28
February 2007
Redwings and Fieldfares still at Newbridge House, Donabate beside the
animal paddocks. Also today there was a Ruff feeding with Oystercatchers,
Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks on the grassy open space at Seatown
East, Swords/Malahide inner estuary.GF A first winter Glaucous Gull
in the Tolka Basin at dusk.OM
27 February 2007
1 adult Iceland Gull at the Shanganagh outflow, later seen
flying north through Dalkey Sound. c.20-25 Mediterranean Gulls at
Sandycove (incl.11 1st winters together). NK
Exciting
news just in, of an Owl seen last night at 9pm, possibly a Long-eared Owl
in the Murville Estate at UCD.RV
26 February 2007
A Spotted Redshank
was seen early this morning at Booterstown Marsh
and at Howth Harbour there were 5 Black Guillemots and one Great Crested
Grebe. RV,HQ
25 February 2007
At Swords this morning there were 30 Great Crested Grebes, 27 Goldeneye, 8
Pochard. There was one Dark-bellied Brent in a small Brent Goose flock and
a Little Gull flying with Black-headed Gulls above.PK,OM Also today 3 Velvet Scoters seen flying
north off the coast of Balbriggan. 3 Ruff with a flock of
Curlew, Black-tailed Godwits and Golden Plover in the fields between
Balbriggan and Gormanston.AK
24 February 2007
A Chiffchaff was seen today in a garden in Bray. And
in Shankill there was a Carrion Crow. OM,KG
Welcome
news on the returning adult Ring-billed Gull with an injured right
leg present today on the playing fields along Springdale Rd. between
Coolock and Raheny.AK It regularly commutes down to the channel just north
of the causeway on the Bull. Pat Lenihan took this photo of an adult
Ring-billed Gull on 18 February on the north side of the causeway. The
same bird??
23 February 2007
1 adult Little Gull at Poolbeg.NK
Special
Gambia Trip update
Thanks
to Bill and Heather, the indefatigable Tolka Two, who remained in the
Gambia and Senegal for a third week we now have a trip total of 296
species over the three week period. Bill took this picture of the very
rare Saddle-Billed Stork . See also 9 February below. Full trip report
with more of Bill's amazing photos will follow soon in the Foreign Trip report
section of this website.
NOT AN IRISH BIRD!
22 February 2007
A pair of Dippers were seen behind the Rathfarnham shopping centre earlier this afternoon showing well.
Also several Longtailed Tits and a flyby Kingfisher.RV At
Poolbeg 1 adult Ring-billed Gull.NK
21 February 2007
13 Tufted ducks and 6 Redwing the best at Tymon Park today. No sign of
the Iceland Gull! RV
Also a 1st
winter Iceland Gull seen at Poolbeg NK
20 February 2007
A spectacular total of 40,800 gulls counted roosting in
Dublin Bay this evening. Most birds seen in the Tolka basin from Fairview.OM
Iceland Gull was found this morning at the Aldi carpark in
Tallaght and later seen at Tymon Park off Limekiln Rd. Also at Tymon Park
was a 1st winter Mediterranean Gull, 3 Bulffinches and 11 Tufted
Duck. Robert
Two Black Guillemots present at dawn today at the sluice gates
beside the Sean O Casey Bridge at the IFSC. Siskins have been
reported at feeders on South Dublin gardens since the weekend.
19
February 2007
Pale 1st winter Iceland Gull at Poolbeg NK.
18 February 2007
At Kilcoole, Co Wicklow this (morning 10.30) a few lucky birders saw the Lapland
Bunting (found yesterday). This is an excellent bird coming into
breeding plumage with a rich ginger facial pattern and very happily
feeding with Skylarks in the field beside the railway track. See it while
you can! LB
At
Rogerstown the Green- winged Teal and two Pink-footed Geese
present with the Greylags. Also 1 Dark- Bellied Brent Goose. ( see photos
below and in the newly archived January page) DOM
17 February 2007
Today's Tolka Branch outing to the Louth coast proved once again
that birding with Tolka is the best thing to do on the third Saturday
every month! Not only did the Spring sunshine drench us but the birds were
there with ticks for many of us! Highlights were Ruff and Reeve,
Long-tailed Duck x 8, Common Scoters and........the Long-billed
Dowitcher at the Dundalk docks . See full trip report in the
Trip report section of this website!
At
Gormanston Co.Meath 2-3 Velvet Scoter with the Common Scoter flock
off shore. A pair of Eider also seen flyng south from Gormanston.
AK
14 February 2007
No
sightings reports today! Not even love birds!!
12 February 2007
1st.
winter Iceland Gull sitting on the pontoon at the Sean O'Casey Bridge near
the IFSC. AK
11th February 2007
2 pairs of Red Breasted Mergansers under the wooden bridge
at Dollymount. MH
Stock Dove and 3 Bullfinches in UCD this morning at the entrance beside
the dual carriageway. 5 Little Egrets by the stream in The Park housing
estate at Glen Lawn Drive, beside Cabinteely Park. 2-3 Little Egrets
present daily along the stream between Clonkeen College and Deansgrange.
Redpoll at bird-feeder just off the
Old Cabra Rd.
At Swords were 6,100 Golden Plover, 1,160 Lapwing, 91 Goldeneye, and a Pochard. At Dundalk Bay big numbers of birds still
there, including 210 Greylags and a Pink-footed Goose, 270 Brents, 9200 Golden Plover, 6300
Oystercatchers. At
Rogerstown the Spotted Redshank still present also 1st winter
Glaucous Gull and a Barnacle Goose. No sign of the Pink-
Footed Goose! S
10 February 2007
Long-tailed Duck
still at Swords (see photo at 21 January 2007 in
archive -
excellent field photo from Robert Vaughan - you may only see this
bird at a distance)
9 February 2007
1 adult Iceland Gull at the
Shanganagh Outflow. (NK)
News just in from Tolka
Branch members in the Gambia, West Africa! (9 Feb) They have seen 290
bird species during their 2 week tour. This beats last years record of
267 during the same period. 11 February - from Heather
and Bill still in the Gambia - 2 new species for this year's
Gambia list - Green-headed Sunbird and Bar-breasted
Firefinch. Total now 292. (update 11 Feb)
8 February 2007
3
Mediterranean Gulls (2 2nd winters and an adult winter) attracted to
scraps left out in a sub-urban garden at Auburn Avenue, Cabinteely. One of
the 2nd winters landed in the garden whilst the other two circled around
low overhead. (NK and NTK)
7 February 2007
There was a Cormorant and a Grey Heron on the canal at Portobello. Over 80
Sanderling were on Sandymount strand at high tide this evening.
6 February 2007
In Dodder Valley Park today there were 2 Sparrowhawks and a small flock of
Longtailed Tits. T
5 February 2007
A Chiffchaff, 4 Bullfinches and a Dipper were seen today in Dodder valley
park.
4 February 2007
2 Great Northern Divers were seen off the base of the east pier with 6
Mediterranean gulls seen in nearby Sandycove.
3 February 2007
The pair of Dippers were again on show behind Rathfarnham shopping centre
with a Kingfisher and a pair of Bullfinches seen nearby. Green Winged Teal
with Common Teal at Rogerstown today.
2 February 2007
A Pink Footed Goose was seen at Rogerstown today.4
Redpoll and 2 Siskin feeding
on nut feeders at
Stiles Rd, Clontarf.