October 16, 2006
Day of the shrike and twitching Cape again!
On Thursday afternoon Golden Graham called me to say he had found a Woodchat shrike and a Red Backed Shrike, together, at the old head of kinsale!
I threw young shop in the car and we lashed down to see these two birds in a once in a lifetime situation!
The birds gave great views for over an hour!
Woodchat shrike (juvenile) - Owen Foley
Woodchat shrike (juvenile) - Owen Foley
Woodchat shrike (juvenile) - Owen Foley
Woodchat shrike (juvenile) - Owen Foley
Woodchat Shrike (juvenile) - Owen Foley
RedBacked Shrike (juvenile) - Owen Foley
That night we heard news that a Baltimore Oriole had been found in the waist on cape.
Plans were set in motion and a boat organized from schull for 6a.m.
We arrived in the dark, and waited several hours for a sighting of the bird. But after this length of time birders began to fan out and look for other stuff.
A 1st year rb fly made a brief appearance in cotters.
And a barred warber was also on the island.
CC called me to say he had relocated the Subalpine in Cotters and i dashed up to see it.
I got a Good brief view from the bnb but the bird never reappeared, probably due to the sudden presence of several photographers, who insisted on going right up to the tree the bird had been in.
At about 3pm, an hour before we were due to leave cape, i took a stroll down to the waist in the hopes of seeing the oriole.
5 minutes spent in the house site yielded nothing and i went and sat on the bench overlooking south harbour.
I said what the hell, and decided to give it a little bit of pishing.
The baltimore oriole hopped up instantaneously, and began calling back at me angrily!
Stunning views just a few feet away from me!
2 birders were in ear shot and came running hastily at my shouts.
Apparently MOK, a distance up the lighthouse road, heard my shouts echoing across the harbour and came a runnin too!
I rang the Pig in cotters, and he brought the rest of the birders running down!
What a sight to see him barreling down the hill, miles ahead of the others and just in time to get a view of the bird moving around the tennis court.
Happy with our elusive tick, we got the boat off the island.
Got no birding done this weekend, due to the Thongs birthday back in dublin!
Damn awkward time of year to be born Thong!
Pariah
Worth while links
Irish County yearlists page 2006