Great White Egret

Great White Egret, Baile an Reannaigh, 1st November 2015 (Ed Carty).

Great White Egret, Baile an Reannaigh, 1st November 2015 (Ed Carty).

Gull-billed Tern heads west

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 28th October 2015 (David O'Connor).

Gull-billed Tern, Rough Point, 28th October 2015 (Michael O'Clery).

The long-staying Gull-billed Tern at Blennerville took a sudden venture west this afternoon. It was seen at its regular site just to the west of Blennerville Quay up to about 3:00pm this afternoon (top photo), but by 4:10pm, it was found off Rough Point, near Castlegregory, 20km to the west. Unusually high tides meant a large number of gulls were gathering at the eastern side of the Magharees peninsula, so perhaps it was this which drew the tern to feed. Will it return to Blennerville?

Gull-billed Tern, Rough Point, 28th October 2015 (Michael O'Clery).

Gull-billed Tern, Rough Point, 28th October 2015 (Michael O'Clery).

First-winter Little Gull, Blennerville, 28th October 2015 (David O'Connor).

Lesser Scaup at Lough Gill for its fifth winter

Male Lesser Scaup (right) and Tufted Duck, Lough Gill, 27th October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Male Lesser Scaup, Lough Gill, 27th October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Male Lesser Scaup (left) and Tufted Duck, Lough Gill, 27th October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

This is almost certainly the same individual which has been returning to Lough Gill each winter since it was first seen, in November 2011.

Little Gull at Blennerville

Adult Little Gull, Blennerville, 26th October 2015 (D.O'Connor).

One of two present at Blennerville.

Gull-billed Tern and Eider

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 26th October 2015 (Aidan Kelly).

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 26th October 2015 (Ed Carty).

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 26th October 2015 (Aidan Kelly).

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 26th October 2015 (Ed Carty).

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 26th October 2015 (Aidan Kelly).

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 26th October 2015 (Aidan Kelly).

Eider, Fenit, 26th October 2015 (Céit Ní Dhomhnaill).

This is almost certainly the same bird as seen at Rough Point and the Magharees, on and off, from April to June of this year (see, e.g.  this post HERE, and pics below). The orange bill prompted thoughts that it might be of the Arctic race borealis. More on this soon.

The same bird, but back in early June 2015. Eider, Rough Point, 26th October 2015 (Michael O'Clery).

And another from early June 2015. Rough Point, 26th October 2015 (Michael O'Clery).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Glanfahan

Yellow-browed Warbler, Glanfahan, 22nd October 2015.

White-rumped Sandpiper, Carrahane

White-rumped Sandpiper, Carrahane, 22nd October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

White-rumped Sandpiper, Carrahane, 22nd October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Barnacle Goose, with Brent Geese and Curlew, Carrahane, 22nd October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Probably the sickly individual that appeared at Black Rock, shown in the post below, though it seems to have made a full recovery.

Video of Glossy Ibis

A video clip of one of the two Glossy Ibises at Lough Naparka, near Castlegregory, on 21st October. You can click the 'four arrows' symbol, lower right, to see the full size version.

Glossy Ibis, Lough Naparka, 21st October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

The birds were feeding extremely rapidly, rarely pausing, and seemed to be catching small snails.

Glossy Ibis, Lough Naparka, 21st October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Glossy Ibis, Lough Naparka, 21st October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

More Gull-billed Tern pics

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 21st October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 21st October 2015 (M.O'Clery).

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville

Gull-billed Tern, Blennerville, 20th October 2015 (Ed Carty).

Found on 17th October, this bird is presumably drawn by the huge shoals of sprat and Mackerel currently feeding off Blennerville and Inner Tralee Bay. One of the largest gull flocks ever seen in Kerry have been enjoying the spoils for several days. The first record for Kerry and about the 20th for Ireland.