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Saturday 8 October 2016

Can't get enough of those Yellow-broweds

Although fairly quiet bird-wise elsewhere in the Bolus Head/Finian's Bay area today, four of these beautiful Siberian warblers were present at Glen Pier this morning. Another five were seen in the Dunquin/Slea Head area too (per Davey Farrar). With easterly winds forecast to continue for many days yet, surely there will be many more of these little gems, or perhaps, dare I say it, the ultimate tiny Siberian Warbler, a Pallas's?

Yellow-browed Warbler, Glen Pier, Finian's Bay, 8th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Glen Pier, Finian's Bay, 8th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Glen Pier, Finian's Bay, 8th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Glen Pier, Finian's Bay, 8th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Glen Pier, Finian's Bay, 8th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Redwing, Bolus Head, Finian's Bay, 8th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Some of the first Redwings of the winter have made their appearance, on Bolus Head on 7th October (per Pat McDaid). 

With clear white flanks 'ticked' with brown streaks, a lack of much buff around the face, and a nearly white under tail, the one above looks to be of the race iliacus, the sub-species which nests across Scandinavia and Russia, rather than our typically more numerous wintering race, coburni, birds from Iceland and the Faroes.

Spotted Flycatcher, Glen Pier, Finian's Bay, 8th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

And a few other stray bits and pieces below...

Adult Ring-billed Gull, Black Rock 7th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Curlew Sandpiper, Carrahane, Black Rock 7th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).