autumn is upon us!

A green sandpiper from under the quilt was a good start to the day (114) - just managed to get to the window in time to see it hoof round the side of the house. Out to thrash Galley for migs then, which got me my first autumn turtle dove on patch (115), 2 chiffchaffs, 1 wheatear and 1 male blackcap - ooo migrants!

More excitement followed this lunchtime when 2 coots were found on Kilkeran Lake (116), showing well too!

late swift

A swift was over Long Strand briefly this lunchtime, drifting off south-west with a gang of mixed hirundines. Easily my latest one ever here, I'd guess. Caught up with yesterday's kingfisher too, sat on a post by the edge of the lake.

not quite seawatch sw

A good sw blow this morning resulted in the highest balearic shearwater numbers for this year off Galley, with 15 between 8 and 11 ish. A juvenile sabine's gull was an early highlight, with 5 great skuas, 1 arctic skua, 8 sooty shearwaters, 6 common terns and 4 arctic terns also seen. Manx shearwaters were belting past at approx. 4,500 per hour, ish. A kingfisher was at Kilkeran Lake mid-morning.

two long tails

A brief watch between 12.50 and 14.00 produced two adult long-tailed skuas and 9 sooty shearwaters past Galley. A longer watch between 14.45 and 18.15 produced 9 more sooty shearwaters and 4 storm petrels (thats about 3 sooties per hour - ho hum!) Needless to say, I was there for the long watch, but not the short watch. Bogie strikes again! Another 40 minutes this evening netted 1 arctic skua and 1 storm petrel. Can't wait for the first run of south-easterlies and the chance of some migs!

semi-p for me!

Caught up with yesterday's semi-palmated sandpiper at Dunmore this evening, in a high tide roost of dunlin and ringed plover, opposite the west end of Inchydoney beach. It flew off with most of the rest of the flock at 18.15 though, as the tide dropped. Also this evening 1 grey phalarope and 10 storm petrels were off Galley.  One greenshank and 2 lapwing were on the lake shore late afternoon.