundrive Cycle track, Crumlin

2011-12-11T21:07:00.001Z

Late start this mild December day, an amazing 7º for Dec 11th 2011.
I had gotten an email from Graham telling me he'd received an email from someone reporting 300 Brent feeding on a large roundabout in Crumlin on Friday morning (9th Dec 2011).

I didn't hold out much hope for them being there on a weekend, but I drove over anyway, driving round and round and round - but nada.
I drove up to the Convent but the gates were locked, so I drove a few metres further down to Dolphin Park.

As I drove up, a man was pulling the gates closed, he stopped when he saw me.
'Did you want to watch the game? It's over.'
'No, I wanted to watch the geese, but I guess I'm too late, no problem, I should have got here earlier - were there any geese here today?'
'Yeah they were some earlier, we watch them every year, they're great for fertilizing the pitches! If you want I can let you in and come back later and lock the gate?'
'No, no you're fine, I don't want to put you out.'
'It's no trouble, will an hour be long enough?'
"yeah that'd be great thankyou so much'.
And off he went - I had the field and access and the Geese for an hour!

I have no idea why, but I somehow expected to see about 700-800 Brent on the field.

There were 0.

1pm, 1.15pm, 1.30pm, 1.45pm, 2pm = 0 Brent Geese and Joe came back to lock up the gates.

This was the scene - for an hour - with rain.

Juvenile Rook. Also saw a couple of Common gulls, Herring and Black headed and plenty of Rooks, Jackdaws and Hoodies, Dolphin Park, Crumlin.

I drove back over to Clonmacnoise roundabout, drove round and round but still nothing doing, so I went home to get some lunch.

Back out again, it was 3pm, rainy and getting a bit dark.
Back around the flippin roundabout - nothing, so on to Sundrive cycle track.
I wasn't too hopeful but as I walked up the main path I saw the tops of heads, Brent heads!
And quite a few of them.

some of the 330 Brent Geese, Sundrive cycle track, Crumlin. 3.15pm 11th Dec 2011 (taken through metal grid fence).

PHWR with 4 juvs following
UNWR
FIWR} associate with HIWR
HIWR} associate with FIWR (both walking with 2 juvs following)
PFRY
CXWR
TPGY
I counted 59 juveniles total.

PHWR with its 4 chizzlers in tow.

By 4pm the sun had set and there was no sign of the Brent moving anywhere so I left them to it and went home.

Iwebs December 2011

2011-12-10T20:42:00.001Z

Sat 10th Dec 2011, Drimnagh 7.12am

Bull Island, 7.38am

Bull Island 7.39am

Bull Island, 7.42am

Bull Island 7.46am

Bull Island 7.47am

Brent Geese flying off, Bull Island 8am

Iwebs December 2011 was a cold 1º.
Multi layers and a bit of jumping around were your only options for keeping warm (hence the camera shake above).
The morning was beautiful though - dry, calm and really bright.

Myself and Tom counted section 3 and 4. I say myself and Tom, Tom counted every species except Brent, Oystercatchers and Shelducks. He flew through his lot, I was eyes wide at how quickly he could scan and count the section.
'40 years of birding and 10 years of helping with iwebs' he explained.
That's me sorted in 2021.

There weren't that many Brents to count, they all flew off by 8.20am! so including the 700 that flew off we counted a total of 1039.

Everyone finished their sections and we headed off for coffee by 9.45am.
I was half thinking of trying to stay around for the Wicklow Branch outing to the Bull at 12.30, but by 11am, we were all done for the day.
The sky had greyed over and the cold was starting to mess with my finely honed core temp, so with only a matter of moments to spare before my hands or feet dropped off I drove home.

175 Brent Geese and 4 tags, Crumlin

2011-11-28T20:43:00.001Z

8.15am at the allotment gates and they're locked.
That was worth getting up early for wasn't it?
Drove over to sundrive cycle track and no brent either on the track nor up on the footie pitches.

8.48am Sunday morning - Footie pitches, Sundrive Rd park (Eamon Ceannt Park), Crumlin.

After a bit of a walk to see what other birds were around a familiar sight and sound descended.
And landed.

8.58am Sunday 27th November, Sundrive cycle track, Crumlin - 44 Brent inc 3 juveniles - no tags.

After about 50 minutes of waiting for more arrivals, none did.
Drove over to the allotments which were now open and saw a very small flock of Brent in Dolphin Park, along with a team having a training session which would mean the main gates were open.
Drove in and walked down to the bottom of Dolphin Park where I counted 70 Brent including 24 juvs.

From 10am - 11.30am there were only 4 tags to be read, max number of Brent reached 175 including 38 juveniles.
ZHWB
HARY (with silver) - I've recorded HARY in Crumlin 28 Feb 2010, 7 Mar 2010 and 14 Mar 2010
BXGY (with silver)
TXGY (with silver) - very similar tag, but didn't seem to be an associate (walk with) BXGY
I've never seen a green tag before - and it could have been white - but you can see in the pic below - its green.
I'll email the readings to graham and see if green has been recorded before.

BXGY - green not white? and it looked the same in all lights. Dolphin Park, Crumlin, 10am- 11.30am Nov 27th 2011, 14º

HARY!! Welcome back. Dolphin Park, Crumlin, Nov 27th 2011. Also recorded feeding in Pearse Pk and Cycle track in 2010. HARY is a female Brent, ringed in SW Iceland, she's 7 years old and has been recorded in Dublin for the last 4 years.

10.10am 70 Brent Geese inc 24 juvs. Dolphin Park, Crumlin, 10am- 11.30am Nov 27th 2011, 14º

10.44am arrivals from (presumably) Bull Island, Dublin

The bottom of Dolphin Park is being left to regrow this year - this is hopefully going to allow for readings to take place over the winter

Only thing would be whether the Brent eat all the grass over the next few months as there's so little of it growing.

I had to leave by midday so it was great to get some tags and numbers to report.

104 Brent Geese, a partial tag reading and a bag of daffodil bulbs.

2011-11-26T21:11:00.001Z

Driving along Crumlin Road you'd be forgiven for not believing that beyond the blue sign of Synge St GAA is one of the largest inland feeding sites for Brent Geese in Dublin.
I've recorded 1,500 Brent feeding in this field alone and until last year thought we'd hit tag reading gold until barbed wire went up all over the boundary walls and stopped our access into the field.
Now the only way to get a gawk in is through the main gates which are nearly always locked unless there's a GAA match on - and when there's a GAA match on - there's no Brent Geese.
Today I saw the gates open and decided to drive in anyway, just to see if there was any 'evidence' that the Brent Geese were using the fields yet.
Some might think this is a strange way to spend a Saturday, I think it's aprobably a bit strange that it doesn't even dawn on me anymore!

Dolphin Park, aka Synge St GAA, aka Farmer Joe's field, aka inland feeding site for 1500 Brent Geese.

Dolphin Park, no Brent Geese (GAA match happening top of the field).

but plenty of dropping evidence to show they had probably been feeding on the field earlier in the morning (Nov 26th 2011)

The wall I used to climb over to read the BG tags - all barbed wire now, sniff.

I walked down to the bottom of Dolphin Park and noticed some new allotments to the right.
Bingo - if I could find the entrance to the allotments, I might be able to get views into Dolphin Park whether or not the main gates were open.
Result.

Clogher Road Allotments, 90 allotments opened last year in the grounds of Pearse College - all were taken.

Clougher Rd allotments opened 2010.

I got talking to Mick who said he noticed the Brent Geese arrive 2 weeks ago (Nov 12, 2011) and that he sees them nearly everyday from the allotments.

Mick showed me around the allotments, he pointed out the wind turbine and explained how it powers the water which comes up from a well which they dug.
Mick told me how his family hasn't had to buy any veg since he started work in his allotment, all they needed came from his farmed bit of Crumlin earth.
He showed me the paintings on the end of some of the cabins, Phil Lynott, Brendan Behan and Gabriel Byrne - all raised or lived in Crumlin at some point in their lives.
As Mick was talking I was distracted by the sight of 20 Brent Geese landing down in an area next to the GAA fields.
'Where's that area Mick?'
'That's a bit of land belonging to the Convent on Sundrive, they wouldn't mind you driving in. Let me just give you some daffodil bulbs before you go.'
How kind.

The entrance into the convent was locked so I drove over to Pearse Park in Crumlin where I've seen 500 Brent in the past.

Pearse Park, Crumlin - no Brent Geese, but one piece of Evidence to show they've been using the field. The grass was very short so I'd guess that's why I didn't find lots more evidence like I did in Dolphin Park.

Drove over to Clonmacnoise roundabout, Crumlin and Sundrive Cycle track (above) - but no Brent or evidence at either site

It was only 4pm and the sun was going down already.
I drove back around to try and find the entrance into the convent and got lucky.
I parked my car and tried to locate the field I thought I saw the geese drop down into.

Sight for sore eyes - Brent Geese, enjoying long grass and 13º degrees, Convent garden, Dublin - Sat 26th November 2011

I counted 104 Brent Geese including 24 juveniles.

I only spotted one tagged Brent -?XWR I watched for ages to try and catch a glimpse of what the letter on the white tag was - but the grass was just too long

Eventually they all took off and as I watched them lift up, I saw that they were joining another flock of about 200 flying over Dolphin Park.
I hoped they'd all land, but instead they all flew off towards the Sandymount Chimneys to roost.

Sandymount Chimneys from Crumlin, Dublin 12.

3 hours looking around Crumlin got me an inland sighting of 104 Brent and a partial tag reading.
Still felt like a good days birding though.

70 Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12 - the home of Brendan Behan.

'Ireland's Wildlife Year' book launch

2011-11-26T18:30:00.001Z

Here's some photos from the book launch.
'Ireland's Wildlife Year' by Eric Dempsey (bird photos /text), Billy Clarke (mammal photos), Tom Hayden (mammal text), Carsten Kreiger (flower/ plant photos) Declan Donaghue (flower/ plant text).
Large hardback book, full of beautiful images and text which takes us through the four seasons in Ireland.
€30 in all good book shops.

Book Launch - Teachers Club, Parnell Square, Dublin.
Thurs 25th November 2011.

Declan Donaghue, Billy Clarke, Tom Hayden, Eric Dempsey - Dublin, November 2011

Declan Donaghue, Billy Clarke, Tom Hayden, Eric Dempsey

'Tiger' giving a brief history of the Teachers Club, Parnell Square, Dublin

Ireland's best known wildlife film maker Éamon de Buitléar launches 'Ireland's Wildlife Year'.

Magic moments - Éamon de Buitléar played a tune on his harmonica

I wish I had remembered my camera could record.

Eric Dempsey

Geraldine, Hazel, Sylvia and Éamon de Buitléar

Who, me? Steal a book? No, I wouldn't do that.

Hazel, Ann (Eric's mum!) and Eric. The spit.

Éamon de Buitléar's stealing what?!

Heh, heh, heh.

Paul (Eric's bro), Hazel, Ann and Eric

Billy Clarke and Tom Hayden

Imagine taking a photo and it ending up on the front cover of a book. Nice feeling Billy?

Book signing factory, Rosemary and Frank (Tolka Branch)

Sylvia and Eric

Eric and Hazel

Eric and Vincent.

Vincent, Rosemary, Francois, Ian, Eric and Phillip

Éamon de Buitléar and Eric Dempsey

Favourite photos in the book?
Corn poppy, Hazel, Wood Mouse (and its feet!), Bearded Reedlings, Fly Agaric, Redwing and Fieldfare in last year's freezing conditions, the bluebell woods and most the landscape images and Billy's shot of the deer which made the front cover.
Buy the book.

iwebs november 2011

2011-11-26T17:56:00.001Z

Sat 12th November 2011
7.50am - 10am ish Bull Island, Dublin.
High Tide - noon.
1,887 Brent Geese
412 Oystercatchers.
They were my counts - and that was just south of the causeway.
Maseev amount of Brent - at 9am some were flying off to inland sites already.

7.51am, Bull Island, Dublin

7.52am, Bull Island, Dublin

7.53am, Bull island causeway (south)

Massive flock of 2 Redwings, Phoenix Park.

2011-11-06T22:13:00.002Z

First frosty morning in Dublin, Phoenix Park Nov 6th 2011. Car said 4ºC and 3° on Knockmaroon Hill.

It was a chilly one last night and this morning.
The coldest its been.

But this morning, like yesterday morning was absolutely stunning so off I headed to Phoenix Park because Surely by now there should be flocks of Redwing/ Fieldfare about.

After about 2 hours wandering round the park, I'd covered the areas I'd seen plenty of Fieldfare/ Redwing in last year, but berry tree after berry tree was empty and motionless, except for the odd pair of Blackbirds or single Mistle Thrush.

Giving up, I settled myself into the cold morning shade of the woods to try and get decent shots of the 4 Jays which were flitting around.
I had just missed an amazing, close up shot of a Jay when I finally saw movement in some Hawthorn.
The strong supercilium and size of these birds made me hopeful these were finally Redwings.

Bang in middle of the picture you can just see the Redwing


Cropped and lightened you can see 2 Redwings.

Very cool to see.
They were the only Redwings I saw all morning, even a trip to the berry ladden Irish War memorial Park and the grounds of IMMA resulted in the usual suspects, but no Scandinavian visitors.

One of many berry laden trees, Irish War Memorial Park, Dublin. I know it's not Hawthorn but I've seen Fieldfare eating berries other than Hawthorn/ Rowan. The berries from Yew trees seem to be a favourite too.

Tree Creeper, IWMP.There were 2 Treecreepers on this tree, quite a treecreeper wknd for me. Now if they'd just show themselves in ucd for my list!

It was a lovely morning in both parks and around IMMA.

I have an irk though.
An irk which has been irking me for some time but I've never mentioned but it because it seemed too mean spirited - but this morning the irk nearly sent me looking up anger management classes - so I need to vent.

Remote Controlled planes in Phoenix Park are driving me bonkers!
The constant loud noise from these planes people seem so keen to constantly fly in the 15 acre field is like having a bluebottle stuck in your ear for 3 hours.
There's no escape, which seems such a shame when I go to Phoenix Park to try and enjoy the open space and queitness .

Each to their own and everything, but sitting in the woods, the noise of the planes was so loud and so constant that my nerves were nearly shot.

It's a public park and everyone needs space for their hobbies etc, and maybe I wouldn't mind so much but I have an obvious concern about how much the noise and sight of these planes might be deterring birds who would otherwise settle/ breed in the woods.

The planes fly right over the trees and I'm sure would be very intimidating to birds in these woods, but who knows - maybe the birds aren't bothered by the planes at all and its just grumpies like me who are.

Watch out deer, those planes often crash and you could end up with one sticking out of your head. Why deer, thankyou for the warning, I think they're simply horrid and I hate the sound of them.

I was going to record the loudness of the planes from the woods today using my camera- because they seemed SO loud this morning, I'm not talking small little remote controlled glider noise - these planes have mini engine tanks and have the loudeness of mopeds along with smoke fumes and everything - but felt that was crossing a line and getting into definite grumpy territory, so didn't.
But these guys seem to be in the 15 acre park all the time and there seems no way of escaping them.

Guess I just have to find a way of not being so bothered by them.

Brickfields Park, Drimnagh

2011-11-05T21:24:00.000Z

This morning, I had given C a lift into work, done a full shop in lidl, had a coffee on the steps of the church at Stephen's Green, sponsored someone for Movember and taken my camera to Conns to have its sensor cleaned - all before 9.10am.
A far cry from my planned lazy morning watching James Martin's omlette challenge.

It was a beautiful morning this morning so once I had collected my camera, I set off home via Brickfields Park to see if there were any Redwings there.

Saturday morning, Brickfields Park, Drimnagh. 5th Nov 2011.

Magpie showing how it aint just a black and white bird

Goldcrest, Brickfields Park, Drimnagh

Tree Creeper, Brickfields Park, Drimnagh - look at its claws! Not going to lie, this shot is blurry, this Aperture malarky is tricky on the fast movers.

Treecreeper - lovely colouring. I was at a brilliant talk on Tuesday night with Dick Coombes (on Woodpeckers in Ireland), and he described how Woodpeckers use their stiff tail feathers to balance by pushing them against the tree. Treecreepers do the same.

Long Tailed Tit getting its Cute on. Brickfields Park, Drimnagh. There was a very busy and non stop flock of 10 long tailed tits, flitting from branch to branch, tree to tree. I have lots of blurred shots of them and lots of great shots of them behind branches.

Long Tailed Tit highlighting its red eye ring which seems to protrude at the top.

Herring Gull (2nd winter), Brickfields Park, Drimnagh

One of the flock of c40 Black Headed Gulls in the park, all busily searching the earth and getting loads of worms.

Gross. Each to their own and all that, but still.

Soon, the pitches in the park started to fill up with Saturday morning sports, so I decided to go home and get my own worm free breakfast.
No Redwings.

Redwings over Drimnagh

2011-11-03T22:29:00.001Z

10pm, just arrived back from my NCT test (it was a late one) and as I was banging the hub caps back onto my car wheels, I heard Redwings flying above my head in the night sky - first time I've ever heard their night migration flight call.
Very cool sound.

If you're out at night and hear some birds making a very high pitched noise above your head, its more than likely Redwings as they make their migration from Scandinavia or Iceland into Ireland for the winter.

Photos and sound of Redwings here http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redwing/index.aspx

flight call should be here http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/sounds/redwing.mp3

the fields at home

2011-10-28T21:56:00.000+01:00

Did you know that Leeds/Bradford airport is the highest airport in England?
Well, it is.
Did you also know that the M62 from Liverpool from Leeds, is the highest motorway in England?
Well, it is.
Yesterday I had dealings with both.
In my 13 years of flying between Dublin and Leeds with Ryanair, I've never once been diverted, not really had all that many delays and I've never had a flight cancelled.
So when thick fog over Leeds threw everything into turmoil yesterday, I felt it was probably about time I got to experience the utter joy of sitting in a plane on Dublin's runway for over an hour (gross), the excitement of circling over the airport where you want to land for 15 mins and the adventure conjured up when told the flight is being diverted back on itself to Liverpool where we'll be driven back to leeds on a (very smelly) bus.
The adventure of my 45 min flight (which I was up at 5.30am for!) lasting 7 hours wasn't all that bad, but I'd happily wait another 13 years before I enjoyed it all again.

Still, we arrived safely and I got to have a coffee in John Lennon airport and see a bit of the city where I went to University, so I was happy enough. Plus, the trip across the M62 was pretty cool, especially going over the Penines in misty fog and seeing the Yorkshire moors and the old mill towns in some of the valleys.
It was nice to be home.

Today I went for a walk in the fields.
I got some great views!

First thing this morning I saw this Jay from the kitchen

I know this is out of focus but look at the electric blue and black on the wings!

Jay carrying acorns to hide and bury them for winter

That's some handlebar moustache

A Sparrowhawk flew right over my head - It's a bird I've never seen up close. Barring not streaking, no moustache.

Its times like this I'm glad I have a camera so I get a chance to look at the bird that just whizzed past.

Our most common garden bird, Redkite

I think these are the closest shots I've got - all on Aperture by the way!

I can tell you I took this on F8, 400iso at 1/1250 and no exposure change

Cool the way its tail is angled and the talons are out and its looking ahead

Yep, it is what you think it is - I think its an amazing photo! but I'll never look at toothpaste the same way again.

'How rude' - Better keep my flight path above that Redkites - Kestrel

Kestrel flying over my head - streaking not barring and faint moustache, dark eyes and vivid yellow eyering

Kestrel

I managed my first glimpse of a Redwing, it was deep within a tree but I saw its sharp supercillium and thought 'finally' I've seen a Redwing.
Then I reckoned I saw a flock of around 20 Redwings, but the sun was behind the tree, so I didn't get a proper look to see if there were any Fieldfares in with them.

In a few hours I was gifted with great views and sounds from several Jays, a Sparrowhawk, Kestrels, several Redkites and a Buzzard. I did get a photo of the Buzzard but its not very exciting so haven't posted it.
Noticeable numbers (in hundreds) of Wood Pigeons flying over the fields, one flyover flock was easily 300+.
I also saw Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Coaltits and Bluetits, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Goldfinches and Greenfinches, a Starling and a couple of Robins. None of the smaller birds came out into the open for photos today, but I'm not complaining looking at the photos I did manage.
I love that I got a photo of a Jay carring an acorn, even if it was pretty far off (across 2 fields), the cropping brings it closer.
The day was bright and still and I was lucky the Redkites were really taking it easy allowing for those great closeups.

Not a bad first day home.

PP

2011-10-17T22:36:00.000+01:00

Once finished at Bull Island, I drove over to Phoenix Park.

If there were any Redwings around they'd look lovely in this sunshine - also look great in photos.
There weren't.
Or Fieldfares.

So whilst mum gets an estimated flock of around 400 Redwings flying over our house in Yorkshire, I still haven't seen a single one!
Lots and lots of Mistle Thrush around though.

Anyway, I walked over to the lake (the one near Farmleigh, not the near the main entrance), people have been reporting Mandarin Ducks during the last few weeks.
The first time I saw a Mandarin Duck I was on a boat on the River Spree in Berlin and I saw one standing on a ledge.
They're amazing looking birds, but even so, they don't really do it for me.
I suppose it's that whole notion that they're not 'wild' and they're probably escapees from a private collection.
I'm not sure what the background is on these.

>>EDIT>> Comment left by Niall Keogh explains these are indeed all being released from collections and will prob die in next few months (Mandarin here might survive and breed next season)

Male Mandarin Duck, Phoenix Park, Dublin

Female Mandarin Duck, Phoenix Park, Dublin

Leucistic male Mandarin Duck on left, Phoenix Park.

Not sure what this is? <<EDIT>> Niall Keogh says this is a female Ringed Teal.

Thanks to Niall Keogh for providing this image of male and female Ringed Teal taken in Buenes Aires, Argentina where Ringed Teal are usually found © Santiago Meligeni Lozano

Fright of my life when this deer raised its head from behind the tree stump. It's mating season for the deer in the park and the males are locking horns with each other like there's no tomorrow, whilst the female deer look on. They might want to take a look at this link before they start doing themselves any real damage half of females put off by rutting stags

By 6pm, the light was dying and I was done, so I headed home where my dinner was waiting for me!
Some days are seriously better than others.

560 Brent - 118 juveniles, Bull Island

2011-10-17T22:24:00.000+01:00

Sunday morning was a beauty, blue skies and sunshine, so I was out my front door before 9am and back over at the Bull by 9.30am.
Main aim - to try and see the female Blue Winged Teal which has been hanging out to the left of the Causeway with the Shovelers.

Because it was early and the tide was still out, I decided to walk along the Alder marsh.
But before I set off, I noticed a few more Shelduck on the mud than were there yesterday.
A few weeks ago there were none at all, but as I stood there, I saw 20, then 40, then 60, so I decided to do a full count and counted 306!
Never before have I seen that many Shelduck.
Emailed the unusual total to Helen and she replied that herself and Sinead had spotted them yesterday after the iwebs count and figured that they had most probably just landed from Netherlands/ Wadden Sea because they weren't there an hour earlier!
Amazing.

Once I was along the alder marsh walk I saw a few Brent feeding on the Saltmarsh grass.
I counted 560 total including 118 juveniles - and I took footage!
I wanted to capture the sound of the geese, but on playback all you hear is the wind - but anyway, I also wanted to show how many juveniles were in the flock (the ones with whitish stripes on their backs are the youngsters).

Quite a difference from last year when there were hardly any juveniles in the flocks.

Brent Geese flying from one flock to join the main flock, Bull Island.

I waited a while to see if I could spot any tags on the Brent, but the grass was too long to see any.
Walking along, I wondered if I would see the Buff Bellied Sandpiper seen down this way, but I didn't.
Found out later I had got the location of where the 'Point' was wrong. I thought it was in front of the golf house, in fact it's way past there and nearer to Sutton - I didn't even know you were allowed to walk that far.

After a while I headed back to the main causeway, crossed over and walked the Salt marsh towards the wooden bridge.

Wheatear, Saltmarsh, Bull Island

I think this shot is cool! I got about 60 shots of this Wheatear, it was completely unphased by me being there. This is like one of those romantic dream images they use in magazines.

Same Wheatear, it actually did a lot of 'nothing' and standing around. Takin it easy like Sunday Morning.

Flock of c.200 Linnets and Goldfinch, Saltmarsh, Bull Island

Little Egret, Bull Island - saw 5.

Tide was rising and I scanned the flock of waders for Curlew Sandpiper, didn't see it.

Black Tailed Godwit, Bull Island.

18 of the 306 Shelduck, Bull Island.

Teal - didn't see the female Blue winged - but just look at that green speculum!

Also managed a shot of the Kingfisher! By fluke too, I was looking at the Heron and noticed it was perturbed, then saw the object of its irritation!

Great morning out at the Bull.

iwepts

2011-10-17T21:27:00.002+01:00

'No, you don't need to be an expert, come along to the next iwebs count, we could do with extra volunteers for Dublin Bay' said Helen.
'OK, if you're sure'.
'Cool, see you at the Causeway, 10am Saturday'

The Causeway, Saturday 9.45am - how are you supposed to count that?!

I was a bit nervous.
Silly I know, but I was nervous I was going to mess up the count, get all the bird id's wrong and be really slow, everything that would make all the more experienced birders frustrated with me and forever more give me the cold shoulder.

But this was a decent bunch o'birders.
'Er, it's only counting' Helen reminded me, all smiles.
Everyone was all smiles.
Too many smiles?
Could they be trusted?
Hmmm, ok, ok, let's get counting.

Me, Dermot and Helen covered the area to the right of the Bull, first from the Wooden Bridge, then in front of Wongs, then Duck Central, where there was a huge number of Wigeon and Teal.

'If we start you on the easy birds Siobhan, start counting the Oystercatchers and we'll cover everything else'.
Ah, what an easy way to start.
I started counting my Oystercatchers and mentally freaked out.
It was like a mini comedy of errors, the OC's were in a tight flock and because the tide was rising, the crazy OC's kept jumping over one another to be in the middle of the flock ( a flock of about 300).
I counted up to 7 of them several times until they'd jump over each other and mess up my count, no matter how fast I counted, they jumped over each other as fast.
I was going to have to admit defeat, it was impossible to count them individually.

'Ive finished counting all the Knots, Blackwits, Dunlin and Redshanks', said Dermot.
This was not what I wanted to hear.
'Er, the Oystercatchers keep jumping over each other and I can't count them.'
Morto.

'Just count them in groups of 5's, it'll be much easier' - and it was.

Oystercatchers successfully counted (849), I graduated onto Shovelers (12), Brent Geese (26) and Lapwings (51).
By noon we had finished our section and were back on the Causeway with all the others who had also finished their sections.
Dublin Bay and its 6 sections had been counted.

If you would like to help out with iwebs (counts take place once a month Sept - March all over Ireland) you should contact the iwebs national co-ordinator - hboland@birdwatchireland.ie
Just keep your hands off the Oystercatchers in Dublin Bay - they're mine.

No Fieldfares - Phoenix Park

2011-10-14T21:57:00.002+01:00

Since the end of September I've been trying to go up to Phoenix Park after work to spot Redwing/ Fieldfare shapes in the Hawthorn trees.
Last year I spotted a Fieldfare knockin Hawthorn berries down it's gullet as early as October 12th, but this year, so far, I've not seen any.
I've not seen any Redwings round UCD either, and I've been looking.
Not hearing of any mass Redwing/Fieldfare sightings either.
Must be mild weather all round.

Last night (13th October) was the first evening I managed to get over to the park all week and I was hopeful I'd see something, but after an hour in the one spot, I didn't.

As always, dusk over Phoenix Park brought with it the heightened noise and activity from the Jackdaws, Hooded Crows and Rooks sorting themselves out in their roosts.

Didn't see any Swallows like I did this time last year either.

Did hear a couple of Mistle Thrushes though.

Last year's post can be seen on the 'old blog' over on Wordpress - which I've just noticed has put an ESB ad on my post !!
When did this start happening?
I remember I opted not to allow free ads on the old blog??
Anyways - last year's Oct 12 2010 post http://drimnaghbirdwatch.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/phoenix-park/

999 - 'hello, we're dying'

2011-10-05T17:51:00.002+01:00

Photo of a Curlew I took at Bull Island last year.

'Hello, you're through to Emergency Services, which service do you require?'
'Hello, well we didn't know whether to call you or the Simon Community, see, we're all dying and we've also got nowhere to live'
'Oh dear. Well, I'm very sorry for you but I can't help, sorry - this is for important emergencies only - the human kind.'
'Oh, ok, thanks. Bye'

In the late 1970's there were an estimated 24,000 Irish Curlews living, breeding and happily prodding the mud all over Ireland.

As of October 2011, there's an estimated 300 (max) breeding pairs of Irish Curlew left in the whole of Ireland.
The boss of BWI reckons there's actually only about 100 breeding pairs left, but lets hope he's wrong.

Fact: For hundreds of years, Ireland has been one of the few countries where Curlews lived all year round. In a few years time, if we want to see a Curlew, we'll have to wait until Curlews from other countries come over to visit Ireland over the winter months.
So we will still see Curlews, but they'll just be visitors.
They'll leave again in Spring, leaving Ireland silent of Curlews until the visitors arrive again the next winter.

Using my calculator:
12,000 Irish breeding pairs (1970's) minus 300 Irish breeding pairs (2011) = a loss of 11,700 breeding pairs.
That's a loss of 23,400 individual Curlews prodding the mud in Ireland.
Gone.
That's a loss of 97½ %.

97½ %.

Imagine walking all over Co.Donegal and then walking all over Co.Mayo - that's a mammoth amount of ground.
Only 8 Curlew nests were found in Co.Donegal and Co Mayo this year.
4 in Mayo and 4 in Donegal.
And you know all that moorland and heathland in Wicklow?
None in Wicklow.
There is a red dot on the map, but Niall whispered to me that it was a mistake, so Wicklow is bare of red dots. Red dots = confirmed Curlew breeding sites.

Taken from BWI Curlew Appeal page

My mum is from a place surrounded by farmland in Co.Kilkenny. Now living in Yorkshire, whenever she hears a Curlew she always says it reminds her of home.
In a few years time Ireland may never see (or hear) an Irish Curlew ever again.
The map will have no red dots.

Forests being planted, abandoned fields resulting in huge gorse growth and farmlands being too intensely farmed are the biggest causes of the decline.
Predators such as mink, crows, foxes, pine martins, humans and their dogs trampling on nests are other reasons for decline.
The Curlew is also a bird still listed as 'legal to shoot' in Ireland - though it is thought that hunters would never shoot a Curlew knowing their declining status - but still, it might be a good idea to remove the Curlew from the shooting list. Even if it is for appearances sake.

Curlews are happy to set up home and raise their young in open fields, meadows and amongst heather.
They like large open spaces where they can see predators approaching. They like dry areas (for the nest) which are close to muddy areas (where they can feed) and they like Marks and Spencer oxford pillow cases where they can rest their heads. Not really, they don't rest their heads, they just shut their eyes - but in comparison to us, they need very little.
They just need the right kind of habitat.
It's not too much to ask for really is it?

Birdwatch Ireland have estimated how much cash is needed to try and put into action everything they think they need to help this poor species out - €99,000.

So if there are any lottery winners or anyone who wouldn't miss a fiver in their pocket - you can donate to their Cry of the Curlew appeal at this link Birdwatch Ireland's Cry of the Curlew Appeal

If you're strapped for cash (and who isn't?), then maybe look out for ways to help volunteer or make sure report any Curlews you see next summer to Birdwatch Ireland.

Thankyou to Dr. Anita Donoghy (Birdwatch Ireland, Donegal) for the presentation last night to the South Dublin branch.

'Interesting talk, dismal message'.

Some further reading:
Article written in Irish Times Sat 24th Sept 2011:http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0924/1224304646862.html

Sycamore Hill

2011-10-01T21:56:00.000+01:00

Last Saturday I was one of the lucky few (let's just say 'elite') to get a place on the very first 'Bird Photography' course run by the wonderful Eric Dempsey and John Fox at Sycamore Hill, Wicklow.

Feels like we've been on at Eric to run a Bird Photography course forever - something where we could learn about the technical side of photography together with 'in the field' photography skills, so when Eric finally said the course was happening, hats were thrown in the air and places were booked.

A photography course led by two of Ireland's most respected birders/photographers might leave some nervy, but Eric and John's easy going natures meant it was easy to relax and mess around as if you were with friends.
In this relaxed mood, and encouraged by the sentence 'There's no such thing as a stupid question', f-stops, ISO settings, shutter speeds, meter readings and exposures - all the boring stuff - became interesting and shed their technical mystery. For the first time in years, and I'm talking about 3 years here, it all finally made sense and that's 'Really saying something' (thankyou Bananarama, wise words).

There's no doubt that what helped most, was the session after lunch (the Most Amazing lunch!) - when John and Eric went round all of us individually, watched as we took our photos, then checked all our settings and showed us where we were going right/wrong. That was a great help. 'Hey Siobhan, your exposures are spot on'. Get in.
It also helped that they kept the numbers on the course to 12 of us.
That Nikon training course I got free with the camera had about 90 people stuffed into a room for 3 hours. Got a question about f.stops? Tough luck.

So, what did I get out of the course?
Well - in a nutshell - everything I had wanted to learn.
Should you wish to know, I can now tell you the difference between spot metering and centre weighted metering, all about changing and checking exposures, I can even tell you what that histogram thing is for on your camera and why it's important to keep checking it.
I can tell you why F4 gives you a shallow depth of field as opposed to F32 giving a huge depth of field. Oh I could go on and on. Make sure you stand next to me on a night out, I'll be great fun.

The move from the easy 'Auto everything' to Ap priority isn't for everyone and is obviously quite daunting which would explain why I haven't had the nerve to do it for the last 3 years.
I've a small brain, it's not able for much and I am a little scared someone's going to find me melted somewhere, camera on floor, muttering 'peregrine... couldn't get settings right... missed it... peregrine....'
but the more I get out and practice, the better I'll get, so everyone says. We'll see.

Anyway, for starters, here are some of my very first shots from the afternoon session, where I chose my own ISO settings, f.stops, exposures and shutter speeds.
I even looked at my histo (yeah, histo) after most shots.

Aswell as camera settings, we also learned some field tricks for getting good photos. This is Eric showing how a car can make one of the best hides. With scrim netting and a bean bag to steady your camera, the birds forget about you and move closer (well, so long and you're quiet and still).

Out in the field, the same scrim netting can be thrown over yourself so the birds relax and you get great shots.

John gets great shots at the bird's eye level by using an adaptor he has fitted to his camera for when he doesn't want to be fully lying down taking photos.

Sarah and Russell can't believe the migrant which just landed in the garden

Checking shots and histograms, Jim is also in shock at seeing the yank migrant.

'John, is that the migrant I think it is?'

'Yes Eric, I'm just going forward with the frying pan now, sliding in closer to get a better shot, think I'll be getting another Front cover of Wings with this one'.

'Cool, got the sun and wind behind me, got the catchlight in the bird's eye, this is deffo another shot for my next posh photography coffee table book.' (coming out just in time for Christmas people....)

Passing migrant - Ap Priority, ISO 320, f/6.3, 1/640 sec - Sycamore Hill, Wicklow. Could have done with stepping up the exposure Or stepping around to get the sun behind me.

Brendan's spotted something.

Shot's in the bag

'Yep, the red belly and yellow chin are the giveaway'.

It's a bit early for the Redbellied Yellowchin isn't it?

You never know what's going to turn up at Sycamore Hill. Probably flown down from the mountains and heading on to Kilcoole and then on to South Africa.

By the time 6pm came around, I was zonked.
Usually with Kilcoole/ Newcastle 5 mins away I'd pop over for a walk and a look, but I was so tired, I just drove home.

I want to give a big mention here, the Biggest mention - Hazel and Geraldine.
You know when you meet sound people and they make the world feel a bit better? The whole day's mood was given an extra a lift by how well we were all looked after by these two. The lunch Hazel, Geraldine and Sarah made was so amazing, the teas, coffees, home made biscuits and cakes! It's a good job we didn't have to move too far for the afternoon session, because a lot of us (well, the greedy ones (me) who took too much of everything), we couldn't walk!
I do love my food.
Anyway a huge thankyou - it was all very much appreciated.

Next day - Sunday 25th Sept 2011
7.45am the next morning and I'm in the car driving back down to Wicklow.
Near empty M50/N11, sun shining, blue skies, autumnal leaves, day of birding ahead = heaven.

From Wicklow we drove down to Tacumshin, Co.Wexford (carpooling - thanks for the lift Tom!). This was to be our 'full on field skills' day. But you can guess what happened - it started raining.
Not just any rain.
Torrential rain.
So we actually had to finish up at Tacumshin pretty quickly and eventually move onto Lady's Lake when the weather was slightly better.

Here's some photos from the day - again all on Ap Priority and my own settings etc.
Eric and John both said the light was crap for photography and they probably wouldn't bother if they were on their own, but we still had a go - here's some from the dry spells:

Get down low when taking photos - this makes you less threatening to the birds.

If you can, get in the grass, next to trees, next to rocks - anything to disguise your silhouette

Birders getting their sights on the 12 Buff Breasted Sandpipers which were kicking around. (Niall Keogh and Papa Keogh turned up later and recorded 24 BBSandpipers!)

Right, I'm not great on my waders, but lets see if I can get my id's right on these.

Apparently - if you know the i.d of a Dunlin, you're sorted for telling others waders apart..
So....

Dunlin

Dunlin in flight

Whitearsed Dunlin

White WagDunlin

Scraggedy Dunlin. This is my Arty Shot. I like how the yellow flash is same colour as the dandelion flowers and the white feathers are like the flecks of dandelion seeds.

It's clear how the different lights really do make such a difference.
The sun came out for a millisecond for the Wheatear - and you can tell.
All the other photos of the Dunlins were in light most photographers wouldn't bother with, but that would leave my blog imageless given the weather in Ireland - so I'll have to push on with bad light shots.

After a while we called it a day and drove back to Wicklow where we had a final coffee (and cake!) and roundup of the weekend.

I got a lot out of the weekend.
I think anyone who wants to learn how to step away from Auto would benefit from this course - and the bird photography field skills were a huge added bonus, which you'd never get from a 'normal' photography course.

Eric is going to be running more courses over the next few months, they'll no doubt fill up quick enough and given the quality of this first weekend course, Sycamore Hill is going to earn the respected reputation it completely deserves.
Like I said earlier, there were only 12 people on this course, but plenty more people were interested, so instead of jamming more people onto the course, Eric and John have run the course again this weekend.
Here's the link for all Sycamore Hill workshops http://www.birdsireland.com/pages/workshops/workshops.html

So thankyou again and good luck to the Sycamore Hill crew - not that you need it - you've got it all going on anyway.

Eric Dempsey - If I knew anything about photoshop, I'd make a sparkling glint in his eye - but I think there's one there anyway! Aaaaaah.

Siob 4 Brent

2011-09-14T19:31:00.002+01:00

Talking of tagging...
Down at Sandymount Strand after work and who did I bump into?

Welcome back to Dublin, how was your Summer, go anywhere nice? 4 Brent in Dublin, Wed 14th Sept 2011.

2 adults and 1 juvenile Brent (white tips and lack of white neck collar).

One other Adult keeping itself to itself

The other 3 did eventually make their way over to join the 4th, but it was clear the 2 with the juvenile were a family.
I quickly scanned the whole of the beach from over Bootytown direction scanning left to Irishtown Nature Reserve, I couldn't see any other Brent (6pm).
I also think this is slightly earlier than their arrival last year?
Didn't have time to scan for much else tonight, but nice to see the Brent.
I get the same feeling seeing my first Brent as I do seeing the first Swallows of Summer.

No tags.
Some honking.

Godwit Storytime

2011-09-14T18:55:00.000+01:00

Remember this photo from Saturday?
When I wrote down the tags from the tagged Black Tailed Godwit in with c.300 others, Bull Island, Dublin?

Blacktailed Godwit with tags Red, Black, Yellow, X

I asked Helen Boland (IWeBS Co-ordinator, Birdwatch Ireland) if she knew who I could report the tags to and straight away she gave me the email address of Pete Potts in the UK as someone who was probably involved with the ringing. (How on the ball and helpful was that?!).
I sent off my email and it turned out that Helen was spot on, in hardly anytime at all Pete emailed me back the following info:

Many thanks for the godwit record much appreciated.

RN YX is a bird we ringed in Siglufjordur on 11th July 2009 as an adult female and was seen on Tiree on 1^st Aug 09 and then in Dublin 08/10/09 and again there Aug & Sept 2010. I wonder where it winters?

I had to look up where Tiree was (it's a small island in the Scottish Hebredies) and I google mapped Siglufjordur which is the very north of Iceland.

In nerdy fashion I've made this map to show the flight path of the female Godwit, (hopefully there should be blue placemarks you can click on to give reported tag dates).

(View RBYX - Black tailed Godwit in a larger map )

In addition to this info, Mark Carmody also spotted the photo of the tagged Godwit and emailed Rosemary who runs the brilliant Dublin's Tolka Branch website.
I received this forwarded email this morning:

"I noticed from the website that Siobhan McNamara had a ringed Black-tailed Godwit on the Bull island on the 10th September. The combination rang a bell with me so I checked my photographs. I was delighted that I did. I took a photograph of the bird just after it was ringed in Siglufjörður in northern Iceland on 11th July 2009!! The photograph is attached. Jim Wilson and I were in Iceland for 6 days taking photographs for the Shorebirds of Ireland book and we were helping Pete Potts and his crew ring some godwits while we were there.

Please post this up on the website as it makes an interesting story and raises the importance of checking the godwit flocks here in winter for ringed birds. If you could also pass this email onto Siobhan as I don't have her email address, I would appreciate it.

Best Regards,

Mark Carmody.

How about that then?!
It turns out that Mark personally held and released the very same Godwit in Iceland in 2009.

and there's the tags I spotted on Saturday ©Mark Carmody

So there you go.
From taking the initiative to record a tag, and with the help of Helen Boland, Pete Potts, Rosemary and Mark Carmody we end up with a bit of background to a bird which could easily have been glanced over as 'just another bird'.
Which it is, but now I know the history I delete the 'just' and award the bird some Respect for the journeys I now know she's managed to survive and the experiences she must have had along the way (for example, successfully dodging the Peregrine the day I saw her).
Through tagging and subsequent reporting not only are we helping important bird protection/conservation work, but we also get to hear a bit about the bird's story, something which if you're anything like me, you're likey to find very interesting.

Seeing as our Godwit friend hasn't ever been reported over Winter, Mark wonders if she moves even further down south to France or Portugal for the winter months?
In the interests of research I suggest we all get the first flights over to these places (bagsie Portugal) and keep an eye out for the Godwit.

Or - just keep an eye out at Bull Island and if this bird is spotted during Nov/Dec/Jan, let someone know.

Thanks to the following :
Helen Boland - IWebs Co-ordinator, Birdwatch Ireland - IWeBS
Pete Potts - 'Godwit King' - email Godwit sightings to pmpotts@tiscali.co.uk
Rosemary - Editor of Tolka Branch website (great resource for Dublin Sightings/Events)
Mark Carmody - provided all images for Shorebirds of Ireland (new book 'Freshwater Birds of Ireland' out October 2011!) and his flickr page has amazing photos.

Sandycove/ Bullock Harbour

2011-09-13T22:07:00.000+01:00

In this spot alone there were 20 Med Gulls, at least 6 juveniles, Sandycove

Adult Med Gull, Sandycove, Dublin

Greater Black Backed - Bullock Harbour, Dublin

Greater Black Backed Gull

2nd Winter Greater Black Backed Gull

juv Turnstone (pale fringes), Bullock Harbour

Who's zooming who

Guillemot, Winter plumage, Bullock Harbour

I kept seeing flocks of Terns flying low over the sea towards Sandymount strand

They were Sandwich Terns

The 40ft from Bullock Harbour, Sandycove, Dublin

Bullock Harbour, aswell as Howth Harbour, is probably the best spot in Dublin to get close up to GBB's.
To be honest I was hoping to see something a bit more unusual in the air or out to sea, but nada, not this evening anyway.

Autumn Migration workshop with Eric Dempsey.

2011-09-13T21:04:00.000+01:00

Eric Dempsey has asked that I post this in case anyone is interested!
There are only a few places left on this weekend course - which no doubt will be a brilliant. Eric is probably the best teacher/ birdguide in Ireland.
Here are the details from Eric:

Sat 22^nd & Sun 23^rd Oct 2011 - Autumn Migration workshop with Eric Dempsey.
This weekend workshop will look at the wonder of autumn migration, examining the movements of birds, the effects weather has on migration, and the routes that birds take. It will consist of an indoor workshop on 22^nd Oct followed by a field trip in Wicklow that afternoon in search of migrants. On Sun 23^rd Oct, we will journey down to Wexford, visiting some of the best habitats that attract all sorts of autumn migrants. Depending on the weather, areas we may visit include Hook Head, Carnsore Point and Churchtown as well as Tacumshin Lake and Lady’s Island Lake.

Cost includes full attendance at the indoor workshop at Sycamore Hill, outdoor fieldwork on Sat in Wicklow, a light lunch on Sat, tea and coffee on arrival on Sat and the full day field trip to Wexford. Cost does not include additional petrol cost-sharing when car pooling on Sun and lunch on Sunday (bring a packed lunch). Places limited so early booking advisable.

Cost for each workshop: €110

If you are interested in making provisional bookings for any of these workshops, please email Eric at birdsireland@gmail.com or call him on his mobile which is 087 907 5669.

Kilcoole / Newcastle

2011-09-11T22:28:00.000+01:00

Made it down to Kilcoole for 10.30am to meet up with South Dublin BWI branch.
Despite the grey clouds, rain and desire by most I'm sure to stay in bed, there were about 20 birders up for the walk led by the ever patient and seemingly all knowing Niall Hatch.

Nearly immediately we all got our reward for getting out of bed as we managed the best views I've ever had of a female Kestrel hovering. The chestnut colour was nearly glowing as the sun decided to break through the rain clouds. Absolutely beautiful.

This viewing was unfortunately disrupted (as they tend to be on group outings) by the shout of Stock Dove! A bird I've never seen in Ireland.
I shifted my scope over to the stubble fields which were full of feeding Wood Pigeons and yes, amongst them all Niall had managed to spot a Stock Dove!
Great to see.
I would have liked to have seen it out from the stubble just to distinguish the lack of white wing bars (could have been a juv wood pigeon).

Gannets, Guillemots, Shags, Razorbill, Cormorants, Sandwich Terns and Black Headed Gulls all out to sea.
No Divers that we saw.

Wigeon, Teal, Mallards, Mute Swans, Little Egrets, Sandwich Terns, Curlew, Common Terns and the Black Backed Gull still in with the Cormorants at Webbs field.

A flock were seen in the distance flying inland over the sea - 'Is that a flock of geese flying in'? Someone asked.
I scanned up as reports yesterday had mentioned 100 Brent Geese already spotted in Antrim and Clare, but all I could make out was that the flock were ducks, not geese.

'That's a flock of Wigeon', said Niall, 'you can tell from the white patch near the shoulder'.
Nice tip - be great if I remember it!!

In the reeds I managed a brief glimpse of a Sedge Warbler, but no other warblers/buntings that we saw.
No Stonechats either.
All the Little Terns gaawwn. All the Lapwings gaaawwn.

Ringed Plovers and Dunlin (still in summer plumage) were skipping the light fandango, turning cartwheels cross the shore, the many Wheatears on the beach shingle, they all called out for more.
I wished I had my camera, but there you go, sometimes it's just better to see everything.

The others left about 1ish but I kept walking down to the Breeches and Newcastle.
I wanted to see the remnants of the Little Tern colony.

It was strange with everything gone - the Hide, the lad's caravans, the lads!, the Colony News board, the fencing - and especially absent, was the sound of the Little Terns with their noisy comings and goings to and from their nests.
It all seemed very quiet and 'empty'.

As ever, Hunger struck so I walked the long walk back to my car to have some lunch before heading down to the East Coast Nature Reserve.
The rain had cleared so I figured it would be safe to bring my camera with me.

To be honest - I've never really had much luck seeing anything unusual in the ECNR, apart from the Garganey this summer. I've read reports of other people seeing great birds from the hides, so there are great birds around, just not on my watch.

Today was no different.
I opened the hide door and was happy to see I had it to myself. It meant I could be as noisy as I wanted setting my scope up, moving the bench, moving the bench again, getting my camera ready, moving the bench a little bit again - and no evils from anyone!
After a while, I realised why I had the place to myself.
Nothing of much interest was out there. I watched the Moorhen for a while, a male Mallard zipping its feathers and a female Mallard snoozing, but eventually I felt it was time to move, so I walked over to the new 'Woodland Hide' - which is quite a walk by the way, especially on a warm day with scope and camera/ biggish lens. Took me 25 mins hide to hide.
Again nothing unusual to be seen from the Woodland hide either.
Bad timing I suppose.

I left the woodland hide and headed down to Newcastle beach where I waited to try for some decent photos of Wheatears.

Made me smile anyway.

I positioned myself amongst the boulders and sat and waited.
And waited.
I could see the Wheatears further down on the shingle to my right, happily bobbing around, feeding, standing, looking about, bobbing around a bit more and it was tempting to just get up from where I was to move closer to them, but I stuck it out and stayed put, all good things come to those that wait and all that.
Plus, it was a lovely evening and the sun was setting so the waiting gave me a chance to have some quiet time and practice my wistful 'looking out to sea' poses.

Eventually, I smiled and said my thankyous as a Wheatear hopped close to where I was sitting.

So, you're off in a few weeks eh? Good luck with that. Was nice seeing you. Hope you enjoyed yourself.

Even if I say so myself - not a bad shot.

Yes, you're right, it's all to do with the subject matter. Female Northern Wheatear.

Female Northern Wheatear, Newcastle, Co Wicklow

Good luck with your flight to Africa. Don't forget to pack your earplugs and eye mask for the long flight.Think this might be a 1st Winter Wheatear?

Some of the Wheatears we see on the East coast over the next few weeks have actually flown from Greenland or Canada on their way to Africa. How's that for a migration trek?!

Ok, time for the next pic - READY?? Newcastle today.

Check this pic out - on boundry fence between Newcastle beach and ECNR

The colour of the breast has me excited about a juv Stonechat! I haven't got my Collins with me, Eric's shows a Siberian immature, but says immature similar to female adult - which this could be? Googling images only goes so far.

Reddish, peachy breast, dark eyes, black legs, pale chin, speckled white around the eyes and nape..Also like the white wing patch in above photo. If it is a Stonechat, that's a Result for ECNR!

and is this a juvenile Dunnock?

So - Stonechat? Go on, shatter my illusion.

Bull Island

2011-09-11T21:06:00.000+01:00

Bar tailed and Black tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Knots, Herring Gulls, Common Gulls

All lifted

because of this beauty - Peregrine falcon, Bull Island

It didn't manage to get any of the birds this time.

As if to mock the Peregrine, the Gulls start yawning - there are 3 Shoveler in the background

Spotted a tagged Black tailed Godwit Left leg Red, Black - Right leg Yellow and X on pale yellow, not sure who to report it to..

There were lots of Wheatears at the Bull today

1st Winter Northern Wheatear, Bull Island - this was one of a group of 5

Sandwich Tern, Swords Estuary

Juv Sandwich Tern (adult would have dark streaks on outer wings?), Swords Estuary, first of the Terns to arrive, last to leave.

Portmarnock, Co.Dublin, not bad for 10th September.

bit of a battered Curlew in flight, Portmarnock

Curlew getting a bit of shut eye, Portmarnock

Different Curlew, Portmarnock - much greyer shade of plumage

Common Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns, Portmarnock.

1st Winter Wheatear, Portmarnock

Jackdaw, Portmarnock

Jackdaw.

Watched this Hooded crow pick out periwinkles (?) from the rocks, fly up, drop the shells from a height onto the rocks so the shells smashed and the goodies inside the shell could be easily eaten

Heavenly voices from above

made this couple who were arguing hug and make up, aaaah.

So that was my day to Bull Island, Swords Estuary and Portmarnock.
Lots of Swallows still around and Sandwich Terns, saw only 1 Common Tern, no Swifts and no Sand Martins in the places I saw them in Portmarnock in Summer.

42+ Mistle thrushes in Phoenix Park

2011-09-08T22:20:00.000+01:00

Tonight I set off for a mega fat burning walk in Phoenix Park to try and get rid of some of the excess Curry chips and burgers I ate over the weekend at Electric Picnic (and even more of the same the weekend before at the Dunmore East Bluegrass festival).
Good intentions, as usual, were soon happily cast aside when I heard, then spotted, several then several more then several more Mistle Thrushes flying overhead.
I'd be used to seeing a couple - at most 5 or 6 Mistle Thrushes at the one spot at the same time, so when I saw and heard so many together I was curious and went back to my car to grab my scope.
I watched them fly from the small Hawthorn trees up to the higher old oak trees, and then into the Horse Chestnut trees near Oldtown woods, north of 15 acre fields.
I did check to make sure there were no Redwings/Fieldfares in the flock, I knew it'd be too early - but you just never know - anyway, the flock were all Mistle Thrushes.
At one point they had a scare, and a huge flock of them lifted together, which was great because I was able to count 2,8,12,18,24,32,40, 42 - a definite 42 Mistle Thrushes - 42!! And there were others in addition which I could see but couldn't count as they went behind a big tree. Conservatively I'd say there were 50 Mistle Thrushes in that one section of Phoenix park.
I've never seen anything like it.

I've read that when there's loads of berries (which there are at the moment), Mistle Thrushes are happy enough to form flocks to feed from the glut, but once the berry resources start to deplete, the Mistle Thrushes single off and start to fight for the territory of certain berry trees. If I'm incorrect here, please correct me.
I'd also be interested why the Mistle Thrush is happy to form a flock at all, berry glut or no, given that they're not usually flock birds?

EDIT>>>>> from hrh Billy Clarke ' I think the Mistle Thrushes are doing what Crows do, at the end of Summer, they all gather together in a roost so that the youngsters can learn from the elders, once they've been given a chance to learn how to survive, they're on their own and it's back to survival of the fittest and they go back to being solitary defenders of individual berry trees'.
This, to me, makes complete sense, they gather together to learn their tricks of the trade and then it's up to them to put them to the test over winter. Sense.
Thanks Billy.

Also spotted a few Swallows, which after waiting a while turned out to be at least a definite 20, all still happily sailing and playing over 15 acres.
A flock of Starlings, Hooded Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws, Magpies and Wood Pigeons were other sightings - plus bucket loads of midges - compulsory cap wearing from now on in the evenings.

Also heard the screeching cat sound again in Oldtown woods - think it's prob a juv Jay, couldn't get a sighting.
For a millisecond also thought I saw a Gannet, but the large white thing with black tipped wings turned out to be a remote controlled plane - which obviously made much more sense.

As mentioned, I was an EPer over the weekend thanks to Jamie (BWI Development Ofiicer) who asked me and a few others to volunteer on the Birdwatch Ireland stand. Had plenty of good chats with birders, non birders and suprisingly, not too many drunk/ out of it people. Very nice to meet other really sound volunteers too.
30 new bwi members was a plus for Jamie, but it's the knock on effect of the chats and the visibility which I think is of value. Mind you, I would say that, I didn't sign up one single person - epic fail.
But I planted seeds in their minds about signing up, I know I did - why else when I was watching a gig later on did a woman (off her face on whatever) come right up to me and make bird noises before disappearing back into the crowd?!
Now that's a plant seeded.
Or smoked.

Lock 12, Grand Canal

2011-08-22T13:57:00.012+01:00

If you want a decent cycle / walk into the countryside from Drimnagh, get on your bike or put on your walking boots and do the walk / cycle from Lock 1 (Suir Rd Luas stop, Drimnagh) up to Lock 12 (Adamstown, Lucan) and beyond.
It's a cycle that takes a few hours up to Lock 12 and then you can decide how far you want to go after that.
The footpaths have been worked on and opened up to the public and people seem to be being putting this new access along the Grand Canal to good use.
Ian has done the cycle several times and he suggested we both go up to check out some of the good birding spots he's found near Lock 12.

So off we drove to Lock 12.

Cycle/walk all the way there?
Are you mad.

Lock 12, Grand Canal, Lucan Road bridge, Adamstown. You can park your car outside a golf place and turn right to walk down the path.

This is the habitat you're rewarded with.

Ian knew that the sound of a sparrow along here usually gave a sighting of a Tree Sparrow.

He was right. Tree Sparrow, Grand Canal walk.

We saw what we presumed was a family of 4 Buzzards

See it?

There was a lot of calling going on and eventually this Buzzard took to the air.

Farmland to the left and right of this bridge gave us views of Wood pigeon, Rooks feeding, Hooded Crows. We also had several sightings of Sparrowhawks.

Adult Bullfinch in moult, with food in his mouth...

...for this little 'un. We actually saw the Bullfinch feeding his chick which was very cool.

There were quite a few Moorhens along the route - and that was it for waterbirds. Actually that's a lie, we also saw a Heron. But no Mute Swans, no Tufted Ducks, No little Grebes - not even a Mallard. Not a pied or Grey Wagtail, no Cormorant - nada. Walking next to a healthy looking canal for 4 hours, I would have expected to see more than Moorhens.

Did spot 2 friends of mine cycling along though - they live in Inchicore, so some people do actually cycle the whole way. Looks good doesn't it?

Happy days for Ian.... finally a Spotted Flycatcher on his patch

We also saw Willow Warbler, there were lots of them and lots of Chiffchaffs. We also saw Coal Tits, Blue tits, Long Tailed tits, a Robin, Chaffinches and heard lots of Blackcaps. Ian said that one time he counted 70 Blackcaps along the canal walk, 70!

It appeared in the area just as he was saying 'Along here would be good for Spotted Flycatchers...'

On we walked, arriving at a pub called..hazel hatch? or was that the one that was closed down... There's a pub anyway, with tables at the side of the canal if you want to sit out, or chairs inside.
Important to note, this pub does not do food - so bring your own, or alternatively give the barman €10 for 10 packets of scampi fries.
After a brief stop here we headed back.

The route back

More Spotted Flycatcher sightings.

New camera is doing wonders for my twig photography skills.

Juvenile Heron, we think it was just swallowing a rat.

Collared Dove

Linnets - there was a flock of around 30, some with reddish summer breast still showing. We also saw lots of Swallows and some Housemartins. No Swifts.

Blackbird eating the berries, not sure what the berries are.

I think we got back to our cars about 6ish, so it took us about 4 hours to walk down as far as the pub and back. And not one drop of rain. Just as well, as there'd be nowhere to shelter if you did get caught out.
Highly reccommend this walk for anyone, birding or no.
Thanks to Ian for pointing out most of the birds.
And it doesn't matter that we didn't see any Yellowhammers. Or Reed Buntings. Or Sedge Warblers.
Honest.
Actually, I've said it before - it's better when birds don't appear 'on demand', that's what makes going out looking interesting - it's impossible to predict what you're going to see.

Once I got back home I went down to the Suir Road bridge to take a photo of some paintwork I noticed from the luas the day before.

ADW at work here. I've seen other ADW stuff around town, but can't remember where or what.

Bridge at Suir Road

Girl fishing by ADW. Hope she throws it back in.

Roosting time

2011-08-20T22:37:00.004+01:00

I bought a new camera, a Nikon D7000. Yes I did.
My shots are worse.
I know!
It lets me away with nothing.
Not, that even if I did manage razor sharp photos you'd be able to tell from this blog, as the images on here get so hugely compressed and distorted from large files to small in order to be posted.

The D7000 has shattered my illusion that I had a really steady hand, I now realise it was just the sensors on my D40 - they were 'forgiving', whereas the sensors on the D7000 are not.
A lot of my images are blurry, shaky, lack sharp detail, with a multitude of settings in the camera, it's difficult to know in the early stages where I'm going wrong.

This afternoon I went along to a free 3 hour Nikon training session on 'how to use your camera'.
Unfortunately the trainer spent a little too long on what kind of kit there is, rather than showing us how best to use our settings, focus options, fstops, aperture etc
Anyhow, during the class, I was looking out the window and spotted these 2 lads on top of a roof opposite..

The guy on the right, in the wetsuit, just ran and jumped into the River Liffey

The pressure was on for the other lad to jump...

Why would you want to jump in the Liffey? Was there another helpless rabbit?

And then he was gone...trainers n'all.

After the class, I went for a walk in the park again, just to try and see what I'd learnt.
I took a lot of crap shots on Aperture priority and defaulted back into settings modes.
Lots of Hooded Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws around this evening, a few Swallows and Blackbirds..but mostly crows gathering before roosting.

Hooded Crows, Phoenix Park

They lifted

and landed again.

In the '15 acres' field there's a lot of long grass with short grass trails cutting through, which runners and walkers have trodden down as footpaths, the Crows were lining up all along the paths and any patch of short grass they could find.

You can see the line of Crows crowded in along the runners/walkers grass path - I'd never seen this before and I'm not sure what the reason for the gathering is, but it was pretty spectacular.

The Papal Cross, Phoenix Park (in 'sunset'! mode)

I bet you can't guess which country this Ambassador's house in Phoenix Park belongs to? interesting fact no. 214545, instead of building high security walls in Phoenix Park, they dug moats, so the park could maintain an open and unintimidating feel. I think that's very thoughtful.

The Crows coming into roost

Last 2 crows flying in to bed. Tower Clock, Farmleigh, Phoenix Park.

So there you go, that was this evening in Phoenix Park, crows a-gogo.

the park

2011-08-17T21:55:00.003+01:00

10 minutes drive from Drimnagh is a park that's more than double the size of New York's Central Park, is bigger than all of London's parks put together and has a history dating as far back as 3000bc (burial site near St.Mary's hospital in the park).
With 1,750 acres of land, Phoenix Park isn't a bad spot to have 10 mins away (15 mins cycle).
I've been up there quite a bit lately, trying to get some walks in and taking the binocs with me.
Tonight I feel I got to grips with telling a Jackdaw, Hooded Crow and Rook apart from just hearing their call.
At the weekend I took my lens with me.

Treecreeper, Oldtown wood, Phoenix Park

Coal Tit with food, oldtown wood, phoenix park. You can see the yellowy cheek of the Irish Coal Tit compared to the bright white cheek of the British Coal Tit.

When I saw this, it struck me how unfamiliar I've become with seeing birds using actual holes in trees instead of nest boxes as nests! Y'know, like the ol' days when there were trees everywhere. For those in the visually challenged gang, there's a little Coal tit in the right hand corner of the tree hole.

A different Treecreeper, Oldtown wood, phoenix park (looks like treecreeper chick).

Over the last few weeks Magpies seem to be having a certain love in with the bark at the bottom of trees, not sure if it's a thing particular to juv Magpies or if there's a particular insect/sap around the bark of a tree at this time of year.

Mallard, down at the dodgy Furry Glen, Phoenix Park

Another Mallard, hiding away so we can't see he's in moult. Or just hiding away from the dodgy people down at the dodgy Furry Glen.

Little Grebe in stunning summer plumage, Furry Glen, Phoenix park


Little Grebe with fish, Furry Glen, Phoenix Park

Dabchickchick. Juvenile Little Grebe, Furry Glen, Phoenix Park

Some of the 400ish Fallow deer in Fifteen Acres (actually about 300 acres), Phoenix Park. I guess one thing I'm not too mad on in Phoenix Park, is that I always feel like someone's watching me. (who had that song in the 80's?!) No matter where I am in the park, there's a feeling that there's an underworld at large and they're keeping an eye on me as I move as quietly as I can through the sunlit woods, the fields, the walkways, the dodgy Furry Glen.

And if it's not human eyes, or deer eyes, or bird eyes, or squirrel eyes, then it's the eyes in the treeeeeesss.

I remembered who sang the song

Roebuck field

2011-07-28T14:25:00.001+01:00

Typically the influx of 200 BH Gulls (+ the 2nd yr Med Gull) was nowhere to be seen the next day when I had my camera with me.
I got these few shots anyway, early in the morning, well 8.30am.

Jackdaw, fields in front of Roebuck, UCD

Mistle Thrush on wood chippings infront of Roebuck fields, UCD, there were a couple of them.

Family of Greenfinches, Roebuck fields, UCD

I like this photo - Greenfinch with flash of yellow from a Goldfinch in flight, UCD (you can tell it's a Goldfinch from the white rump).

Flock of Starlings feeding on fields in front of Roebuck

As well as getting to work early to see the Med Gull again, I was also hoping to see the Curlew, but I didn't manage either.
Still a nice start to the day to see these birds though, especially the close ups of the Mistle Thrushes.

2nd summer/winter med gull ucd

2011-07-25T13:51:00.007+01:00

Influx of Black headed gulls in ucd today.
I'm guessing 200+ on the footie fields as I drove in at 8.50am.
By lunchtime they had dispersed into various pockets all over campus, I kept my eyes peeled for the 99.9% adult med gull I saw last week, but couldn't spot it.
What I did see though, walking around with 30 ish other BH gulls was a 2nd summer moulting into 2nd winter plumage Med Gull.
Try telling someone that quickly!

ucd species list upto 47.

you'll find it in the strangest of places

2011-07-22T21:52:00.002+01:00

Crumlin Road, Dublin 12

Curlew and Med gull in ucd.

2011-07-19T19:16:00.004+01:00

I heard a Curlew in ucd!
One morning a couple of weeks ago, as I walked from the car park into work, I heard a Curlew call from over near the Quinn building, it was lovely to hear, I've never seen one on campus, but imagined I might.
Usually, if work was in its normal swing of things, I'd have gone for a walk at lunch to try and locate it, but in the last few weeks I've been so snowed under with work, I've hardly had time to eat lunch, let alone step outside the building for 10 minutes... so the Curlew I think, has been and gone.

Thankfully, work should level out over the next few weeks and I'll be able to take lunch breaks again.. like I did yesterday.

Grey Heron (not a common sight in ucd), it better not get too comfy on that perch, water usually shoots up out of that pipe. And look! There's some actual sunshine lighting up the picture for a fraction of a second.

Female mallard, NKOTB having a stretch and Moorhen in background.

Lazy but clever juv Jackdaw begging for lunch.

Juvenile Tufted Duck with white feathers growing through on side. There's lots of juv Tufties, Mallards, Moorhens, Swans and now a juv Grey Heron on the ucd lake. And rain.

Black Headed Gulls, lots on the lake.

Always with the sqauwking

and the shouting

and the arguing.

Female Mallard chick, much quieter resident.

Moorhen, taking a walk on the wild side, ucd lake

There are loads of Wood pigeons around UCD, some mornings when I pass the playing fields on my way into work there's easily 40 or 50 on the football fields. Lots of BH Gulls too. One morning last week, I'm 99.9% sure I saw a Med gull in with the Black Headed Gulls.

2 Dunnocks, Chasing pavements.

Dunnock, ucd.

I cracked the face of my flippin ipod (which was in my back pocket) sitting back on my heel taking this shot... new ipod out in august though apparently..

Swallow, ucd fields

House Martin (you can see the white rump), ucd fields

So there's some of what's happening around UCD.
Big news is hearing the Curlew and the 99.9% sighting of the Med Gull.

On my way home, since I had my camera with me I parked up and took a shot of this painting I've been passing for months now.

Street Art under Harolds Cross Bridge, along the grand canal, Dublin

'Mommas don't let your babies grow up to be Cowboys' by Solus July 2011 (it's been there a few months).

Rock Bunting branch at Bolton Abbey

2011-07-09T14:08:00.007+01:00

A few months ago (May 2011) there was news that a Rock Bunting had been spotted in Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire. This was 'mega' news and forums were subsequently filled with arguments about whether or not this was an elaborate hoax.

The scoop (according to forums), was that a group of people were out on an RSPB walk in Bolton Abbey looking at the Spotted flycatcher nestboxes along the River Wharfe. A guy, having missed one of the nest boxes, decided to track back, when on a branch overlooking the river he saw an unusual looking bird and took a photo.
He showed the photo to someone who thought it might be a Rock Bunting and so the photo was scanned to someone, somewhere, who was very important in rare bird id stuff.
The photo got onto the internet and from there it turned into something akin to a pack of wolves tearing apart a rabbit.
If you want to delve further into the gorey details, you can read the initial BTO report here , the initial reporting on Birdforums here, and then, if you really want to depress yourself further, the subsequent thread in Birdforums here, but be warned - it ain't pretty.

My curiosity was sparked anyway and seeing as I was going home mid June for a week and Bolton Abbey is near where my parents live, I drove over for a visit.
For what it's worth, I believe it was a genuine sighting, but at the same time I didn't really hold out much hope of seeing it still around Bolton Abbey, but still, I wanted to at least have a look.

I didn't see any Rock Bunting, but I can confirm the branch the rock bunting was pictured sitting on, is indeed, in Bolton Abbey.

Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire. 30,000 acres of land with the River Wharfe and a 12th century monastery as the main tourist attractions.


The tree the Rock Bunting was pictured sitting in, Bolton Abbey.

The infamous Rock Bunting twig, Bolton Abbey, North Yorks.

Having found the tree and waited around for a while, seeing Nuthatches, Tree creepers and lots of Btits, Ctits and no Spotted flycatchers I decided to move on.

The view from Storiths, if I had a widescreen lens you'd see how beautiful it was to the left and right aswell

I walked on a bit further and decided to go on up to Noska Brow and take the path passing Bolton Park and back down to Bolton Abbey. This photo is from a sign that was on the road - amazingly helpful to walkers who don't really know where they are (i.e, me)

Kestrel, Storiths, North Yorkshire

Willow Warbler, Storiths, North Yorkshire

Curlew on stone wall

I didn't know what this was until I got home and looked it up - Stoat! up near Noska Brow, Nyorks

I did the subtle 'you've got something on your chin' gesture but this sheep didn't care.

There were Oystercatchers and Lapwings in the area and Red Kites in the far distance

Lots of Skylarks, Meadow pipits and Swifts around too. Kept my eyes peeled for Merlins and Peregrines but didn't see either.

The path behind the farmhouse is the Neska Brow part of the route I'd just walked (from right to left).

My first sighting of a Red Grouse, a bird I've wanted to see for years

This is where the path starts heading down to Bolton Park. The views were so amazing, there was lots of stopping and just sitting, looking. I'd never win any speed walking races.

You can't beat where walking can take you - I mean, in fairness - look at that view! Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire

I love walking on my own, I like walking with other people too, but people who walk on their own know what I mean. There's all kind of space and quiet going on, there's a sense of elements and being part of a different world where things are more primal.

Back down at the priory there were a couple of Dippers in the River Wharfe . Loads of Swallows, Swifts and House Martins too.

Next to the Priory there's a really old graveyard, glad I walked in there because I got my first glimpse of a Spotted Flycatcher.

Spotted flycatcher, Bolton Abbey

Spotted Flycatcher, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire

Yorkshire, yorkshire, yorkshire - I love yorkshire. My parents still live there, I was brought up there and I suppose it will always be my home. I wish Yorkshire was in Ireland.

The route I walked was circular and took me about 4 - 5 hours with lots of stopping.
I parked at the carpark closest to the Priory which cost £6, but for security and peace of mind it was worth it, plus there are toilets there and a shop to get water if you need.
On the walk back, after passing Bolton Park (amazing old building), there's a touristy restaurant/ cafe where you can get food and more toilets - so if you're planning a walk this is an ultimate one, I loved it and would highly recommend.
If you set off earlier in the day and are fitter than I am, you'd get much further than I did.
The popular thing to do is to continue on to Simon's Seat, but as you can see from the ground I covered in 5 hours, that would have taken me another 2 days!
Whatever bit of walking you do in this area, you'll love it.

Menwith Hill

2011-06-14T22:23:00.003+01:00

Swinsty Reservoir on the left, what are those funny looking things on the right?

I was going to call this post 'Swinsty Reservoir' after the day's walking I did in the area, but it was such a dull walk that by the end of the day, the most interesting bit about it was the drive over-which passes close to Menwith Hill.
For those of you who don't know anything about Menwith Hill, it's basically a big American military base built near Harrogate, I think in the 50's/60's? Most people call it the Spybase or refer to the area as the Golfballs, you'll see why from the photos below.
There were, and still are, lots of conspiracy theories about Menwith hill, growing up in Harrogate you'd be told at school that Harrogate would be the first place Russians would nuke as they'd aim their nuclear missiles at Menwith Hill and we'd all die. There were a lot of protests against the existence of the military base and concerns over transparency of what was Actually going on at Menwith Hill. Various peace camps were set up close by. There was a women's peace camp stationed there for years and years. I remember going to visit it once and as soon as I drove away, a massive 4x4 pulled up right behind me, flashing it's blue lights, the policemen pointing to me to pull over. They asked me where I'd been, why I'd just been in there, did I have any ID, where was I going? I was so pissed off that they felt they had a right to question me for doing nothing wrong. Anyway, I'm rambling... (but for sure, this post will be scanned by superdooper intelligence power due to the mention of Menwith Hill SPYBASE).
The Golfballs anyway, can be seen when you drive towards Swinsty/Lindley/Fewston reservoir, they're also one of the last things you see when you've just taken off from leedsbradford airport.

'The Golfballs' aka Menwith Hill. This photo was taken from Jack Hill Lane, an adventure of a road in itself and under no circumstances to be attempted in a car with dodgey brakes

In comparison to the old farmhouses these things look like they're from a sci-fi film.

Anyhow, back to the reservoirs.

My luck wasn't in at Swinsty Reservoir, apparently there's loads of cool birds to be seen there, but I didn't see many of them. There were Canada Geese, Mallards, Greylag geese and their chicks, Skylarks, Chiffchaffs, Willow warblers... didn't see any Buzzards or Ospreys or stumble across any Nightjars ( I know they're nocturnal, but still...). Nah, wasn't my scene either, big expanse of still water.

There were lots of Greylag geese with lots of chicks.

Curlew, North Yorkshire

Unusual for me to see a Curlew landing on a old stone wall in farmland

The way this blog squashes photos doesn't do them justice - the colour of this chaffinch is actually really cool on the actual image, but posted here, it doesn't really look like much - and there's lots of blurring..which also isn't there in teh actual image.

I'm not sure what deer these are, they looked like they were running wild though

When I got home, look who was waiting on the same post.

Where have you been all day?

Little Owl again

2011-06-13T23:10:00.000+01:00

Going for a walk down the fields, I saw something fly up into a tree.

I was being watched

I love this photo. The Little Owl was watching me from a tree about 150m away from the fencepost I saw it on last night.

Today's Redkite photo

Female Blackcap at water bath, there's also a male Blackcap most days

and a female Chaffinch

whoami having a wash?

yep, Song thrush

Song Thrush, trying to get the water out of it's ear.

That's what usually works for me too, head to the side

Plenty of Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Swifts, House Martins and Swallows around, haven't managed any photos though. And plenty of rabbits too. I went into ma and pa's room last night to get the radiator key and dad was in there looking out the window, 'Do you know how many rabbits I've just counted in that field? 25. 25 in the one field!', 'that is a lot Dad', I said as I went back into my room to bleed my radiator, marvelling at how much excitement we were both having of a Sunday night.

I spy with my little eye something beginning with 'Little....'

2011-06-11T22:03:00.000+01:00

Home, Yorkshire

Well, as the above image shows, I'm at home and not in Kilcoole, so the 'Little something' I spotted with my little eye ain't no Little Tern if that's what you expected.
It was something I've never ever seen before and didn't even know what it was when I first saw it.
It was about 8.30pm this evening and everyone else was out so I was wondering around outside, listening to Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Bullfinches and Song Thrushes when I spotted something perched on one of the fence posts.

Spotted this and had that excitement of having no idea what bird I was looking at.

What an amazing looking little bird, no tail feathers, stumpy and round, a juvenile owl?

Completely unbothered by my slow approach

Then it fixed me with a glare, so I stood still, then when it looked away again I continued slowly edging closer

And a bit closer

and the round ball of feathers with massive claws and killer hooked beak was just not phased at all. A Magpie tried to mob it, but failed miserably. This stumpy thing was one cool customer.

I looked in Collins and found it was a Little Owl!! Look at it's eyes! look at it's claws!! Very exciting first sighting tonight. Mum had said she'd seen something the other day, which from a distance she thought was either a Song Thrush or a baby owl. Well, despite it's size, this is an adult Little Owl. These owls live in the UK but not in Ireland and they are often seen in daylight perched out in the open like this one. Collins states there's 5,000-10,000 pairs in the UK.

Not entirely sure how it's supposed to hunt if it just stares off into space all the time.

Unfortunately I lost sight of the Little Owl as I edged round some trees, by the time I crept round the other side the Little Owl had disappeared in the same way it had appeared. I'd love to see it again.

2 Redkites circling in the wind

Redkite, Yorkshire

Juvenile Common Buzzard?

The lack if dark tail edge would suggest it's a juvenile, but the feathers look very worn

It was very windy today and freezing considering it's nearly mid june. I had three layers on and it was still cold with the wind. Anyway, at least it didn't rain, hailstone, thunder and lightening like it did yesterday in Drimnagh!