ivory gull - baltimore

A welcome phone call late morning about a 1st w ivory gull flying around Baltimore harbour was followed by excellent views of it a short while later. What a cracking bird! I've only seen one other, in Fraserburgh in October 1997, so its been a while! Keep up the good work, Julian!

Photo: C Cronin

Back on the patch, the white gull theme continued with a 1st w iceland gull on the lake for a while early afternoon. Happy days!

monday, and a dip

Was at Ringaskiddy 1st thing this morning to try for yesterday's great spotted cuckoo - no luck, though, and it seems that it either pushed on, or hopped off its mortal coil during the night. Did bump into 5 cattle egrets on the way home, between Inchydoney and Ardfield, so that should please our spanish reader, assuming he has internet access (and time to waste!)

little gull

A cracking adult winter little gull was loitering off the beach at Long Strand this morning, only my 3rd for the patch, I think.  A 1st w iceland gull was also on the beach there.  A scan offshore produced 48 red-throated divers - a good count, along with 6 great northern divers.  A grey wagtail over the house mid-morning was also new for the year (73).

winter gulls

Large numbers of common gulls around Kilkeran today but couldn't do any better than 2 med gulls in amongst them - an adult & a 1st winter.  A  look at Ross in the afternoon produced the huge adult glaucous gull still lumbering about, plus the two first winter iceland gulls.

redwing

A single redwing was hanging out with a couple of mistle thrushes near Shite Lane this afternoon - just reward on the way home from doing my bird atlas tetrad (71).