new yellow browed in

Galley's second yellow browed warbler of the autumn was at the bottom of the lane to Bealacoon Cove this morning, with a un-nailed redstart sp. around the farm at Shite Lane.  All this while I was poaching on Cape Clear where I finally ticked garden warbler for Ireland, my first for approximately 8 years! Also caught up with yellow browed warbler and red breasted flycatcher there.

sharpy again

A quick check of Galley this morning revealed nothing much new, with just the lesser whitethroat at Shite Lane and 3 fin whales blowing c. 3 miles south of Galley light.  Headed back to Ballycotton for more views of the sharp-tailed sandpiper in better light - brilliant views of a cracking bird! A few little stints, curlew sandpipers and ruff were also present.

 

This afternoon a curlew sandpiper was at Clonakilty, while 3 little stints and 4 ruff were on White's Marsh.  Back at Galley, a pied flycatcher was new in, as was a coot gracing Kilkeran Lake with its presence, and a fly-over buzzard there was also a welcome year tick (120).  Three curlew sandpipers were at Rosscarbery.

out of the blue

The usual wander about Galley this morning produced little except for a sedge warbler and a few redpolls and chaffinchs until I returned to Shite Lane where a lesser whitethroat appeared (first since 2004!) followed closely by a yellow browed warbler (117).

 

Just happened to be heading to Ballycotton this evening when news broke of a juvenile sharp-tailed sandpiper there (also 4 species of american wader present there today!). Had great views of it, and had enough time to nail the newly found pectoral sandpiper before dusk. More than a wee bit lucky!

tits oot!

Had a brief seawatch this morning and had 1 sooty shearwater and 1 bonxie, but there was no visible influx of migs elsewhere today.

 

Wandered down Dirk Bay again this afternoon for the 2nd time today (had nowt first time) so it was quite a surprise to find a brace of coal tits there - showing down to 10 feet no less (115). The first at Galley since 2 in the same trees in 2005 - actually, there's so much cover in Dirk there's a fair chance its the same birds! That hermit thrush from '98 is probably still in there too!

another grape lover

The second grey plover in a week flew over Galley this morning, calling away. Still nothing much else though, although the winds have finally gone south east this afternoon - not for very long though. Still a few chiffchaffs and at least 2 wheatears knocking about.  The lesser yellowlegs was seen again at the Red Benches in Clonakilty today.