Parian in origin

Last day in Cork

On Saturday I made a last excursion out into west cork in the hopes of digging something out.
Stopped off at Rosscarberry first, seeing both the AGP and the Lesser yellowlegs.
Then on down to ballymacrown. No sign of my RB fly, but a snow bunting was a nice cork tick and year tick in one of the southern paddocks.
A showy female hen harrier was also present hunting around the paddocks.

On towards Toe head, stoppping off at L. Adrigole on the way and finding a nice yellowbrowed warbler in with a flock of tits.
Toe head itself was extremely quiet with just redwings and fieldfare moving through.

Sin e

Home to Dublin now.

Pariah

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Rares in the Mist

Saturday was an extremely quiet day, with no migrants of note at Knockadoon, although plenty of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs knocking about (bad bad pun, I apologize).
A flock of about 2000 Golden Plover at Ring strand had what appeared to be a probable American Golden Plover in with them, but these birds were not obliging whatsoever, and I could never get a clear view of the bird, just his sleeping head every now and again.

On Sunday I went down to Ballymacrown. It was an incredibly misty dreary day, and at times visibility was nil! There were definitely birds about however�I could hear them at least! It became a bird listening day really as I walked about the various spots of cover.
�speee speee speee� � Goldcrests.
�pooweet� � Chiffchaff
�spink spink� � Chaffinches (lots of them moving through)

Then I heard a dry little rattle coming from the pines to my right.
�That sounded like an RB fly�, Red Breasted Flycatcher for the non birdy types, a finders tick.
The bird continued to call for a good five minutes before it popped out and gave stunning views for about 45 minutes, a lovely warm looking first year bird.
It was really nice to be able to just stand there watching it (under some convenient shelter) without other people talking or wanting to move on etc.
And the bird really performed, fly catching, cocking and flaring the tail, chasing a chiffer around for some reason, and always vocal.

I then moved on checking other gardens in the valley, but there was nothing to compare to that flycatcher.

I then drove around to Baltimore for some lunch, bumping into Dan Ballard in the restaurant. Apparently mizen was quiet with just a Yellow Browed and a Wryneck, long stayers straggling around.
Dan proceeded to tell me all about Pallas�s warblers�grrrr�

I then worked Baltimore, digging out a tree sparrow for my trouble�..good bird for cork that!

On Monday I walked out of the house to find a flat tire waiting for me�.so that scuttled any plans I had of finding another rare. A quick trip down the gearagh produced a ruddy duck, a dozen whooper swans (love those birds) and single golden plover in with over 1000 lapwing.

Sin e

Pariah

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Cape strikes again and a finders tick!

On thursday evening i went down to see the isabelline shrike again, on the old head of kinsale.
Bird was once again giving itself up.

Isabelline Shrike - Owen Foley

That evening news broke of a hermit thrush on cape (at the post office).
And a boat was organized for 7.30am friday morning.
We left baltimore at 7.45 and got the taxi up to the post office.
The bird was giving itself up, feeding just a few feet away.
Absolutely stunning!

Hermit Thrush - Owen Foley

After about an hour or so we set off up the east end in search of the little bunting.
No luck with this, but a wryneck and a black redstart were good compensation.

Wryneck - Owen Foley

A common rosefinch was in the waist, and a Firecrest and Yellowbrowed warbler were in cotters. A very tame turtle dove was also at cotters.

Turtle Dove- Owen Foley

When we came off HH and PR followed me to Ballymacrown, Baltimore,...where i found a gorgeous Juvenile Woodchat shrike. A particularly cold individual. Very nice to watch.

Juv. Woodchat Shrike (Ballymacrown) - Owen Foley

A wryneck was also in the same general area.

On saturday I went down galley way. Very windy, so i decided to quit with the mig searching and do a seawatch.
A good number of skuas were passing with the tallies being

1 juvenile long-tailed skua
4 pomarine skuas
12 arctic skuas
7 bonxies
2 little auks
3 leach's petrels
6 sooty shearwaters
1 grey phalarope
1 velvet scoter.

The lesser yellowlegs was still at rosscarbery.

On sunday I took shop down the old head. The woodchat shrike was still present in the first gully, and a garden warbler was on the boreen.

I found a yellowbrowed warbler in the last garden on the right.
We then went on to rosscarberry to see the AGP. So 3 ticks him.

Excellent weekend!

Pariah

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Day of the Shrike 2. This time its a county tick.

Harry texted me yesterday evening to say he had just found an Isabelline Shrike on the Old Head of Kinsale...in the same general area that the other shrikes had been (indeed the woodchat shrike was present with the Izzy)

Myself and shop lashed down to see this bird, giving shop his 200th tick.
Gorgeous bird..and what a sight to see it munching on a freshly killed robin!!!
Incredible!

Lots of caps and crests on the head also, but nothing else major!

Nice one H!

Pariah

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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

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

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Omni Present Owen And Golden Graham go twitching

2.a.m. Saturday morning. Myself and Graham Gordon set off from cork for the Mullet peninsula, Co. Mayo. We arrived on site at about 8.a.m.
After about an hours searching or so the Red eyed Vireo finally made an appearance and showed well for about half an hour.

We then moved on to see the female Snowy owl on Termon hill. This bird also gave good views for about half an hour, including good flight views.

We then refound the lesser yellowlegs at Cross Lake.

On sunday we set off for home, and just after reaching limerick we received news that Irelands first Canada warbler had been found at kilbaha, Co.Clare.
We turned round rather hastily and arrived just in time to get the last view of the evening. Incredible bird!

We stayed over for another day, and got even better views of the Canada the next day, and also saw the red eyed vireo at kilbaha. My second in as many days.

A common rosefinch was dug out by denis, providing yet another tick for me, and an RB fly was a welcome year tick.

I set off for home leaving Graham to stay on another day.

Yesterday i tried for the Blackpoll on dursey, (with a stopoff to try for a "reported" Great white egret at ballylickey) but dipped.
Hopefully it will stay around for another attempt.

Sin �

Pariah

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Yank wader bonanza hits cork proper

On Friday evening I caught up with the summer black necked grebe at ballycotton (first for the site in 30 years apparently).

On Saturday I had a lazy start, and left quite late in the morning for the Old Head of Kinsale. Checked the beach first. A single curlew sand here.
A quick check of the various gardens produced very little. Not even a phylosc.

I then caught sight of a flock of starlings on the far side of the head.
I could see a pale starling in with them, but couldn�t make out the bill.
Wary of a possible leucistic starling, I hopped back in the car and drove around hastily.
The flock had moved from the wires, into some fields at the center of the head. As I was walking into the fields to get to them I heard a "tlu-ee" call from behind me. AGP!! (American Golden Plover for the non birdy types)
I looked around and caught him flying by me, in off the sea. He continued to call as he flew over and on inland towards the pier. Fantastic bird.
The fourth individual i have found.

A massive down pour saw me running back to the car, and I then drove back down to the beach in the hopes of finding the plover on it. But it was still too manky out, so I dashed into the blue harbor bar for a bowl of soup and a pint whilst I waited it out....for an hour!
A massive flock of starlings was by this bar, and I couldn�t look through them all.
When the rain eased off I went back to the beach. No joy here. Just the same flock of smalls.

The pier didn�t fare much better, no sign of the plover at all.
As I was putting my scope away, I suddenly heard a funny noise.
Was that a bird call? Or the sound of the leg of my scope grating into position?

"Spizzzz"

Tree pipit!! The bird flew up out of the caravan park. And headed off in the direction of the beach.
I tried to refind it here, and on the pitch and putt course, but it had probably dropped into a field somewhere.

I chased starling flocks around for another while, but they were not helpful, and I never managed to look through them all.

I then heard that some sniping git had found a juv long billed dowitcher on my patch at loughbeg!damn.
So I drove back home in the hopes of seeing it on the rising tide.
No joy Saturday evening however.

On Sunday morning I picked up young shop at the ferry and we went down to see the dow. It was giving itself up in the reserve, but constantly being harried out of the marsh by a sparrowhawk. When looking for it on the outer estuary from the causeway I suddenly spotted the lesser yellowlegs (or a lesser yellowlegs) in with the shanks.
2 yanks together on my patch. Class!

Long Billed Dowitcher (juvenile) - Owen Foley

Long Billed Dowitcher (Juvenile) - Owen Foley

Long Billed Dowitcher (juvenile) - Owen Foley

Long Billed Dowitcher (Juvenile) - Owen Foley

(I will have to do some investigating this evening however, just to make sure that there are not 2 individuals concerned as the other one may still be on the carrigaline estuary.

However it�s more likely that these 2 estuaries are linked and that the high tide roost for both is at loughbeg.)

We moved on down west to toe head to get shop a tick in the form of hoopoe.
The bird was giving itself up along the loop, allowing us to approach to within 10 feet in the car. At one point we wanted to just move on and look for stuff, but he would just constantly fly in front of the car. In the end another vehicle came in the opposite direction and flushed him around us and back onto the loop.

Hoopoe - Sean Ronayne

We then moved on to rosscarberry, a Ring billed gull and a few meds were the best here.

Ring Billed Gull - Owen Foley

On to clonakilty, and we hit clogheen first. I parked the car by the wall, and hopped out to have a gawk in with my bins.
In amongst the lapwing I spotted this gangly looking wader, silhouetted against the sun. As it moved into an area of shade I could see it looked very clean white below...hmmm. I set up my scope knowing what I would find....ANOTHER LESSER YELLOWLEGS!

How good can things get?;)
We watched this bird on the mudflat with several little stints for about 30 mins and set off for home.

Excellent weekend for finds.
Excellent weekend full stop.

Sin �

Pariah

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We meet again Mr. Legs

Aha!I knew you had fecked off!I just didnt imagine i would see you again. At the very least not so soon!

On the way home yesterday there was a large roost of gulls off the Carrigaline-Crosshaven bypass. Almost the first bird i saw walking in amongst them was the lesser yellowlegs.

Bird gave excellent views from the first layby (under the height restriction barrier just after the crosswalk).

Pariah

Lesser yellowlegs - Owen Foley

Lesser Yellowlegs - Owen Foley

A reasonable comparison shot. Note the slim neck, long pointed wings, clean white underparts and unbarred undertail sides. Fine all dark bill and slim, streamlined body shape.

Lesser Yellowlegs - Owen Foley

Not a hunchbacked as redshank. Very Long looking. Legs disproportionately long.

Lesser Yellowlegs - Owen Foley

Clean flanks, belly and undertail. Virgin white.

Lesser Yellowlegs - Owen Foley

Can often appear "gangly" looking as opposed to "elegant"

Lesser Yellowlegs - Owen Foley

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Some quick sniping

I offered young S. "shop" Ronayne a lift down to see the Icterine warbler at knockadoon, but was turned down. I didnt really fancy driving down, even for a cork year tick, so i said id do some sniping in the evening down at the old head.

I arrived at Garrets town beach and had a look through the few dunlin and plovers on the beach. Nada here save for a few white wags.

The sycamore garden had sweet FA.As did the magic garden. The garden in from the cross roads had a spot fly and some chiffs and willows. And the next garden north had 3 possibly 4 pied flys and more phyloscs.

The plantation had a turtle dove in the farm yard. Year tick.

And down the gully from the magic garden, was a lovely juv red backed Shrike.
A shame he was so elusive however. I picked the bird up flying down off a bramble bush. Instantly i copped it as a shrike. I moved a tad closer and got a reasonable view to say conclusively it was a red backed.
The bird then hopped the hedge and was never seen again.
Little swine.

Sin �

Pariah

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Pirate Week Bounty ---aaaar

As t'was talk like a pirate day during the week, ill spin ye a yarn in ye olde pirate talk me mateys.

On dark and stormy saturday morning, in the wee hours o' the day. Me and 3 shipmates did set forth, battling the the fiercest of storms that davy jone's locker had set upon us.

After a flood the likes o' which noah himself had never seen, had nearly felled our fair craft, the volkswagen polo, in wateford *cough cough* city, we didst set forth again with the assistance of the AA for Tacumshin.

Yarr it was a fair sight me hearties when we did leave the accursed earth of waterford, and feasted our eyes upon the the glorious sunshine of wexford.
Tacumshins east end, did produce both black tern and a juvenile garganey. Yet no fair sight of a black winged stilt.
Said vagrant had shifted to ladys island, and we did set forth at speed to see him.
A fair juvenile he be. And did feed in same spot all day for our amusement.
When we had had our fill we set out for tacumshin again, and did look a a tawny pipit for a good while. Twas a tick for me mateys!And a grand sight twas too!

Tacumshin then had many buffs and 2 pecs for us, and a brief view of a bairds for me. An armada of yellow wags was in a field with some horses and was an amazing sight.

On sunday we did set out full sail for Cape Clear, at the news that an Eastern Olivaceous had been found. We did charter a might vessel, that did conquer the swell and land us on the island. And for a good half hour we did watch the bird.
Yarrr...Sin �.

Piratin' Pariah

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Another Yank

One would think they would become tedious after a while....Nah.
After bumping into JF on sunday and asking him to get the water levels on the Marsh at loughbeg dropped and more saline. I got my first chance to check in on it yesterday evening. No sooner had i set up the scope in the hide than A gorgeous Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs popped out from behind some reeds and began feeding on the newly exposed mud. Classy. A curlew sand was also present. With any luck Loughbeg will produce more now that its back in form.

Pariah

Lesser yellowlegs - Owen Foley

Lesser Yellowlegs - Owen Foley

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Cleaning up on Cape Clear

On Friday i got news from HH that an Ortolan Bunting had been found on cape, giving good views. ortolan is a bogey bird for me.And a lifer. So i set off rather hastily.
I made the boat. But the bird was missing when i arrived. And remained so for the rest of the day. I decided to stay overnight and bird the island the next day.

I did get excellent views of HH's Greenish warbler in the campsite garden however which wa worth it alone.

I woke early on saturday morning and began tramping out towards the low road.
First up was a pretty little Imm. type Redstart on the waist. A yeartick.
Out to the low road, and staked out the ortolan spot for a while.
No joy. So i began walking the bogs. Central bog had 2 whinchats, a cork year tick, and whilst on West Bog I refound HH's Juv Rosecolored Starling up on the wires by the lake.
I moved up to this bird to get some shots.

Juvenile RoseColoured Starling - Owen Foley

Whilst at the lake a lesser WhiteThroat was at Mary Macs.
I then moved back towards West Bog and found a Barred Warbler on the stone wall at the end of the Olly Gully. This bird showed decently for circa 30 seconds and then hopped a good 20 meters into the foliage on the hill. Never to be seen again.

Back through central bog. Nada this time around. Up the track to the wheatear field. A good size flock of linnets here, a few wheatears and a tick in the form of a Lapland Bunting. At last! Little fecker flushed from infront of me, but not before i got a good view on the deck. Nice.

Chough - Owen Foley

Back down and through the bogs again. Nothing this time around. A quick view of the starling again and i went back up the high road and down to the campsite garden again. Here i got a good view of the Greenish again. very nice.

I then went for a well deserved lunch (having skipped breakfast) and sat into a nice meal just as the rain hit.
Did cotters again just before getting the boat off, and 3 pied flys showed well in here.

Definitely worth the stay over...and the hangover!

On sunday i went down to Ballycotton.
A juvenile black tern was present on the exit of the lake.
But i had forgotton to charge the camera after extensive use on cape.
Turned it on to see "Battery exhausted". Damn shame too! Bird was very obliging.

2 adult little terns were at pilmore.
And that was it. Knockadoon was dead.

Sin �

Pariah

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Up close and personal at Ballycotton

A quick evening trip down to Ballycotton, in the hopes of digging out a Buff Breasted Sandpiper, allowed me to finally view the Pectoral Sandpiper which i had heard call last thursday at shanagarry. The bird gave itself up to both myself and SC at the very back of shanagarry.
A green sandpiper was also calling in the area.

Pectoral Sandpiper - Owen Foley

Pectoral Sanpiper - Owen Foley

Pectoral Sandpiper- Owen Foley

Pectoral Sandpiper - Owen Foley

The beach itself continued to hold the Adult White Rumped Sandpiper aswell as up to 7 Curlew Sandpipers.
1 Large male ruff, an individual which i had seen last sunday at ballymacoda was at the back of the lake at Ballycotton this evening.

White Rumped Sandpiper- Sean Cronin

White Rumped Sandpiper - Sean Cronin

Pariah

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Skiving, Mig and wader hunting and best laid Plans.

Had to pop down to the VW dealership in Lissarda as the one at turners cross didnt have the wing mirror I needed in stock. (some bollox smashed my right wing mirror).

As i was down there I said id check the gearagh.
A green sandpiper was cautiously grilled at lissarda itself and the gearagh was full of quacks, all looking manky this time of year.
The place was incredibly dried out. Looked perfect for waders, but besides a few curlews and Lapwing nothing special.
Thats not saying much tho...habitat is extensive and looks perfect for buffs, temmincks etc. who knows?

As i was out and enjoying the birding i just nipped down from macroom to rosscarberry. I felt compelled to check it for waders after missing the low tide on saturday. Nada here. Not even a ruff.

So i went down to galley to try and see Cols yellow wag and whinchats.
Didnt see any of these on the way out.
So i went up to the lighthouse and had a gawk out.
Almost straight away i picked up a juv sabs gull at about 1/4 distance.
Jumped out and got it in the scope.Very nice bird.
Saw that there was stuff moving ok so i decided to do a seawatch proper.
Bonxie up next and then arctic skua.
Up until now it had been a tshirt seawatch, but i could see a squall coming in so i was going to head away.
Until the matrix freeze frame moment happened.

FEAS PETREL. Underside view as it came into my scope, just a little closer than the manx stream. Tracked it from 11 to 2.30 for a good 2-3 minutes.
Utterly class! And really relaxed viewing conditions.
Then the rain hit and i bailed into the car....to spread the news.
hee.

Them locals....they aint happy!;)

I moved on to the estuaries after this, doing Clon, Timolegue, kilbritain and Garretstown.

A ruff was at timolegue and a yellow wagtail on the beach at garretstown with waders and pied wags.
Garretstown beach had quite a few smalls, i was sure that would be the place to have my bairds or semi p. But alas just dunlin, sanderlings and ringed plovers.
None the less.....I shall be keeping an eye on the place.

What an evening!...and all due to a duff wing mirror.
Sin e.

Pariah

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