Four ringing recoveries, all from Poland

Ringed Dunlin, Black Rock, December 2016, but ringed in Poland the previous autumn (David O'Connor).

David O'Connor photographed four ringed waders at Black Rock in December 2015 to December 2016 and was kind enough to send us the details. 

Extraordinarily, they were all ringed on different dates and years at the same location at the mouth of the Vistula River on the South Baltic coast, East of Gdansk, in Poland. The distance to Black Rock, in a straight line, is 1,900km.

Gdansk to Black Rock

As David writes, "The first three (Dunlin) were ringed on breeding grounds there (though I can't ascertain if they had bred) in 2013, 2015 and 2016 respectively. Interestingly, the last bird - a Curlew Sandpiper - was also ringed there during migration last autumn. One wonders if Kerry is at the end of some enormous east-west migration corridor that extends for at least 2000km. Where these birds arrived from on reaching the South Baltic and where they get to after leaving Kerry would also be really nice to know!"

Ringed Dunlin, Black Rock, 2016, also ringed in Poland (David O'Connor).

Ringed Dunlin, Black Rock, 2016, ringed in Poland (David O'Connor).

Ringed Curlew Sandpiper, Black Rock, December 2016, and another ringed at the same site in Poland the previous autumn (David O'Connor).

Ring-billed Gull, TBWC

Adult Ring-billed Gull, Tralee Bay Wetland Centre, Tralee, 6th February 2017 (Ed Carty).

One of four present at this site recently.

Adult Ring-billed Gull, Tralee Bay Wetland Centre, Tralee, 6th February 2017 (Ed Carty).

Black-throated Diver and Surf Scoters

Black-throated Diver with Common Scoter, Ballinskelligs Bay, 28th January 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Some of the few, or perhaps even the ONLY photos of Black-throated Diver ever to be taken in The Kingdom. Alhtough a regular but scarce winter visitor to certain parts of Ireland such as Galway Bay, it is actually a good bit rarer than Surf Scoter in Kerry, averaging only one to three claims per winter in recent years.

Black-throated Diver, Ballinskelligs Bay, 28th January 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Black-throated Diver, Ballinskelligs Bay, 28th January 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Male and female Surf Scoter, Ballinskelligs Bay, 28th January 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Long-tailed Ducks, Ballinskelligs Bay, 4th February 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Birding South Africa

If you need a break from a dull, wet and windy winter day in Kerry, take a look at some of the birds photographed recently in sunny South Africa.

Ostriches, Penguins, Flamingoes and lots of other glamorous stuff. And not a single gull photo or Littoralis Rock Pipit photo to spoil the mood.

Have a look on this page HERE

Surf Scoters at Waterville

Male Surf Scoter, Reenroe, Ballinskelligs Bay, 18th January 2017 (Pat McDaid)

Male and female Surf Scoter with Common Scoter, Reenroe, Ballinskelligs Bay, 18th January 2017 (Pat McDaid)

Male Surf Scoter, Reenroe, Ballinskelligs Bay, 18th January 2017 (Pat McDaid)

Male Surf Scoter, Reenroe, Ballinskelligs Bay, 18th January 2017 (Pat McDaid)

Black Brant, Sandy Bay

Adult Black Brant, Sandy Bay, 29th January 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Adult Black Brant, Sandy Bay, 29th January 2017 (M.O'Clery).

This bird has an injured right leg, resulting in a slight limp.

Glaucous Gull, Brandon bay

Glaucous Gull, Kilcummin, 11th January 2017 (D.O'Connor).

Iceland Gull, Black Rock

First-winter Iceland Gull, Black Rock, 6th January 2017 (Kilian Kelly).

First-winter Iceland Gull, Black Rock, 6th January 2017 (Kilian Kelly).

Japan to Kerry birding Wish List

A quick visit to Japan over Christmas prompted some thoughts about adding new bird species to the Kerry list. Although on the other side of the world, Japan actually holds quite a few possibilities. Go to this page HERE for some mouth-watering candidates.

Dusky Thrush, Japan, December 2016. A possible new species for Kerry (and Ireland), and guaranteed to get the pulse racing should one be found in the Kingdom (M.O'Clery).

Black Brant at Sandy Bay

Adult Black Brant (lower right) with Brent Geese, Sandy Bay, 4th January 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Adult Black Brant, Sandy Bay, 4th January 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Black Brant usually turn up in Kerry each October or early November, and in recent years, up to two have been seen in the county during the winter months. They are long-lived birds and, chances are, the same individuals are making it back to the Kingdom over many years. Extraordinary to think that most Brent Geese don't first nest until their fourth summer, some until they are seven years old, but they still make the huge migration to Arctic Canada and back each year

Adult Black Brant, Sandy Bay, 4th January 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Adult Black Brant, Sandy Bay, 4th January 2017 (M.O'Clery).

The pleasure of birding on a calm, sunny winters' day in Kerry is invariably tainted with the mass torching of the uplands. The pall of smoke from this and several other conflagrations near Fermoyle today stretched fully 10 km and engulfed the whole Brandon range and beyond. Surely there's a better way?