THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS  and ADVISERS DURING  October/November /December2008

THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS  and ADVISERS DURING  October/November /December2008

Karl Bucknell, Jose Campos, Shay Connolly, Dick Coombes, Hugh Delaney, Eric Dempsey, Dave Dillon, Tom Doyle, Jim Dowdall, Nicola Dunphy, Ger Fisk, Owen Foley, Gerald Frank, John Gallagher, Kieran Grace, John Hammond, Mir Harris,  Michael Keating, Aidan Kelly, Paul Kelly, Niall T. Keogh, Noel Keogh, Sean Kingston, Dermot McCabe, Andrew McMillan,Oscar Merne, Frank and Joan O Connor, Susan O Donoghoe, Neil O Reilly, Emmett Rees, Adrian Rooney, Moray Souter, Ian Stephenson, Robert Vaughan, Patricia Watson

The named authors hold the copyright for all photographs published on this website. Authors permission must be sought for copying, publishing or reproduction for any purpose other than for personal archives.

A big thank you to all who  have sent reports of Brent Geese feeding on grass or winter cereals. We are still looking for more reports Please let us know of locations, times and numbers and we will pass the information on to the researchers. Also if you can read ring numbers or see colour ringed birds we will pass your data on. It is usually possible to find out where your bird was ringed and to get the information to you .  

more great photos in the gallery 
For Waxwing sightings in Dublin check with BINS - the birds are very mobile

A Castleknock reader writes:

"On Christmas eve I saw a flock of about 30-50 birds, which intially I thought were starlings in flight. However, they were slightly smaller birds in flight and sounded different in song. I knew then they were not. Where I live is full of mountain ash tree, which are covered in berries. In winter, we get a lot of mistle thrushes, blackbirds and some years redwings. I knew something was different when they started eating the berries. I've never seen the starlings do that, who tend to eat whatever I put on the bird table. To my amazement, these birds were none of the aforementioned and were beautifully coloured and I knew they had to be waxwings. I've never seen waxwings before in the flesh, so to be absolutely sure checked out a book I have on birds in the house and bingo...Every day since then there has been a war of attrition between these beautiful birds and mistle thrushes to eat what's left of the berries. Mayhem is the word. A couple of magpies even got in on the act...I suspect there are actually more than the 30-50 birds because there has been mayhem and bird droppings everywhere and there seems to be acouple of flocks. If you get an opportunity, get out here fast and see for yourself before the birds leave as all the berries are nearly gone....This has made my Christmas...Beautiful sight." Brian Sheridan

30 December, 2008
There was a Jay between Avoca and The Meetings Of The Waters at an area known locally as Whitebridge.ER Four  Red Kites, this time converging on the village of Avoca for a late evening feed before roosting.OM 15 Waxwings in the Sycmores across the road from the Spa Hotel Lucan. PK

29 December 2008
27 Waxwings
in the trees on Oak Tree Grove at 8.30ish also a flock of 30 Linnets, 8 Bullfinchs and a male Blackcap. In Tallagh  24 Waxwings in the trees near the shops at Aylesbury.KB 9 Waxwings on Greenlea Road , Terenure and 40-50 flew over Templeville Drive in Templeogue.RV One Brambling at the end of the Wooden Bridge on the Bull. JH Barn Owl seen over N11 at Foxrock this evening. KG

27 December, 2008
3 Red Kites
north of Arklow today. OM 200 Waxwings still in the Castleknock area. SC Peregrine Falcon,  Ravens (numbers?) & a female Goosander in flight over Lough Dan today.AR



Waxwings, Castleknock. Shay Connnolly

26 December, 2008
206 Waxwings
in Maple Lawn opposite the Oaks in Laurel Lodge, Castleknock.RV, ED, KG   Mistle Thrushes putting up a good fight against the hungry nordic invaders.Two Dippers on the Dodder river by the weir at Milltown.KB A Peregrine Falcon, 5 Ravens and a flock of Redwings at Church Mountain, West Wicklow today.AR


Photos Eric Dempsey

25 December, 2008
50 Waxwings
at the entrance to Seafield Rugby Club heading towards Killiney.RV Waxwings heard in Temple Bar at the Crampton Buildings.LB

24 December, 2008
120 Waxwings
in Castleknock this afternoon. JD 1 Black-throated Diver at Dunnany Point and 1 female Goosander at the mouth of the Annagassen river. OM 5 Redpolls now coming into a garden on the Navan road. DMc In Dundalk today a A total of 36,612 waterbirds of 38 species, the most numerous of which were 10,066 Oystercatchers, 5,688 Knots, 5,158 Golden Plovers, 3,454 Lapwings, 1,952 Dunlins, 1,708 Black-tailed Godwits, 1,667 Black-headed Gulls, 1,246 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1,244 Common Gulls and 880 Redshanks. 5,800 Knot at Mosney Beach (Co. Meath) on Sunday.OM


Long-tailed Tits, Portmarnock. Dave Dillon. 

23 December, 2008
Male Blackcap
at a peanut feeder in Howth. HQ

22 December, 2008
At Lowtherstown, Balbriggan, Co Dublin this afternoon there was :1 Short-Eared Owl towards the end of the large stubble field1 Common Buzzard and 1 Male Sparrowhawk. JG

Sunday 21, December 2008
1sr year Ring-billed Gull
at Poolbeg. Pair of Gadwall on the Bull. Male and female Peregrine Falcons hunting over Temple Bar all morning, sometimes chasing the same pidgeon,  returing to separate plucking posts on the top ledges on the eastern side of the Central Bank. LB  25 Waxwings in Killiney. KG

Saturday 20 December, 2008
Seen at Rogerstown from the South Hide today were good numbers of Redshank, 405 Lapwing, 75+ Brent, 70 Curlew, 560 Teal, 185 Widgeon, 140+ Shellduck, 4 Little Grebes, 2 Snipe, 4 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Peregrine, 3 Buzzard, 1 Merlin, 1 Sparrowhawk and1 Kestrel.JF


Merlin at Rogerstown. John Fox


Snipe and Redshank at Rogerstown. John Fox

19 December, 2008
1 Curlew Sandpiper at Swords. PK

15 December, 2008
20 Mediteranean Gulls
at Sandycove today.ED ( see new photos in the Gallery)


Waxwings in Rathgar. Eric Dempsey

Sunday 14 December, 2008
At the Clontarf yacht club boat slip there were a pair of Great Crested Grebes and three pairs of Red Breasted Mergansers plus all the usual suspects at the Wooden Bridge including 2 Greenshank. MH In Grattan Crescent Park, Inchicore the following birds were seen in a flock together. 10-15 Long tailed tits 4-6 Blue Tits, 4 Coal tits and a single Great Tit, 3 Blackcap (2 male + 1 female), 3 Goldcrest, 1 female Chaffinch, and a solitary Redpoll . IS.

The Long-billed Dowitcher is still in Dundalk ! PK A Green Sandpiper was seen at the Vartry reservoir today also  two Shoveler which, though not uncommon, are rare visitors to the reservoir. Other birds of interest were five Whooper Swans and two Ravens. MS There were 2 Red Grouse on Ballineddan Mountain and a Snipe on the SW side of Lugnaquillia this morning. ER

 At the Kilcree, Swords 9 Greenshank and 7 Grey Plover were roosting on the beach, with 100 or so Mergansers and 20 Goldeneye. A single male Ruff and a female Gadwall were among a mixed flock of roosting Godwits, Golden Plover, Lapwing and a few Curlew this morning. At Rogerstown at 10.30 this morning there was a  1st winter Little Stint among 150 Dunlin in front of the hide on the rising tide.RV. 2 Buzzards also at Rogerstown. NO'R A Spotted Redshank and a Ruff were roosting with the Redshank on the inner estuary. A Barnacle Goose was among the Brent on the left hand side of the hide.RV  Is this Goose the same individual seen hanging out with the Brent at Fairview yesterday and Poolbeg the day before? Further reports of the Barnacle Goose would be welcome as it may help us track the movement of this group of Brent. 

Saturday 13 December, 2008
One Dipper in the Rye river in Maynooth center this morning. Also one male Blackcap.JC 2 female Velvet Scoters at Dunany Point.PK Useful photos below from Paul to help you pick out these birds at a distance.


Velvet Scoters today of Dunany Point. Paul Kelly


Some feral geese looking for wild company in Fairview today!Cian Merne 
The two Bar-headed Geese and the Barnacle Goose were seen on 12 December at Poolbeg.NK

12 December, 2008
A brisk and seasonal day at Sandycove, otherwise described as  " bleedin freezin", produced 12 Mediterranean Gulls  and numerous Black Guillemots off the South Wall. FO'C JO'C ED 


Mediterranean Gull, Sandycove today. Frank O Connor 

10 December, 2008
Redwing
at Rogerstown today. Photo John Fox . Blackcap on Ranelagh this morning. ND

9 December, 2008
Roving flocks of Long-tailed Tits on the northside with several coming to feeders in Howth. HQ

8 December, 2008
First winter Iceland Gull at Bremore, Balbriggan this morning. AK

Sunday 7 December, 2008
The drake Green-winged Teal, adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 66 Whooper Swans, a female type Merlin and a Great Northern Diver were all seen at Kilcoole today . NK 40 Waxwings in Blackrock today. DC  Long-billed Dowitcher still at Dundalk also 13 Waxwings and 30 Pink-footed Geese.PK  6 Black Guillemots and a Moorhen (!) with the Black-headed Gulls at the Sean O Casey Bridge over the Liffey by the IFSC early this morning. LB


female Merlin, Arklow. Emmett Rees 

Saturday 6 December, 2008
7 Waxwings still giving good views in Foxrock early today. Unusual for Foxrock gardens there were 2 Stonechats. The most abundant birds on the southside were roving flocks of Long-tailed Tits. Mistle Thrushes, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds were common and widespread in the southside housing estates no doubt providing robust competiton for the visiting Waxwings for berries. Bullfinches and Blackcaps also seen in most estates. LB RV Bullfinches also coming to feeders in Howth. HQ Woodcock was seen in a garden in Kimmage. SO'D

4 Snow Buntings at Kilcoole.2 Gadwall at the outflow on the Bull this afternoon.PK At Rogerstown there was  a female Merlin. a Barnacle Goose among the Brent, a Spotted Redshank and a flock of Fieldfares. GFr

A Slavonian Grebe was present on the southern side of Dublin Bay this afternoon, viewable from Merrion Gates.NTK One bird was seen here last year at this time. It may be the same bird returning? PK ED On the strand around Merrion Gates there was an adult Ring-billed Gull, at least 11 Mediterranean Gulls [8+ adults, a 2nd year and two 1st years], 115+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese, a Little Egret, c.6 Grey Plover and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A female Blackcap was in the gardens by the level crossing. Some of the Mediterranean Gulls were ringed with green or white darvic rings and we have since received information from the ringers! The birds are from Denmark ( 1 first year bird), France (1 first year bird ) and two adults from Belgium. NK NTK


Female Blackcap today. Dave Dillon


Chiffchaff today at Kilcoole. Eric Dempsey. 


Today's Waxwings at Foxrock. Robert Vaughan


Snow Bunting, Kilcoole. Robert Vaughan


Goldfinch on Taesel, Rogerstown. John Fox

5 December,2008
70 Waxwings
at South Park, Foxrock today!NTK Photos below and in the Gallery by John Fox. Note: these birds move around in search of berries so they may have moved to another location tomorrow.  2 Grey Wagtails, a Kingfisher and 2 Little Egrets on the river at Meadowvale Tennis Club, Clonkeen, Deansgrange. NTK

 4 December, 2008
 Redpoll seen coming to a feeder on the Navan Road.DMcC

2 December 2008
4 Mediterranean Gulls
and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose on Sandymount Strand this eveing. HD 3 Snow Buntings, 1 Dark- belied Brent and a Carrion Crow at Kilcoole. RV

30 November 2008

Hen Harrier
today at Rogerstown. Shay Connolly

Peregrine Falcon on the top ledge of the Central Bank on Dame Street. LB

29 November, 2008
Long-billed Dowitcher still in Dundalk docks as well as a Yellow -legged Gull and 5 Whooper Swans. PK A flock of 12 Goldfinches , 6 Redpolls crowded on to feeders off the Whitworth Road this morning while a Fieldfare stopped off on a telephone pole before heading off south. JH A male Blackcap,  a Chiffchaff also  a  flock of Long- tailed tits and Coal Tits at Grattan Park in Inchicore today. IS

A calm, clear and bitterly cold day on the Murrough. Good numbers of passerines were actively feeding and moving about along Newcastle Sea Road first thing this morning with lots of Blackbirds noted in particular as well as 16 Bullfinches (including a flock of eight), Grey Wagtails and a Treecreeper which gave excellent views. A female-type Merlin was surveying Blackditch ECNR from her fence post perch. At Six-mile-point, a minimum of 23 Red-throated Divers and a single Great Northern Diver were counted offshore. Wildfowl & Wader numbers at Kilcoole are down on recent counts but still held the regular drake Green-winged Teal, 32 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall (4 males & 2 females), a female Pintail, 53 Whooper Swans (incl. 15 1st-winters) in the back fields plus a further 20 flying south overhead, 32 Greylag Geese flew north overhead, 4 Little Egrets, 55 Golden Plover, 60+ Dunlin & a Greenshank. The five confiding Snow Buntings were still on the beach at Kilcoole, ranging between the Buckthorn bushes and the Railway Station. These birds are most likely a 1st-winter male, 2 adult females/duller 1st-winter males and two 1st-winter females. NTK


Yellow-legged Gull today in Dundalk. Paul Kelly 

28 November, 2008
Barn Owl reported in Howth Summit this evening. PW

26 November, 2008
At Newcastle today there were 5 female(?) Snow Buntings feeding along the shingle. 3 Pochard were seen in the lagoons north of the airstrip and several Whooper were present in the fields behind the lagoons.JF et al


Snow Bunting today at Newcastle. John Fox

25 November, 2008
Eric takes a walk on the wild side at the Botanic Gardens. See photos below.


Grey Wagtail, Botanic Gardens today. Eric Dempsey


Magpie waiting for Grey Squirrel to dig up nut lunch. Botanic Gardens. Eric Dempsey

Sunday 23 November, 2008
7 Waxwings
in Cornellscourt this morning. They flew off towards Cabinteely. KG Peregrine Falcon back on the east side of the Central Bank on Dame Street during the morning. LB 4 Short-eared Owls, a Yellowhammer & a female Merlin hunting in Lowtherstown today. Also, one Buzzard over M50 at Finglas AR

Saturday 22 November, 2008
Tolka Branch outing today started at  Dundalk Docks where there were good numbers of the usual Ducks and Waders and some fine views of Great Crested Grebes . A Kingfisher flashed past below the harbour wall and a Peregrine provided great views as it finished a meal of Lapwing. No sign of the Long Billed Dowitcher which had been seen there recently. At Soldiers Point the best were Golden Eye, Red Breasted Merganser and Great Crested Grebe. On to Annagasen to see the large flock of Greylag Geese and Cruisetown for Black-tailed Godwits.  With the light starting to fade the group headed to the coast north of Balbriggan to search for the Short Eared Owls which had been seen in the area recently. 5 Short Eared Owls in total were seen in classic winter evening light. The Owls were new birds for many of the group and a great way to finish a wonderful days birding.JF


Golden Plover, Broadmeadow. Bill Quinn 

 21 November 2008
2 Blackcaps
( male & female ) feeding on Cordyline in Clontarf .... first here this winter.GFr

20 November 2008
Black Redstart at Balscadden today also  Kingfisher and Peregrine Falcon seen from the Bull  Causeway .G Fr


Brent on the Bull. Cian Merne 

19 November, 2008

Tree Sparrows, Lowtherstown. John Fox 

Slightly dazed Woodcock observed being mobbed by Hooded Crows and Magpies on the rugby pitch in Trinity College this morning. The Woodcock managed to escape and flew off towards Nassau Street.IS 30 Tree Sparrows and 5 Yellowhammers at Lowtherstown also 3 Short-eared Owls there today.GFr JF

18 November, 2008
1 3rd year Glaucous Gull
and 4 Mediterranean Gulls among 2,000 Gulls present on Sandymount this afternoon HD


Gold Finches working on Manus Curran's popular feeder in Stillorgan today.

Sunday 16 November, 2008
Two Scaup at Rogerstown today. GFr There was a steady nocturnal passage of Redwing over Cabinteely with birds heard calling every few seconds between 10pm and 2am. Some Fieldfare were also heard. NK NTK


Short-eared Owl. North Dublin. John Fox


1 of 5 Short-eared Owls today in north Dublin. Shay Connolly (more photos in the Gallery)

Saturday 15 November, 2008
Today was IWEBs (national water bird survey)  count day. On the Bull there was 1 Common Sandpiper (unusual for this location), 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3,500 Brent Geese, over 2000 Golden Plover and 2000 Bar-tailed Godwits, 740 Teal , 115 Pintail, 80 Shoveler. (thanks to the IWEBs volunteers today) Conspicuous by their absence were Sanderling. Still on the northside there was one Black Redstart (female/immature) at Balscadden Beach by the Asgard Apartments (one bird has been seen here over the past two years).AK Further north in Dundalk today the Long-billed Dowitcher was still present and a second year Ring-billed Gull was at Lurgangreen. PK  

 13 November, 2008
4 Blackcaps
in Shankill this morning. KG More winter arrivals? Waxwings in Drumcondra today ( source: IBN)

12 November, 2008
Female Blackcap in Ger's Glasnevin garden. GFi A new winter migrant in Dublin? Of interst to many of our members who have not yet seen a Firecrest check out the  very nice photos on the Kelly's website  http://www.irishbirdimages.com/pages/latest.html

 11 November, 2008

Kingfisher, Bull Causeway today. John Fox

10 November, 2008
Flock of Twite
still at Soldier's Point, Dundalk. JF See John's photo  below.  

Sunday 9 November, 2008
>950 Common Scoters
off Laytown-Mosney, a flock of 45 Tree Sparrows at Bremore Point, a Carrion Crow paired with a Hooded Crow at Broadmeadow Estuary, and a Reeve there also, 71 Red-breasted Mergansers, 46 Goldeneye, 50 Great Crested Grebes in Swords Estuary. OM2 Short-eared Owls at Bremore/Lowtherstown early today.AK

Saturday 8 November, 2008
26 Pink-footed Geese
flew over Lurgangreen. PK. Hen Harrier north of Arklow - photo below ER 


Sparrowhawk with guess what in Portmarnock. Dave Dillon


Hen Harrier (Juv), Arklow. Emmett Rees

6 November, 2008


Purple Sandpiper on the Bull wall today. John Fox  

4 November, 2008
3 Waxwings seen a mile outside Ashbourne at lunchtime today. BQ A Water Rail made a surprise appearance in an office building on Kildare Street this afternoon and sensibly flew back out an open window. KG (probably a migrating bird that lost its way - this time last year a Woodcock found its way to Kildare Street but met its demise  - see archives below)  Still more on city Woodcock on migration.....we have found out that our Dame Street Central Bank Peregrine Falcon is somewhat of a gourmet catching no less than 12 Woodcock last autumn. The heads and beaks were found on the upper ledge of the Central Bank during cleaning. (BWI HQ)    Redwing heard passing over Shankill late this evening.KG

 
Sanderling on Dollymount. John Fox 

3 November, 2008
The Long Billed Dowitcher ia still at Dundalk Docks ( see photo on this page). Also 8 Waxwing were seen flying over. PK


Golden Plover, Swords. Eric Dempsey

Sunday 2 November, 2008
Still large numbers of birds in Webb's field, Kilcoole this morning. A minimum of 960 Wigeon were counted along with c.420 Teal. Also seen was the returning drake Green-winged Teal, 8 Shoveler, 2 drake Gadwall, an eclipse male & 3 female Pintail, a Tufted Duck, c.140 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Whooper Swans (family party), 2 Little Egrets, 38 Golden Plover & a single Black-tailed Godwit. A further 19 Shoveler, 5 Knot, a Sanderling & a Bar-tailed Godwit were in Newcastle Airfield which is inundated with water. A flock of 71 Black-tailed Godwits and a drake Garganey ( MS) were in Blackditch ECNR. NK NTK MS
2 Snow Buntings flew south at the Breaches, 1 Dark-bellied Brent. AK


Twite with Linnets, Dundalk. Eric Dempsey 

Saturday 1 November, 2008
A rare bird on the east coast, we are delighted to start the month with a report of 20 Twite at Soldiers Point, Co Louth. Also one Slavonian Grebe. PK At Kilcoole, Webb's field held Wigeon and Teal both of which were present in good numbers along with 6 Gadwall (2 drakes & 4 ducks), 6 Pintail (full plumaged drake, eclipse drake & 4 females), a Tufted Duck, 9 Shoveler & c.70 Golden Plover. Broadlough was quiet, with very few Wigeon noted so most of the Murrough wintering flock is thought to be in Webb's field at the moment. A 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull was at Wicklow Harbour. NK  At Bremore yesterday  there was 1 Merlin, 2 Raven, 1 ad. Sm. Great Northern Diver offshore. At Rogerstown there was  1 Spotted. Redshank, 13 Whooper Swans, 1 Ruff , 1 female Scaup.AK


Redpoll, Clogherhead. Shay Connolly

31 October, 2008
A pair of Peregrines
flying overhead at Salthill/the base of the West Pier, Dun Laoghaire. NTK

30 October, 2008
60 Whooper Swans
at Cruisetown, Co Louth. PK On the Bull Island early afternoon today (full tide) there were Great Crested Grebe 54 counted from Bull Wall - (including a raft of 32 together); Merganser 28 between Bull & South walls & 5 at Causeway; Red-throated Diver 2; Carrion Crow on causeway . TD


Carrion Crow on the Bull today. Tom Doyle

29 October, 2008
Long-Billed Dowitcher
at Soldier's Point in snow covered Dundalk at lunchtime today. Also 12 Dunlin and 2 Redshank. JF For more photos of the Long-billed Dowitcher see our Photo Gallery pages. 


Long-billed Dowicher top and below with Dunlin to compare, Dundalk. John Fox

28 October, 2008
 Bremore Point today there was a nice flock of 145 Tree Sparrows in one bush. ! OM Female Sparrowhawk over Camden Street at 5pm. AR 2 Buzzards seen hunting on the Silloige golf course this morning. MK On the Bull near the Wooden bridge  the following flocks were counted. 1900+ Golden Plover, ( see  flight shot below) 260+ Knot, 170+ Bar-Tailed Godwit. Also seen 7 Dunlin, 2 Grey Plover, 12 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, good numbers of, Brent, Redshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Turnstone and Blackheaded Gulls.Down by the Causeway there were 12 Little Egrets and a CarrionxHoody.JF.ED

Golden Plover,Bull Island.John Fox

27 October, 2008
At midnight in Dun Laoghaire, c.12-15 migrating Redwing were heard calling in quick succession during a ten minute period. NTK Long- eared owl seen hunting around the fields in front of Silloige golf course Ballymun late this evening. MK At Swords Estuary this morning between 7am to 10am there were  2 Curlew Sandpipers; 2 Ruff; 45 Dunlin; 15 Little Egret; 7 Snipe;1 Little Grebe; 30+ Great Crested Grebe; 50+ Merganser, only 25 Brent (very low today); 3 Goldeneye.TD Also at Swords this afternoon lovely an adult Little Gull, the 2 Ruff were still presewnt also 12 Whooper Swans flying over the area calling. They continued towards Malahide...they are a scarce Dublin bird.ED


Little Grebe at Swords today. Tom Doyle 

Sunday 26 October, 2008


Little Egret, Swords today. Eric Dempsey

Saturday 25 October, 2008
At Kilcoole late evening there was a 1st winter male Snow Bunting on the beach half way between the station and the Buckthorn bushes. Offshore, plenty of feeding auks, 25 Little Gulls, an adult Roseate Tern, adult & juv Arctic Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns, a trickle of Gannets and a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver. NK In two hours at Kilcoole early this morning c.50 spp. were seen including 5 Whoopers (a family of two adults and three cygnets), four Brents, 361 Wigeon, 191 Teal, 7 Shoveler, a Water Rail calling, 37 Lapwing and small numbers of Curlews, Redshanks and Turnstones. Also a Raven being chivvied by 25 Hooded Crows. No sign of late Wheatears or Sandwich Terns. There were at least 16 Stonechats spread along the coast, holding winter territories, and Goldfinches seemed to be moving south, with little flocks totalling c.60 trickling through. Also a flock of 25 Skylarks came in off the sea and landed in the marshes.OM One Little Egret over Newlands Cross early this morning. RV


An unusually red Redpoll in Stillorgan today. Manus Curran

24 October, 2008
A few Redwing were heard calling over the base of the harbour/Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire at 11pm. NTK

22 October, 2008
Long-Eared Owl
hunting north of Arklow in a field by the N11late this evening. ER There were over  1,500 Golden Plover and  600 mixed flock of Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot on the Bull this morning. 3 Black-tailed Godwit and a Little Egret were on the Seagrange football pitches. JF


Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot (smaller birds) on the Bull Island. John Fox 

20 October, 2008
89 Brent geese
now in Baldoyle estuary at Sutton Golf Club in water and at water's edge.BQ  At St James Hospital in a very small courtyard there was one Grey Wagtail.MH


Juvenile Sparrowhawk today in Howth. Bill Quinn 

17 October, 2008
A first for Bushy park? Two Jays seen there this evening.RV

16 October, 2008
The city centre Pied Wagtails now seem to prefer Westmoreland Street where the nightly roost takes place outside the former Bewleys. LB Greenland White-fronted Geese heard flying over Foxrock this evening. RV

15 October, 2008
From Baltray to Balbriggan there were 286 Brents at Delvin and Nanny River mouths, 570 Common Scoters offshore Baltray-Mosney, 120 Ringed Plovers on Mosney Beach, 2 Merlins chasing each other at Bremore Point were the most interesting on this stretch.At Swords/Malahide,  the most interesting birds there were 10 Little Egrets, 419 Brents, Red-breasted Mergansers down to only 27, 1438 Oystercatchers and 4 late Sandwich Terns.OM

Sunday 12 October, 2008
There was a Kingfisher on the Avoca River just upstream of the 19 Arches Bridge, Arklow. ER


Saturday 11 October, 2008
A nice variety of birds seen in Co. Wicklow today along the Murrough between Kilcoole, Newcastle and Blackditch. Throughout the day there was a notable southward movement of passerines along the coast. This involved approximately 800 birds, comprising of c.60% Goldfinches, c.30% Linnets with the rest made up of Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Greenfinches, Redpoll, Reed Buntings and Pied Wagtails. 10 Swallows and a single Wheatear were also noted.

At Kilcoole, a Pink-footed Goose, 2 Whooper Swans, 550 Wigeon, 350 Teal, 31 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, a female Pintail, 6 Little Egrets, 14 Black-tailed Godwits, 32 Dunlin, 60 Curlew and 45 Golden Plover were all seen between Webb's field and the channels south of The Breaches. A surprise find came in the form of a juvenile Ring-necked Duck seen for only 15 minutes at 11:00am in the channels south of The Breaches (known as Stringers' channels). This is the first Ring-necked Duck to be seen in Co. Wicklow since 1989 and may be  the first record for Kilcoole.

Offshore there was lots of feeding activity with sizeable flocks of Black-headed Gulls, Kittiwakes, c.120 Little Gulls, Sandwich Terns, Common Terns, auks, Gannets, a single Mediterranean Gull and a juvenile Black Tern. 10+ Red-throated Divers and a single Great Northern Diver were also seen. 4 Carrion Crows were on the beach.

At Blackditch ECNR, a further 40 Teal, 15 Greylag Geese, 1 Little Egret, c.100 Siskin, a Kestrel and a roving flock of Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff were seen.NTK, AM

Early morning count of Brent Geese on the Bull Island produced 530 approx with 30 geese seen flying inland towards the city centre. If anyone sees Geese feeding inland please let us know. LB, SK

Meanwhile at Dundalk Bay, there were 31,150 waterbirds of 36 species in  including the following: 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 10 Greylags, 576 Brents, 219 Shelducks, 994 Wigeon, 683 Mallard, 242 Common Scoters, 11,406 Oystercatchers, 226 Ringed Plovers, 2,589 Golden Plovers, 2,813 Knots, 1,651 Black-tailed Godwits, 537 Bar-tailed Godwits, 441 Curlews, 1,017 Redshanks, 4,811 Black-headed Gulls, 1,096 Common Gulls and 860 Herring Gulls.

There was a late Wheatear at Cruisetown Beach, near Clogher Head, and 134 more Brents and 225 Common Scoters at the mouth of the Narry River at Laytown.OM


Ringed Brent Goose at Dundalk Bay. Shay Connolly

9 October, 2008
 
Between Arklow and Buckroney there was a total of 20 Swallows moving south, while at Kilcoole there were five Sandwich Terns and three Wheatears.OM

 5 October, 2008
Cruisetown Strand, Co Louth today there was  1  Forsters Tern ( see below) and a Wheatear. SC Circa 200 Brent Geese seen close to the Wooden Bridge on the Bull today. MH


Fosters Tern, Cruisetown Strand. Shay Connolly

2 October, 2008
2 Buff Breasted Sandpipers
on the Bull Island today. PK

Saturday 27 September, 2008
A day for big numbers in Dublin! We were surprised to see 101 Red-breasted Mergansers together at Swords this morning. 70 Little Grebes at Knock Lake with 6 Buzzards soaring overhead. ( No sign of the Ruddy Duck today). On the Bull there were over 2000 Redshank, 51 Little Egrets near the Causeway and 28 Little Egrets at Baldoyle. LB HQ   



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