Iceland Gull, Dingle

Iceland Gull, Dingle, 24th April 2015 (Michael O'Clery).

This bird has been around for, well, officially, ages...

Kilshannig goodies

Immature male Eider, Kilshannig, 23rd April 2015 (David O'Connor).

Whooper Swan, Kilshannig, 23rd April 2015 (David O'Connor).

White Wagtail, Kilshannig, 23rd April 2015 (David O'Connor).

Watching White Wag washing

White Wagtail, Kilshannig, 20th April 2015 (David O'Connor).

One of 6 birds present at this site.

White Wagtail, Kilshannig, 20th April 2015 (David O'Connor).

White Wagtail, Kilshannig, 20th April 2015 (David O'Connor).

Hoopoe, Kells

Hoopoe, Mount Foley, Kells, 12th April 2015 (Andrew Field).

Littoralis Rock Pipits in Kerry at the moment

littoralis Rock Pipit, Black Rock, 31st March 2015 (David O'Connor). 

 littoralis Rock Pipit, Killshannig, 1st April 2015 (Kerry Birding).

littoralis Rock Pipit, Killshannig, 1st April 2015 (Kerry Birding). 

littoralis Rock Pipit, Killshannig, 1st April 2015, 3 birds present, but at least 4 have been seen all at this site in the last 2 months.(Kerry Birding).

Ring-billed Gull, not a rare bird for kerry, but one for the Cashen.

1st winter Ring-billed Gull, cashen estuary, 21st March 2015, (Davey Farrar).

A pink Littoralis, Carrig Island

Littoralis Rock Pipit, Carrig Island, 20th March 2015 (Davey Farrar).

One of two present at this site, and a nicely 'pinked up' one.

Volunteers sought for 2015 national Hen Harrier Survey

BirdWatch Ireland, The Golden Eagle Trust and the Irish Raptor Study Group have formed an exciting conservation partnership and collectively are co-ordinating the 2015 Irish Hen Harrier Survey on behalf of the National Parks & Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht.

Female Hen Harrier (Shay Connolly).

This is your chance to get involved in a vital nationwide survey, and to see and spend time watching and looking for this enigmatic raptor. 

You are invited to attend the up-coming survey training workshops which will cover Hen Harrier ecology, survey methods, reporting and other research opportunities during the course of the survey. These workshops will also allow people to meet other fieldworkers and discuss the methods and survey requirements.

Full information is on the Irish Raptor Blog, HERE.

Female Hen Harrier (Shay Connolly).

Even if you can’t take on a survey square you can assist the survey by reporting information and sightings of Hen Harriers in Kerry and elsewhere, which will add a valuable insight to the distribution and abundance of the population. You can submit your sightings through the dedicated survey website HERE.

Littoralis Rock pipit, Rough Point

'Littoralis' Rock Pipit, Rough Point, 18th March 2015 (David O'Connor).

'Sibe' Chiffers and Ring-billed still at Ross Castle

 

Siberian Chiffchaff, Ross Castle, 16th March 2015 (Aiden Kelly).

Three 'Sibes' were still present at Ross Castle, though numbers of Chiffchaffs generally have been falling.

Siberian Chiffchaff, Ross Castle, 16th March 2015 (Aiden Kelly).

Siberian Chiffchaff, Ross Castle, 16th March 2015 (Aiden Kelly).

Siberian Chiffchaff, Ross Castle, 16th March 2015 (Aiden Kelly).

Siberian Chiffchaff, Ross Castle, 16th March 2015 (Aiden Kelly).

Second winter Ring-billed Gull, Ross Castle, 16th March 2015 (Aiden Kelly).