Green Sandpiper, Trabeg

Green Sandpiper, Trabeg, 16th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Green Sandpiper, Trabeg, 16th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

The upper estuary at Trabeg is much the best site to see Green Sandpipers in the SW of Ireland, with up to three present each August and September. This is one of the more accessible areas where river meets estuary and you would have to wonder how many of these distinctive waders go unnoticed each autumn in the largely inaccessible areas of creeks, muddy pool edges and tidal river stretches elsewhere in Kerry, such as Castlemaine Harbour.

Semipalmated Sandpiper, Cashen Estuary

Semipalmated Sandpiper, Cashen, 14th September 2016 (D.Farrar).

Lapland Buntings near Lough Naparka

There were two Lapland Buntings along the storm beach and machair just north of Lough Naparka, near Castlegregory, this evening.

Lapland Bunting, Lough Naparka, 13th September 2016 (click the image for a closer view) (Michael O'Clery).

Despite being relatively tame, on the ground they blended in well with their surroundings and were all but invisible when not moving.

Lapland Bunting, Lough Naparka, 13th September 2016 (Michael O'Clery).

Lapland Bunting, Lough Naparka, 13th September 2016 (Michael O'Clery). In North America, this species is referred to as 'Lapland Longspur', a reference to the long hind claws.

Lapland Bunting, Lough Naparka, 13th September 2016 (Michael O'Clery).

Both birds were very vocal, calling frequently. One even sang a few times, the brief outbursts resembling a mix of Linnet and Skylark song.

An astonishing 84 Lapland Buntings were recorded on Tory Island, Co. Donegal today, so there is clearly something of an influx occurring at the moment. 

Spotted Sandpiper on the Skelligs

There's a great series of photos and a write-up of the recent Spotted Sandpiper on Great Skellig Island on John Murphy's blog HERE. The seventh county record.

Spotted Sandpiper, Great Skellig Island, 31st August 2016 (John Murphy).

Couple more of the (or another?) SemiP

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Blennerville, 12th September 2016 (Ian Jones).

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Blennerville, 12th September 2016 (Ian Jones).

SemiP at Blennerville

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Blennerville, 9th September 2016 (Kilian Kelly).

Although present at Blennerville since 5th September, it took a while for decent views and photos to be obtained to finally secure the I.D. as a SemiP.

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Blennerville, 9th September 2016 (Kilian Kelly).

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper with Curlew Sandpiper, Blennerville, 9th September 2016 (Kilian Kelly).

Baird's Sandpiper, Derrymore

Juvenile Baird's Sandpiper, Derrymore, 8th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Baird's Sandpiper with Dunlin, Derrymore, 8th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Baird's Sandpiper with Dunlin and Ringed Plover, Derrymore, 8th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

The Baird's was present at the high tide roost for only five minutes before taking off alone and flying high to the west.

Two of the five Curlew Sandpipers present, Derrymore, 8th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Wheatear, Lough Naparka, 31st August 2016 (M.O'Clery).

There was perhaps 20 of these largish, strongly buff-washed Wheatears on the machair around the Magharees at the end of August and early September, and were most likely Greenland, or Icelandic race birds, leucorhoa. However, apparently Scandinavian and Russian birds can also have this rich buff coloration on the underparts in autumn. Geography would certainly favour them being Greenland Wheatears, though without measurements, it can't be certain.

White Wagtail, Rough Point, 31st August 2016 (M.O'Clery).

About ten were around the Rough Point area at the same time as the Wheatears, and their occurrence on the west coast would also suggest Icelandic origins.

Semi-P at Fahamore

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper with Sanderling and Dunlin, Fahamore, 6th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

This Semi-P proved problematic, and it took a lot of time and effort to clinch the identification. Bright sunlight, walkers, dogs running amok, and a jittery flock of waders thanks to Kestrel and Sparrowhawk haunting the area all made for difficult and frustrating viewing conditions. On top of that, the bird showed what initially appeared to be some anomalous features, such as an apparent faint breast band, overall slightly warmish tones rather than cold grey, and longish legs and bill.

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper with turnstone, Fahamore, 6th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Thankfully, despite the difficult circumstances, enough information was to be found on the photos to be confident that those features were within the range of Semipalmated Sandpiper, and excluded the even rarer possibilities. Like the adult at the Inny Estuary in early August (see post HERE), this bird seems to be longer-billed than most.

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Fahamore, 6th September 2016 (M.O'Clery) (click on the images for a closer view).

The first record of this species for Fahamore, though this small beach has held some good birds in the past, including Long-billed Dowitcher, Black Brant, Bonaparte's Gull (twice) and Sabine's Gull.

(With thanks to Eric Dempsey and Killian Mullarney for useful comments).

Black Tern, Beale

Black Tern, Beale Strand, 26th August 2016 (D. Coombes).

Ferriter's Cove and Burnham Lagoon

 

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Ferriter's Cove, 29th August 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Little Egrets, Burnham Lagoon, 29th August 2016 (M.O'Clery).

The 18 Little Egrets roosting at this site today is the highest yet recorded there, though the highest count for the Dingle Peninsula is of 24 at Trabeg on 14th August this year. Numbers of this species, and Mediterranean Gull (see below) continue to rise, year on year. Though both species were major rarities 25 years ago, there are regular gatherings of 10+ at many sites in the county, especially at this time of year. Numbers of Little Egrets in the whole Castlemaine Harbour area probably now number 100+ in autumn, and Mediterranean Gulls have reached nearly 80 birds at Black Rock in recent years.

Mediterranean Gulls, Burnham Lagoon, Ferriter's Cove, 29th August 2016 (M.O'Clery).

The 24 Mediterranean Gulls at Burnham this afternoon is also a new record for the Dingle Peninsula.