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Tuesday 26 February 2013

Siberian Chiffchaff & Mediterranean Gull


Four Siberian Chiffchaff were present today at Ross castle also a Male  Ring-necked Duck and a First-winter Mediterranean Gull (Kerry Birding).

Monday 25 February 2013

Surf Scoter and Iceland Gull


First-winter male Surf Scoter, Reen Pier, Ballinskelligs Bay, 24th February 2013 (Pat McDaid).

Adult Iceland Gull, Reenard, 23rd February 2013 (Pat McDaid).

Saturday 23 February 2013

White-tailed Eagle

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Sub-adult White-tailed Eagle, Kerry, 23rd February 2013 (Kerry Birding).

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Brambling, Tralee

Brambling, Caharslee, Tralee, 20th February 2013 (Martin Gaethlich).

Todd's Canada Goose

Canada Goose, Cashen, 20th February 2013 (Kerry Birding).

Tuesday 19 February 2013

Tree Sparrow and Brambling

Tree Sparrow, Carrahane, 19th February 2013 (David O'Connor).

Brambling, Carrahane, 19th February 2013 (David O'Connor).

7 Tree Sparrows and 2 Brambling were present.

Friday 15 February 2013

Thursday 14 February 2013

Lesser Canada Goose


Lesser Canada Goose, Cashen, 14th February 2013 ( Davey Farrar).

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Kumlien's Gull, Cromane

The first-winter Kumlien's Gull seen at Cromane last week was again present yesterday, 12th February (Kerry Birding).

Siberian Chiffchaffs at Killarney

At least 5 Siberian Chiffchaffs have been wintering at Ross Castle. Several different individuals are shown below.




Siberian Chiffchaffs, Ross Castle, 13th February 2013 (Davey Farrar).

Tuesday 12 February 2013

Glaucous Gull, Black Rock

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Black Rock, 12th February 2013 (David O'Connor).
One of two birds present.

Goosander, Dingle

Male Goosander, Dingle, 12th February 2013 (Davey Farrar).

Monday 11 February 2013

Glaucous Gull, Dingle


First-winter Glaucous Gull, Dingle Harbour, 11th February 2013 (Michael O'Clery).
One of two first-winters present.

Cromane Gull continues to confound


(Photos: Davey Farrar).


(Video: Michael O'Clery).

This gull, found and photographed at Cromane on 30th January, wasn't seen in subsequent days, though the photographs circulated on the web prompted many to consider the bird to be Ireland's first Glaucous-winged Gull. However, after the bird reappeared on the evening of 7th February, several birders made the journey to Cromane on the morning of the 8th. The bird was present and provided ample opportunity for photos, video and close scrutiny. Immediately apparent was the bird's generally 'slight' build (smaller than most Herring Gulls present) and elegant proportions, rather than the bulky and attenuated structure of a Glaucous-winged Gull. As to what it actually is? The jury is still out, though Kumlien's Gull has been suggested by several observers.

Friday 8 February 2013

Spoonbill


Spoonbill, Cromane, 8th February 2013 (David O'Connor).

Siberian Chiffchaff & Ring-necked Duck





Five Siberian Chiffchaffs have now been reported from Ross Castle with a Ring-necked Duck also present, 7th February 2013 (Fionn Moore).

Thursday 7 February 2013

Two more White-tailed Eagles found dead


Declan O'Donnell, DCO, with the corpse of a White-tailed Sea Eagle, found in Co. Cork (Photo: NPWS).

A White-tailed Sea Eagle found dead on the sea shore near Glengarriff, Co. Cork, has been found to have been poisoned. The bird, a female, released in Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry, in August 2010, had spent much of 2012 in south Kerry before moving to the Beara peninsula between Adrigole and Glengarriff in December 2012. On 18th January she was discovered by a local man on the water’s edge near Glengarriff and was brought for post-mortem to the Regional Veterinary Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine by staff from the National Parks and Wildlife Service based in Glengarriff. Test results from the State Laboratory, Celbridge revealed that the bird had been poisoned, presumably as a result of eating carrion. Earlier in the week another dead eagle had been found at Derrynane, near Caherdaniel, Co. Kerry but it was not possible to determine the cause of death of this bird (with thanks to Allan Mee).

Wednesday 6 February 2013

Glaucous Gull, Ballyhiege


Glaucous Gull was again at Ballyhiege, 6th February 2013 (Davey Farrar).

Tuesday 5 February 2013

Glaucous Gull, Ballyhiege beach


First-winter Glaucous Gull was feeding on a long-finned Pilot Whale carcass on Ballyhiege beach 5th February 2013 (Davey Farrar).

Possible Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid?

This bird was photographed at Cromane, Castlemaine Harbour, last week
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Hybrid gull, possibly with Glaucous-winged Gull origins, Cromane, 30th January 2012 (Seamus Enright).

The bird shows a puzzling mix of features with the very real possibility of it having Glaucous-winged Gull genes somewhere in the mix. However there are subtle structural and plumage differences which show a probable hybrid origin, though with which species remains unclear so far. Further opinions are being sought!

Saturday 2 February 2013

Snow Bunting and Brambling

Snow Bunting, Cashen Estuary, 1st February 2013 (Davey Farrar).

Brambling, Carrahane, 2nd February 2013 (Davey Farrar).

Ring-necked Duck, Ross Castle

Ring-necked Duck, Ross Castle, 2nd February 2013 (David O'Connor).

Siberian Chiffchaff, Ross Castle, 2nd February 2013 (David O'Connor).

Friday 1 February 2013

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting, Cashen, 1st February 2013 (Davey Farrar).