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Trip Report
Branch Outing to Kilcoole, Co Wicklow
18 November 2006
It was a very cold Saturday morning as we arrived in Killcole, but the
rain had cleared up. The stormy conditions still prevailed and kept the
birds very quiet. On the water from the station we could see many Shags
fishing close inshore with some Guillemots further out. There was also
a fair number of Great Black-backed Gulls sitting on the water.
Walking along by the railway Stonechats were the first regular we came
across, followed by numerous small flocks of Linnets, sometimes mixing
with Pied Wagtails. The water was quite high in the reserve, but there
were good numbers of Widgeon mixed in with the Mallard. Some Brent Geese
were grazing on the west bank of the reserve.
As we
walked towards the bushes we spotted a few Meadow Pipits. A few
Cormorants were to be found by the water as well with just one Little
Egret quite distant. On the grassier parts there were mixed flocks of
Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Curlew and they were joined by a large flock
of Golden Plover. |
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There were starlings everywhere, even over the sea which
gave us the impression they were migrants arriving. The best find of the
day was the rediscovery, after two weeks absence, of a White-rumped
Sandpiper. It was a bit distant but the light was good so it could be
clearly distinguished from the other waders. The coldness of the
wind finally forced us to retreat around 2:00pm. |
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