Adult SemiP and Little Stint at Reenroe beach

Adult Semipalmated Sandpiper with Dunlin, Reenroe beach, 6th August 2016 (M.O’Clery).

Adult Semipalmated Sandpiper, Reenroe beach, 6th August 2016 (M.O’Clery).

The 46th county record, the fifth in August and only the fourth adult to be recorded in Kerry (with thanks to Ed Carty for stats).

Juvenile Little Stint, Reenroe beach, 6th August 2016 (M.O’Clery).

Juvenile Little Stint, Reenroe beach, 6th August 2016 (M.O’Clery).

Kamchatka Gull in Kerry, a potential first for the Western Palearctic

On 6th March 2014, David O'Connor saw and photographed an unusually dark-backed Common Gull at Black Rock, Co, Kerry. The post with photos from this sighting can be seen HERE.

There was much conjecture at the time that it was one of the eastern races of Common Gull, perhaps even a Kamchatka Gull, though it was thought there might be too little detail on the photos - particularly the flight shots - to be certain.

Putative Kamchatka Gull, Black Rock, March 2014 (David O'Connor).

However, a recent paper published in the journal Dutch Birding has refined and defined the identification of this north-west Pacific sub-species of Common Gull, and David submitted the photos to the authors Peter Adriaens and Chris Gibbons for comment. Their replies, shown below, indicate that the Black Rock bird looks likely to be the first record of Kamchatka Gull for Ireland and the Western Palearctic.

Although currently considered to be one of four sub-species of Common Gull, it also seems increasingly likely that Kamchatka Gull will be 'split' in the near future.

From Chris Gibbins:

Hi. David. 

Hi David,

My immediate reaction on opening these images was jesus christ! It is an amazing bird. You are right that the features you would like to see/resolve are not easy to see due to image resolution, but least my first/gut impressions of the standing bird are in line with what Killian [Mullarney] suggests. Ideally you’d like head/neck shawl to be heavier but the jizz is impressive – even in the flight images.  I will have a proper look at the open wing photos as soon as I have a chance to see what I can make out, and get back to you as soon as I can... Wow...

I’m sure Peter will be in touch, and always has very insightful thoughts…

Many thanks for sharing these images

C  

And from Peter Adriaens:

Hello David, 

Well what do you know - looks like this is a fully identifiable kamtschatschensis, in Ireland!! 

As Chris said, the photos strongly suggest (or even scream) this taxon: it is clearly a bulky Common Gull with rather long forehead, long, strong bill, and strikingly dark upperparts. Head streaking is extensive and the bill pattern (with extensive dusky gonys spot but no dark markings on upper mandible) looks good. It then becomes a matter of finding something in the primary pattern to support and confirm the identification. 

Fortunately, in this bird this is possible, despite the quality of the photos being less than ideal. 

We can pretty much focus solely on the Old World taxa, since nothing in this bird suggests Short-billed Gull really; size, shape, and patterns of head, bill and primaries are all wrong.

Adult heinei does not normally have this distinct head streaking nor such a strong bill. The bill pattern is still within range of this taxon, but is more typical of kamtschatschensis. A major difference from heinei can be seen on the underwing of this bird: only the outermost primary (p10) has largely black underside, while p9 is extensively grey (the grey tongue clearly covers more than half of the length of the inner web). Adult heinei has a largely black p9, so the impression is that of a more extensive black zone on the underside of the outer hand. On the upperwing, the broad white tongue-tip on p7 is also not typical of heinei.

That leaves canus as the other contender. I believe this taxon can already be excluded on the colour of the upperparts alone. My guess is that this was what attracted your attention to the bird in the first place? The bill does not normally look this strong in canus, but the main difference is again in the primaries: the grey tongue on p9 is also a bit too long for (most) canus, but even more useful is the size of the p9 mirror, which is clearly small. It looks to me like the mirror is confined to the inner web; there is definitely a complete black division between the white mirror of p9 and the one on p10. 

It is also clear (in the flight shots where the outer primaries are more or less in focus) that the p9 mirror is only half the size of the one on p10. Canus has larger white mirrors, particularly on p9. A complete black division between the two adjacent mirrors is lacking. There are a few adult canus with small p9 mirror (only half the size of the one on p10 - though still bleeding onto outer web) but such birds have only a (very) short grey tongue on p9.

Also of interest is that a query of our database reveals that the combination of the p5 pattern (lacking a complete black band) and the small mirror on p9 being limited to the inner web occurred in two adult kamtschatschensis from our sample, but in not a single bird from any of the other taxa. 

Despite some minor features being absent which would have made the bird even more typical, such as a pale iris, bright yellow bill, and/or distinct streaking on chin, throat or forehead, I think enough elements are present and visible in the photos to build a strong case for this bird as a Kamchatka Gull - as Killian already suspected...

Cheers, Peter

And remarkable as this is, it seems that possibly this same bird was seen again by Davey Farrar on 4th February 2015, fully eleven months later, in fields not far to the north, around the Cashen Estuary.

Dark-backed Common Gull, near the Cashen, February 2015 (Davey Farrar).

Unfortunately, the photos (in this post HERE) are, according to the authors above, just not quite good enough to resolve whether it too was a (or the) Kamchatka Gull, but so convinced was Davey of the importance of the sighting that he spent the whole of the next week scouring the fields in the area in the hope of clinching it with better views and photos.

More on this as we get it, but congratulations to David O'Connor on this jaw-dropping find. It seems Kamchatka Gull is ready to join the celebrity A-listers of ultra rare gulls seen in Ireland recently, a list which includes Slaty-backed, Glaucous-winged and Vega Gull.

There's an interesting blog on a recent occurrence of Kamchatka Gull in Nova Scotia HERE, and a good overview of the Common Gull races HERE.

Reference:

Adriaens, P. & C. Gibbins. 2016. Identification of the Larus canus complex. Dutch Birding 38:1-64.

A rare Kerry chick

While searching a Barn Owl nest in a wall cavity in an old building near Milltown, we came across this newly hatched chick at the nest entrance, next to an unhatched egg. It's not a Barn Owl chick, but rather a Stock Dove chick. The owls haven't nested there this year and the male is currently only occasionally visiting the nest site, but it looks as though the doves are giving it a go. A high risk nest, as this chick would no doubt make a tasty snack for the Barn Owl should he return.

Stock Dove chick, Milltown, 2nd August 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Stock Dove chick, Milltown, 2nd August 2016 (M.O'Clery).

There are probably fewer than 15 pairs of Stock Dove nesting in Kerry, so this really is a very scarce breeding species in the county. The 2007-2011 Atlas shows just a few breeding records. Most of the recent occurrences have been around Milltown, to the east of Tralee town, and a few around Ardfert and Abbeydorney.

Atlas records of Stock Dove in Ireland, with just a handful of breeding records in Kerry.

Stock Doves are cavity nesters and, like Barn Owls, will nest in a suitably large hole in an old building or tree. The nest mentioned above is the square-shaped cavity just above the clump of grass on the wall (M.O'Clery).

Storm Petrel ringing recovery

One of the Storm Petrels ringed at the Magharees in the early hours of 11th July last was re-trapped and again released near Belmullet, Co. Mayo, on 24th July - last Sunday (see post below HERE).

Storm Petrel, Magharees, 11th July 2016 (M.O'Clery).

About one in a hundred ringed Storm Petrels are ever recorded again, often many years later, but this was a particularly quick return from the 90 or so birds ringed on the Magharees just two weeks ago. The bird is still out there, and might yet be re-trapped again.

Storm Petrel, Magharees, 11th July 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Barn Owl nests, created by Jackdaws

The blocked chimneys of derelict cottages, houses and castles form about a third of known Barn Owl nest sites in Kerry. The chimneys are often blocked as a result of Jackdaws adding sticks to the cavity for their own nests. Here's a couple of examples from recent weeks.

John Lusby from BirdWatch Ireland inspecting a nest in the chimney of a ruined house in SW Kerry. The pile of Jackdaw sticks reached some seven feet (2.5m) on top of which Barn Owls nested on a broad, flat platform inside the chimney, July 2016 (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).

Blocked chimney of a derelict cottage with two Barn Owl chicks, north Kerry, July 2016 (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).

Chimney nest with three Barn Owl chicks, SW Kerry, July 2016 (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).

There is much more on this on the Irish Raptor Blog HERE

Short-eared Owl, Farranfore

Cleared for take-off. Short-eared Owl, Kerry Airport, Farranfore, 16th July 2016 (Ed Carty).

Short-eared Owl, Kerry Airport, Farranfore, 16th July 2016 (Ed Carty).

The heavily moulting wings and tail makes this is an adult bird.

How are Barn Owls doing in Kerry this summer?

There is a massive effort underway this summer by BirdWatch Ireland to monitor as many Barn Owl sites as possible and Co. Kerry, being one of the strongholds of the species in Ireland, is getting its fair share of the effort.

Male Barn Owl outside his nest box near Farranfore, Co. Kerry. There were two chicks ringed at this site in July (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).

So far, observations of this years Barn Owls sites has shown that:

• Average egg-laying dates are one to three weeks later than average (probably due to a very chilly April).

• Brood sizes are low, with generally only one or two chicks per nest.

• Occupancy of sites is generally good, with most 'traditional' sites still active.

• At least six new sites have been discovered so far, meaning that the number of known Barn Owl sites in Kerry - around 50 - is now greater than ever.

• Male chicks are outnumbering females this summer by a ratio of about three to one (normally the sex of chicks is 50:50 male/female).

One of the few nests in Kerry this summer with three chicks, this one down a chimney shaft of an abandoned mansion, south Kerry, July 2016 (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).

Barn Owl nest site, July 2016 (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).

There is more work yet to be done, but the season seems to be generally a good one. No bumper crop of youngsters this summer after the bonanza of last years record nesting season, but the generally high level of occupancy of sites does bode well. Despite the lateness of the season, if the weather in August and September is reasonable, there is every chance that even the late fledging chicks will be in good shape to disperse away from the nest sites and survive the winter ahead.

One of the two chicks ringed at a nest box site on the Dingle Peninsula, July 2016 (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).

More on this years breeding season on the Irish Raptor Blog HERE

Storm Petrel ringing on the Magharees

For Storm Petrel ringing on a mainland site you need a loud amplifier, a recording of Storm Petrel 'song' on constant loop, a mist net, and a qualified ringer, in this case, Declan Manley from Co. Offaly. In the course of full darkness on the night of 6th/7th July - barely 4 hours at this time of year - he caught and ringed 90 Storm Petrels from a small headland overlooking the Magharee Islands. The islands host about 1100 nests on several of the islands, with the main numbers nesting in burrows under turf clumps on Illaunammil and in stone walls on Illauntannig.

Storm Petrel, Magharees, 7th July 2016 (Michael O'Clery).

Storm Petrels only return to their nesting colonies on offshore islands in full darkness and will otherwise avoid land, even on nights with a bright moon. The reasons are simple. On land they are slow and vulnerable, and prone to being eaten by gulls. The gulls however, are not equipped to see in full darkness, so that is when the petrels make a run for it to feed chicks, or swap over for incubating duties on the nest.

Storm Petrel, Magharees, 7th July 2016 (Michael O'Clery).

Although the tape of Storm Petrel song was probably not audible (to humans) on the breeding colonies on the Magharee islands over a kilometre away, Storm Petrels will often fly close inshore on these dark, moonless night, as evidenced by several being caught in the mist net within a few seconds of the song being played. 

Storm Petrel, Magharees, 7th July 2016 (Michael O'Clery).

Younger birds wander throughout the Storm Petrel's range in the Atlantic seeking out their own colony. Most of these long-lived birds will not breed until their fourth or fifth year and spend much of their early years 'visiting' other colonies in summer, and it is mostly these younger, wandering birds, Declan believes, which were mist-netted and ringed. 

Little Terns, Black Rock

Little Terns, Black Rock, 30th June 2016 (David O'Connor).

Magharees tern numbers tumble

What's happened to the terns on the Magharee islands? A visit there on 7th June showed that numbers of nesting terns on several of the islands have plummeted. On Illauntannig in particular, where normally up to 50 or so pairs of Arctic Tern nest, only 7-8 pairs were present. 

Tern nesting area (foreground) on Illauntannig, a previous Arctic Tern and Little Tern colony, now with only two pairs of Little Tern.

Arctic Tern, Illaunturlough, 7th June 2016 (all photos: Michael O'Clery).

Arctic Tern, Illauntannig, 7th June 2016.

In recent years Common Terns had increased, from two pairs on Illauntannig in 2003 to a peak of 38 in 2007. In June 2016 only two non-breeding birds were seen.

Common Tern, Illauntannig, 7th June 2016 (all photos: Michael O'Clery).

Perhaps most seriously of all, there were only two, possibly three, pairs of nesting Little Terns on Illauntannig. The lowest previous count at this site - the only breeding site on the entire SW coast of Ireland - was of 18 pairs in 2007. In most summers in the past ten years, 20 to 30 pairs have been the norm.

Little Tern, Illauntannig, 7th June 2016.

By way of something of a caveat, only four of the main islands were checked, and it is possible that the Arctic and Common terns have relocated to other island, e.g., Illaunammil, and the remote Illaunnabarna, both of which have held important numbers in the past. For Little Terns however, the only island with suitable shingle beach nesting habitat is on Illauntannig, so it is most unlikely to be nesting undetected elsewhere on the island group.

There are also natural fluctuations at most tern nesting sites around Ireland and, as not all islands were visited this June, it is hard to draw definitive conclusions about this years apparent decline, but for Illantannig, these are the lowest counts of nesting tern numbers ever.

Rock Dove, Illauntannig, 7th June 2016.

Common Gull numbers are down on Illauntannig too, with only about 30 pairs nesting at one colony on the island, when in previous years up to around 80 at two to three colonies has been the norm. None were nesting this summer on Doonagaun, Illaunboe or Illaunanoon where 3, 11 and 35-40 pairs respectively nested in 2007.

Common Gulls, Illauntannig, 7th June 2016.

There have been no formal surveys done of the Magharees island group since the last full survey in 2006 and 2007 (see the Dingle Peninsula Bird Report, 2005–2007), but with a national seabird survey ongoing in 2016 and 2017 the visit on 7th June shows that a full survey of the island group in summer 2017 must be a priority. 

The weather has been particularly benign this spring and early summer and landings on the islands have been relatively easy for boaters, kayakers, jet skiers and the like. There have been issues on Illauntannig before about human disturbance to the bird colonies, and it is possible that pressure from the growing number of visitors is affecting the success of vulnerable ground-nesting birds.