last gasp for autumn

Quite a few birders out scouring Galley this am, but not too much to show for it, with c. 7 chiffchaffs and a blackcap in Dirk, and not much anywhere else! There were good numbers of skylarks around, a wheatear near the lighthouse and chaffinches on the move but nothing better than that. On the seawatching front, 1 sooty shearwater and 1 manx shearwater were seen off Galley this morning, while a coot was on Kilkeran Lake this evening - it doesn't get any better than that!

New Cork Bird Report just out!!

The new Cork Bird Report covering 2005 and 2006 is now available!

 

 

182 pages with full colour throughout and many photos and sketches - its a bargain at only 20 Euro a copy, plus €2.00 p&p (£22, inc p&p to UK). Order your copy today here!

ybw

Galley's first yellow-browed warbler of the autumn finally showed up in the garden at Shite Lane crossroads this afternoon, (not that I caught up with it). There were good numbers of chiffchaffs in Dirk Bay, with a ringtail Hen Harrier over too - probably the same bird reported during last week. Elsewhere, 2 black redstarts were out near the lighthouse.

satday seawatch

An adult pomarine skua, a juvenile sabine's gull and a bonxie in the first 15 minutes of a seawatch this morning was a good start, but unfortunately things then went a bit quiet, with just 2 arctic skuas and a sooty shearwater seen subsequently.

I saw yer dick's!

News of a richard's pipit out near the lighthouse this morning prompted a speedy(ish) departure from the house, complete with 3 year-old and buggy! Managed to hear it calling, and then watched it fly high off out to sea, still calling, with no sign of returning - shame it didn't stick around (130). Only the second one I've seen here, and neither have shown very well! The rest of Galley seemed pretty quiet though, with nothing obviously new in.

bits and bobs

Didn't get out till late this morning, but walked straight into a male ring ouzel feeding on brambles at Shite Lane - shame it wasn't new for the year though! Dirk seemed quite busy, with at least 5 chiffchaffs, 2 male blackcaps and a lesser whitethroat, which was probably thursday's bird, plus a few chaffinches booting around.

Off patch, 1 spoonbill was at Ross, with 3 more at Clonakilty this pm.

whoopers

Still no migs to speak of around Galley, but 2 whooper swans on the lake first thing were a year tick bonus (129).

ooo migrants

At last a light puff of south-easterly, and a few more bits in, as a result. There were at least 6 chiffchaffs in Dirk, plus a brief view of a lesser whitethroat (128), a good one for the year list hereabouts. Otherwise, there were a few redpolls and siskin spanging around, and 1 buzzard over shite lane.

tree pipit

Quiet again this morning around Galley, despite nice, calm drizzly conditions. The first redwing of the autumn was in gardens at the top of Dirk, with a couple of chiffchaffs there too, while a flyover calling tree pipit was a welcome addition to the patch year list (127) - only my second at Galley.

back to earth...

Pretty quiet around Galley this morning, with just 4 chiffchaffs, 2 buzzards, 1 siskin and 4 redpolls over (126).  There was a bit of hirundine movement though, with c. 60 swallows and 2 house martins through. A yellow-browed warbler at Sands Cove was just off-patch but is encouraging - maybe tomorrow?

mad week begins....

All quiet today till 2.45 when the phone started hopping with news of a blackpoll warbler at Garinish, the 8th Irish record (like yesterday's arctic on Cape). Two and a half hours later it was on the list, showing well too - cracking bird! Big thanks to KG and AAL, the (very) dedicated finders - keep up the good work lads!  Nice photos here

Arctic Warbler on Cape

The lure of an arctic warbler on Cape was too strong to ignore today, which was just as well as it showed really well - a cracker! There were a few other bits and bobs knocking around too, including a very bright yellow-browed warbler, a redstart and a lesser whitethroat, as well as good number of chiffchaffs and a ringtail Hen Harrier. A grand day out!

more birders than birds!

Galley was hooching this morning - with birders, that is. Sadly, no-one could do better than 1 blackcap down dirk and 2 buzzards still booting about.

nae migs

Did galley this am after last night's south-easterlies, and was pretty hopeful there'd be something, but nothing doing anywhere! 1 chiffchaff calling in dirk was it. Ho hum.

more duck excitement

More excitement on Kilkeran Lake today in the form of a tufted duck (125), and even more unusual (for the lake, anyway), a female common scoter! The coot was still lingering too. Little on the migrant front tho, with 2 redpolls and a merlin at the head, 1 siskin over, 2 chiffchaffs and a blackcap in the bushes, and 3 buzzards still knocking about the top fields.

Galley gets another fea's

A fea's petrel was seen off Galley this morning at 10.45, heading west. Three arctic skuas, 1 sooty shearwater and 10 wigeon were also seen. I was there for the sooty and the wigeon - result! (124). A coot was on Kilkeran Lake late afternoon (yes, I checked, and it isn't).

birding with the stars

A morning sesh with hh and the mckinney down dirk and shite lane finally produced all 3 buzzards, plus I "got" goldcrest for the year, if i hadn't already had it (123). The juvenile american golden plover was still at Muckross Strand mid-morning too, so at least tom saw something good!