Well, the inevitable finally happened! A calm and dry morning first thing so I hurried back down to the scoter-scanning-spot to try my luck at bagging the lingering velvet scoter off Cloghna Head (approximately 1.5 miles off-patch). The scoter flock was still there, diving just off the rocks at the base of the head, seemingly unperturbed by the still fairly huge swell. It was quite easy to pick out the female common scoters, despite the salt spray, but seeing any kind of detail of the head pattern on the other birds as they bobbed up and down was pretty impossible. However, my luck was in, as after only a few minutes, the velvet scoter flapped its wings briefly, and the white wing feathers shone out! Patch tick! Whoop! 30 minutes later, I clocked it again from the lay-by on Cloghna Head, on the way home from the school run - confirmation that the velvet hadn't morphed into a white-winged scoter overnight!
As the morning remained calm and dry, I had a quick scout around for migs, but couldn't do better than a solitary chiffchaff - the migrant floodgates are still to open hereabouts!
Final score of the day came in the form of a flyby 1st winter iceland gull from the dinner table this evening - April does seem to be the most regular month for these guys - another valuable year tick, bringing up the 90 with only a handful of migrants so far! Plenty still to get!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
on-patch purps
Survived the easter holidays off-patch relatively unscathed although missing iceland gull & brambling could prove costly later! Biggest news in my absence was of a velvet scoter at the far end of Long Strand - its still floating about so I'm hopeful that when the wind drops, it might be visible from this end of the beach! Time will tell!
In the meantime, attempting to see it has got me two year ticks! A few sandwich terns were being blown around the bay yesterday, while today's gems were 4 (count 'em) purple sandpipers on the rocks at this end of Long Strand, well and truly on-patch (88)! Means I don't have to get up to any of this nonsense trying to get them on the year list - I'll just do that for the velvet!
In the meantime, attempting to see it has got me two year ticks! A few sandwich terns were being blown around the bay yesterday, while today's gems were 4 (count 'em) purple sandpipers on the rocks at this end of Long Strand, well and truly on-patch (88)! Means I don't have to get up to any of this nonsense trying to get them on the year list - I'll just do that for the velvet!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
migbashing in january
Today was freezing! Not as cold as the arctic conditions across the pond in englandshire but still way too cold to be looking for migs surely? It felt like the middle of January! with added wind chill! And yet there were birds about! And quite a few of them!
A male blackcap was an early bonus, and then the phylloscs took over, with c. 20 chiffchaffs and 2 willow warblers gleaned over the next hour or so (86). Most were working hedgerows and ditches on the sheltered side, trying to avoid getting iced by the savage wind, as was I!!
After a bit longer, the lure of cups of tea & warmth got too strong and I headed for home. Two warbler year ticks tho - pretty good for January!!
A male blackcap was an early bonus, and then the phylloscs took over, with c. 20 chiffchaffs and 2 willow warblers gleaned over the next hour or so (86). Most were working hedgerows and ditches on the sheltered side, trying to avoid getting iced by the savage wind, as was I!!
After a bit longer, the lure of cups of tea & warmth got too strong and I headed for home. Two warbler year ticks tho - pretty good for January!!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Springwatch
The very first hint of spring movement happened yesterday afternoon when a chiffchaff hopped and hooweted its way around the garden. The first official mig of 2013! Wasn't that confident that there'd be much doing this morning, as was still feeling pretty cold. However, the birding gods were on my side, as a male wheatear finally popped up just when I was about to give up, and then, while stalking the wheatear, a black redstart flew past! Bingo! Migrants galore!
Managed at least 3 chiffchaffs heading back towards Shite Lane, and then rounded Springwatch off nicely with my first swallow of the year over the lake (84) - 4 year ticks in the last two days! Spring must be here after all!
Managed at least 3 chiffchaffs heading back towards Shite Lane, and then rounded Springwatch off nicely with my first swallow of the year over the lake (84) - 4 year ticks in the last two days! Spring must be here after all!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
No migs yet
A lovely spring morning at Galley and I spent a pleasant 2 hours hoofing round the patch seeing very little! But it felt like there was always a chance of something; a wheatear, a hoopoe, or a great spotted cuckoo, which is the first time there's been any hope of a migrant since late October.
A scan of the lake this lunchtime, and the long-staying female long-tailed duck is still here. Did score a bonus half dozen black-tailed godwits in with the curlew flock (79), which was nice - can be tricky enough to get on the year list, so good to get them out of the way early on.
Exciting times ahead! Bring on the spring!
A scan of the lake this lunchtime, and the long-staying female long-tailed duck is still here. Did score a bonus half dozen black-tailed godwits in with the curlew flock (79), which was nice - can be tricky enough to get on the year list, so good to get them out of the way early on.
Exciting times ahead! Bring on the spring!
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