more black reds

A pleasant couple of hours around Galley (via an early morning visitation to pay homage to the white-winged scoter in Kerry). At least three black redstarts were knocking about (2 nice males & a female type), while 5 wheatears and a good few (15?) phylloscs, mostly willow warblers, were knocking about Shite Lane & the Top Lane hedges. Nothing better than that, but it felt like something could jump out at any moment - maybe tomorrow?

more migs

Gave Galley another bash this morning but not a whole lot obviously new - 4 wheatears and at least 3 phylloscs were still messing about on the top lane but not much elsewhere. Two sandwich terns were back on the yellow buoys on the lake this lunchtime, bringing up 81 for the year.

morning dove

A couple of fly-pasts by a collared dove were very welcome this morning (80). Usually only get 2 or 3 in a year at Galley, so always good to see.

Skived off this afternoon and bumped into a smattering of migs. A cracking male black redstart was the highlight, but a mixed flock of phylloscs was good practice to work through this early in the spring with 2 chiffchaffs and a willow warbler working the hedges on the top lane. A couple of male wheatears completed the haul - all good (79).

ooo migrants

Two male wheatears were frolicking in the field edges on Galley this morning (75) - great to have them back! One day later than last year, but in almost exactly the same place. And they got here before wanstead!

a pleasant day for a pheasant

Another cracking sunny calm spring day at Galley, and on all such days it is really hard to resist the lure of migrant bashing! A quick check of the trusty CBR revealed that while its still about 2 weeks till the wheatears get here, there was more than a fighting chance of a hoopoe lingering somewhere, with at least 2 late Feb records on south Cork headlands in recent years. Armed with that knowledge, I had to give it a lash!

Sadly, it wasn't to be, however did put up a couple of female pheasants which hadn't yet got onto the year list, so at least that was something (72). And, there's any number of places you could hide a hoopoe on a Galley - might have to go for another look tomorrow!