August 14, 2006
2 week update _ Seabirds and Waders
Okay...been a tad busy so this is a bumper entry.
Went down to Ballycotton on Saturday the 5th of August.
Very few waders at all, but a nice surprise was an Osprey, which flew high over allens pool and out to sea. Finders Tick.
On sunday i went down to Kerry for the rest of the weekend. in preparation for the Dingle pelagic.
Started off at blennerville. An adult Med gull and a summer plumaged knot were the best here.
Black Rock strand had A few more knot, including the first peachy juv of the year. Lots of dunlin and sanderling but nada in amongst them.
On out to brandon point, where I kipped the night in the car.
Next morning I had a quick look out to sea. A distant Leachs was an early record, but otherwise it was dead.
Spent the rest of the day doing the various wader sites on the peninsula, from Trabeg right around to Smerwick Harbour.
Baile na reannaigh had a twite. And ventry bay had 3 med gulls, 1 ad. and 2 Juvs.
But otherwise very quiet.
The pelagic the next morning was very good.
A 1 hour chug out off the coast was blessed with incredible scenery.
No sooner had the chum gone out than I picked up a cracking Great shearwater, which came right by the boat.
A couple of sooties and a bonxie, arctic and pomarine skua all made an appearance.
And then the star bird...a stunning wilsons petrel came right in just 15 feet off the boat, and hung around for a good hour or so.
The best views I have ever gotten of wilsons. And well worth the 50 euros for the boat!
This weekend I Went up to the bridges on saturday.
Despite good winds there was almost zero passage, with just 2 balearics, 1 sooty and a scattering of arctic skuas and bonxies to keep us occupied.
All the seabirds were heading north aswell, very unusual!
The ad summer Long Billed Dowitcher was on show at shannon airport lagoon, but it took a good half hour to root it out amongst the high tide roost!
It was a tad distant also. But a year tick none the less and a lifer for Sean.
On sunday i had a lazy day, spent at home snoozing and wathcing DVD's.
However in the evening i decided to head down to ballycotton, to play around with my new nikon coolpix 4500.
I was half hoping there would be something more interesting than dunlin and sanderling to test it out on...and i wasn't disappointed!
A beauty of a Juv Wood Sandpiper was on shanagary pool, giving great views for most of the evening.
The bird was even twitched by Brain Lynch who it was a tick for (owes me a pint).
See shots of the bird below....not bad for the first time messing with the camera.
Natural talent i reckon!;)
Went up to skinnys then for a bite with Graham and a pint before heading on home.
Pariah
Worth while links
Irish County yearlists page 2006
Carmo Police
My (outdated) website