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Tolka Branch Trip
Report
County
Louth - 23rd February 2013
by Rosemary Doyle
Highlight of our trip and a first for
almost all of our party of 25, was the Richard's
Pipit which was incredibly busy foraging at
Templetown / Shelling Hill Beach. This is a rare visitor to
Ireland from Siberia and all the more for visiting in the
early Spring.
Dundalk Docks: Despite the snow flurries forecast, a
group of 25 well-layered birders converged at Dundalk Docks to
enjoy the great variety of waders, ducks and geese. Goods
views of a Buzzard patrolling the marshes and being mobbed
by Rooks distracted our wader-watch for a while.
Species seen at the docks were, Lapwing, Curlew, 1 Great-crested
Grebe, Golden Plover with a handful of Grey Plover,
Dunlin, Redshank, 1 Greenshank, Oystercatcher,
Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Little Egret, Brent Geese,
Shelduck, Teal, 3 Common Gull, Black-headed
Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull. Cormorants
took up all spaces on the wooden posts in the marshes. Several Woodpigeon
slept in the trees, while a Kestrel hovered over
them. Before hypothermia set in, we decided to head to
Cooley Point...
Cooley Point: on Shelling Hill Beach at Templetown we were
delighted to find the Richard's
Pipit (mentioned above); however, he was not
dining alone. At least 7 Pied Wagtail, a Song
Thrush, Robin, Wren, male and female Stonechats,
and a Meadow Pipit all feasted on the beach's
smörgåsbord. At the tideline, Turnstone, Redshank,
Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover all flitted about for
the best spot after the receding tide. A couple of Curlew
arrived later. Further out to sea, were male and female Red-breasted
Mergansers, 1 Great Northern Diver and 1 Red-throated
Diver, Black Guillemot and several Shags and Cormorants.
Further along the beach Hooded Crows rummaged in the drying
seaweed amongst them a Hybrid Carrion Crow...
Giles Quay: From the car park at Giles Quay we had good views of
approx. 20 Red-breasted Mergansers and a raft of Common
Scoter, and from the Harbour we saw a Great Northern Diver
in the distance...
Soldier's Point: We were disappointed not to gain admittance
to the new hide at Soldier's Point due to it's restricted opening
hours of just 2 hours on a Saturday and therefore had no respite
from the elements. However, a Grey Heron which eyes
bigger than its belly kept us fascinated for a long while (perhaps
we too were hungry and envious it's huge catch). Luckily
when the pair of Goldeneye arrived we soon forgot about the
greedy Heron. Other species seen here were Red-breasted
Mergansers, Brent Geese, Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck,
Redshank, Meadow Pipit and Rock Pipit...
Salterstown: We ended our journey at Salterstown and were
treated to extremely close views of Common Scoter in the
low spring tide. Golden Plover, Lapwing and
about 50 Knot were all feeding at the tideline to the
deafening chatter of the multitudinous Oystercatcher.
As the snow flurries turned into a snow shower, 25 satisfied, if
slightly blue, birders jumped into their warm cars and headed back
home...
Grey Heron
tackling a mullet perhaps at Soldier's Point, County Louth (Photo by Vincent Hall)
Rock Pipit at Soldier's Point, County Louth (Photo by Vincent Hall)
Meadow
Pipit
at Shelling Hill Beach, County Louth
(Photo by Vincent Hall)
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