Thursday 12 February 2009

RARE BIRDS IN IRELAND














































NOORTH AMERICAN HERRING GULL (SN), FORSTER'S TERN (RM), RING-BILLED GULL (RM) and assorted ICELAND GULLS off Nimmo's Pier (Sean Nixon/Ronan McLaughlan)














































CATTLE EGRETS, Great Island, Cobh, County Cork (Ronan MCLaughlan)

























First-winter and adult KUMLIEN'S ICELAND GULLS at Nimmo's Pier, Galway Harbour, County Galway, in February 2009 (Derek Charles)
In IRELAND, two presumed vagrant CANADA GEESE remain on North Slobs WR (Co. Wexford) (along with the adult white morph SNOW GOOSE), adult drake Ring-necked Ducks remain at Rinnbaun Bay, Lough Arrow (Co. Sligo) and on Lough Fern (Co. Donegal), the female LESSER SCAUP continues at Ballindoon, Lough Arrow (Co. Sligo), the female SURF SCOTER off Silver Strand (Co. Galway), and the 2 KING EIDERS (first-winter drake and female) remain in Drumcliff Bay, Lissadell (Co. Sligo).

RING-BILLED GULLS include an adult in Bray Harbour (Co. Wicklow), an adult at Ballynagaul, Dungarvan (Co. Waterford), an adult in Limerick City (Co. Limerick), an adult at Dunmore, Clonakilty (Co. Cork), up to 5 adults and 2 2nd-winters at Cobh (Co. Cork), up to 4 adults off Nimmo's Pier, Galway Harbour (Co. Galway) whilst large numbers of ICELAND and GLAUCOUS GULLS are to be found at coastal localities. The adult winter FORSTER'S TERN continues on Claddagh Beach, near Nimmo's Pier

CATTLE EGRETS include singles at Rossmore, near Clonakilty (Co. Cork), 500 yards west of the caravan park in Bohonagh (Co. Cork), with 5 at Ballycrompane (Co. Waterford) and 6 in the cattle field opposite Sexton's Caravan Park in Timoleague (Co. Cork).

The adult LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER is still in Dundalk Docks (Co. Louth), whilst an adult BONAPARTE'S GULL was on Ballybrannigan Beach (Co. Cork) on 10th.