Black Tern, Black Rock

Black Tern, Black Rock, 22nd September 2015 (David O'Connor).

American Golden Plover

American Golden Plover, Carrahane, 18th September 2015 (David O'Connor).

Pied Flychatcher

Pied Flychatcher, Feohanagh, 17th September 2015.

Little Stint & Curlew Sandpiper

 Little Stint, Black Rock, 17th September 2015 (David O'Connor).

Curlew Sandpiper, Black Rock, 17th September 2015 (David O'Connor).

Firecrest

Firecrest, Dunquin,14th September 2015 (Ian Jones).

Ring-billed Gull, Black Rock

Adult Ring-billed Gull, Black Rock, 8th September 2015 (David O'Connor).

Curlew Sandpiper, Black Rock

Curlew Sandpiper, Black Rock, 3rd September 2015 (David O'Connor).

Hopefully the first of many.

Injured Barn Owl alert

Yesterday evening, an injured Barn Owl was seen entangled in, of all things, a fishing line and lead weight. Though covered in blood, it was able to fly across a field just SW of Ballyseedy Woods near Tralee, and towards the John Mitchell GAA grounds.

If anyone sees or hears  of a report of a Barn Owl in that area please contact 087 9711519 immediately. The only hope for this bird is that it might be captured and disentangled, and rehabilitated if necessary. It would be unlikely to survive otherwise.

We can only assume that the unfortunate owl dived into grass after prey along a river and got snarled on the careless discard.

Bonxie takes a shortcut

Seawatching at Brandon Point was quiet this afternoon, but Gannets diving very close inshore at nearby Brandon Pier provided a distraction. This Bonxie arrived in the small bay, circled high and started drifting south over fields and moorland. I followed it by car, just able to keep track of it, and last saw it about 3km south of Cloghane village, heading strongly high and direct towards the Conor pass.

Adult Bonxie, Brandon, 26th August 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Skuas will only rarely cross over land while on migration in Ireland, and there are only a handful of old records of it happening from, e.g., Killala Bay (see this old Major Ruttledge note from British Birds journal HERE), and a record of 60-70 Long-tailed Skuas migrating along the Shannon River in May 1860. 

This is the second time Bonxies have been observing heading inland from Brandon Bay toward the Conor Pass, following a record of five, in September 2004, also during strong westerly winds.

Route of the Bonxie, from Brandon Pier, to Cloghane and to the Conor Pass.

It's possible this is a regular route for a small percentage of Bonxies which find themselves in Brandon Bay. It might prove the easier option to head south over the mountains than to head back into the strong westerly wind along the north side of the peninsula.

Moment of impact: Gannet at Brandon, 26th August 2015 (M.O'Clery).

SemiP on the Inny

The first Nearctic wader of the autumn.

Semipalmated Sandpiper (with Dunlin), Inny Estuary, near Waterville, 19th August 2015 (Pat McDaid).

Semipalmated Sandpiper (with Dunlin), Inny Estuary, near Waterville, 19th August 2015 (Pat McDaid).

Semipalmated Sandpiper (with Ringed Plover), Inny Estuary, near Waterville, 19th August 2015 (Pat McDaid).