Ring-billed Gull, Ross Castle

Second winter Ring-billed Gull, Ross Castle, 23rd January 2015 (Ed Carty).

Chiffchaff collybita & tristis comparison

Comparison between colybita Chiffchaff and tristris Chiffchaff, Kerry, January 2015.

More on the ringing and ID of these birds soon...

Ross Castle Chiffchaffs and Siberian Chiffchaffs

There are now at least 25 Chiffchaffs at Ross Castle and, in parts of the woodland, Chiffchaff is actually the commonest species. Though wintering numbers have gradually increased in southern Britain and the south coast of Ireland in recent years (see the Atlas map below), the numbers now at Ross Castle are perhaps the highest ever recorded in Ireland in winter.

(Click on the map for a closer view).

And among the Chiffchaffs, a Siberian Chiffchaff has been present since December last. Since the recent icy weather there has been a gradual increase in the numbers of Chiffchaffs, and with them, at least two new Siberian Chiffchaffs.

Bird one: Siberian Chiffchaff. This individual has been present since December last, and can be picked out by the greyish patch on the upper mantle, just above the bend of the wing and visible on both sides (this photo taken today is a little overexposed, but you can still see the feature. See also the photo a couple of posts below, from Davey Farrar). 

Ross Castle, 18th January 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Bird one: This is a better view of the above bird, taken on 15th January. Note the greyish patch above the bend of the wing. (M.O'Clery).

Bird two: Siberian Chiffchaff. This individual is particularly 'frosty' white below and grey on the mantle, with the typical faint 'tobacco stain' brown on the ear coverts, a noticeably flared supercilium behind the eye, and only faint green edges to the wing feathers. This bird was heard to call several times, a slightly piping "Weet!", with just the slightest downturn at the end, and at one point was answered by another, unseen nearby in the foliage. Ross Castle, 18th January 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Bird three: Siberian Chiffchaff. This individual is notable for the particularly striking pale wing bar, though not quite as 'frosty' looking as the above bird. Ross Castle, 18th January 2015 (M.O'Clery). 

And this one? Not sure. Perhaps Bird two. Perhaps it's another one?

Chiffchaff, Ross Castle, 18th January 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Above, a regular Chiffchaff, at Ross Castle. Most Chiffchaffs present were straightforward colybita types, with generally overall greenish-olive and yellow tones, though some were notably pale, though not quite fitting with Siberian Chiffchaff. Changing angles and light make the full range of variation difficult to interpret, but certainly some seem to have paler 'northern' genes to them.

Chiffchaff, Ross Castle, 18th January 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Above, another colybita Chiffchaff. While all the Siberian Chiffchaffs showed blackish legs - including very dark, or black, soles to the feet - the bird above was one of the few colybitas to show all-black legs and soles. The Chiffchaffs more typically showed dark brown or blackish legs, but yellow or pale brown soles.

Ring-billed Gull, TBWC

First-winter Ring-billed Gull, Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre, 18th January 2015 (Ed Carty).

First-winter Ring-billed Gull, Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre, 18th January 2015 (Ed Carty).

Black-necked Grebe, Ballylongford

Black-necked Grebe, Ballylongford, 17th January 2015 (D.Farrar).

A purple Purple Sandpiper

Purple Sandpipers are so named due to the purplish iridescence on feathers on the mantle, though this is extremely difficult to see in the field. Below, a nice photo showing this effect on the mantle feathers of a roosting bird.

Click on the images for a closer view

Purple Sandpiper, Rough Point, 16th January 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Purple Sandpiper, Rough Point, 16th January 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Purple Sandpipers, Rough Point, 16th January 2015 (M.O'Clery).

It used to be thought that Purple Sandpipers wintering in Ireland originated from the Icelandic breeding population, but it turns out they are from very much further away. Icelandic birds do indeed make landfall in Ireland each autumn, but continue on further south. The wintering birds, such as the 96 at Rough Point this afternoon, have flown from Arctic Canada. These birds have crossed the Atlantic on wing-power alone, and will do so again on their return migration in April or May.

Siberian Chiffchaff, Ross castle

Siberian Chiffchaff, Ross castle 13th January 2015 (Davey Farrar).

Melanitta americana

Black Scoter, Rossbeigh,11th January 2015 (Tom Shevlin).

Glaucous Gulls and Iceland Gull

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Black Rock, 12th January 2015 (David O'Connor).

 

First-winter Glaucous Gull, feeding on cow carcass, Cromane, 12th January 2015 (Ed Carty).

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Cromane, 12th January 2015 (Ed Carty).

Adult Spoonbill, Cromane, 12th January 2015 (Ed Carty).

Adult Iceland Gull, Ferriter's Cove, 12th January 2015 (Michael O'Clery).

Lots more Black Scoter pics

Below, a great series of photos from today of the Black Scoter near Rossbeigh, by Aidan Kelly. Note, in two of the photos, the bird seems to be calling. This was also seen on Friday last, when the male seemed to be obviously and frequently calling to other flock members. Anyone else noticed this behaviour? 

Lots of birders are now making the journey from all over Ireland to twitch this bird, but with the continuing awful weather, it is proving an ordeal for many, but half decent views are possible once the conditions improve, even if only briefly. This has certainly been helped by most, if not all, the Rossbeigh scoter flock remaining together in more or less the same area for the past few days.

Thanks to Aidan for the images.

(You can click on any of the photos for a closer view)

This and all the below photos, Adult male Black Scoter with Common Scoter, near Rossbeigh, 11th January 2015 (Aidan Kelly).

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This and all the photos above, Adult male Black Scoter with Common Scoter, near Rossbeigh, 11th January 2015 (Aidan Kelly).