About time

First scramble around the patch

After wallowing like a whale on the couch at home in Youghal over New Year, surrounded by lazy pets in front of a blazing stove, I finally swayed back to Tralee on Monday morning. Who ate all the pies over Christmas? I did. That is it now though, back to student life for another year.

I should have made it down on Sunday morning for a blast around the patch, but an uncomfortable blend of fullness, laziness and the fear meant that I stayed at home for an extra night of tea and chocolates. Shame on me indeed, but the weather was woeful all day Sunday, so it would not have been very pleasant on the patch.

At this stage anxiety levels were rising steadily, so when the sun finally came out today I made a burst for it. I only managed to squeeze in 45 minutes over lunchtime, but it allowed me to get a few scores on the board.

I went directly to the point just west of Blennerville windmill, where there is an old pier that offers good views around the inner bay. It is great spot for getting distracted by walkers and loafers, some friendly and some not so much. Emigrant ships used to leave from here in the past. Unfortunately it is now a popular fly-tipping spot.

Curlew, lapwing and teal (I swear) on the salt marsh east of Blennerville bridge. 

I gobbled down some lunch while making note of the few birds that were around. The tide was almost full and there were brent geese and teal out on the water. Some common wader species were ticked off along the shore at roosting spots. A flock of golden plover wheeled around for a few minutes at the other side of the bay. Four “guardians of the march” (redshank) came zipping through, calling as they went. Once lunch was successfully inhaled I got out of the van for a better look around. Curlew and black-tailed godwit were present in the fields, along with good numbers of lapwing and oystercatcher. 

Gull roost

Early singers, in the form of a robin and a song thrush kept me company until a local man came along to chat. We discussed the car seats and fireguard that were dumped in the last couple of days as we watched small flocks of brent honking around the bay.

Away back towards town, taking in the salt march along the way. A little egret was all that was added there, so I carried on to the wetland centre for some gulls. The first year and adult ring-billed gulls that have been around for the last few weeks were both present and it was nice to get them banked. The adult bird was within 10 meters of me, so even I couldn't miss. I am getting dangerously fond of gulls. Beastly creatures they are, but there is good learning to be had watching them. I even managed to get a few dodgy-scoped images. I must sort out my digiscoping set-up soon - hovering over the eye-piece with my Olympus ‘Tough8000’ doesn't really cut it.

Ring-billed gull (ad) and black headed gull, Tralee Bay Wetland Centre

It was a quick hit and I ended up with 29 species (34pts), bringing me to 27.6%. Hopefully the weather will be favorable at the weekend and I can get out for a few hours. Plenty more common birds to chalk down.

Action down at wetland centre

Giddy Up :)

Kilian. 

Kilcoole...Day 1!

My first patch visit of the year today got off to a bad start when, whilst walking down the Sea Road towards Kilcoole, a Crossbill flew over (giving a loud "chutt-chutt" call which I'm unfamiliar with), landed atop a conifer briefly & then promptly legged it! Well outside the patch boundary I'm afraid but would have been a good one to get on the scoresheet. I then spent the next 4 hours leisurely strolling around the Kilcoole end of the patch and despite it being a murky, overcast, cool & breezy day, it was nice to get out all the same.

One of the first birds on the list was a calling Water Rail at the BirdWatch Ireland Kilcoole Reserve. Checked the gardens & scrub around the train station car park & Ballygannon for passerines - House Sparrow, Siskin, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Mistle Thrush & Collared Dove were good to get 'out of the way' this early on in the game.

Offshore was rather quiet but produced a few nice bits such as 3 Gannets, a Tystie, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls & 2 Golden Plover passing south.

Lack of flooding in Webb's meant little variety there and despite the low tide, nothing much of note was to be found in The Breaches. A Peregrine, a Raven, 2 Kestrels, 170 Curlew, 7 Ringed Plover, 8 Dunlin, 3 Shelduck, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Coot, 8 Little Grebes & 17 Redshank the best. Plenty of Teal to look through too. In fairness, the Raven was a good shout. They're rather unpredictable down here so good to see one straight off.

Spent a while scanning over Stringer's Channels, hoping the Bittern or at least a Hen Harrier would show. Nope! Did get a good look at the swan & goose flock though: 1 Pink-footed Goose, c.255 Icelandic Greylag Geese & 43 Whooper Swans. The Pink-foot has been around since October but again another good species on the year list from the get go.

Whopper big swans

7 Stonechats (incl. 3 pairs) at various points along the railway line was the most I've seen in here in a good while (they didn't do well off the back of those harsh winters a few years ago, even on the coast).

Bird of the day (patch wise) however was a Grey Wagtail in a yard literally on the boundary (I'm having it!). A very hit & miss species down here seeing as there are no fast flowing streams on site. They're generally only seen in July during post-breeding dispersal or in October when a migrant might buzz over. 

Win!

So that's 59 species, 68 points & 34.8% gleaned so far. Still plenty of common stuff to pick up on (like Moorhen & Meadow Pipit!) so will be back down mid week when the weather settles.

slow start

Just gettin the 2013 patch birding off the ground here at Galley, after a debilitating bout of Manflu! Haven't been beyond the patio yet, so just 46 species/57 points/27.4% as a score so far! Several other Irish patches getting underway tomorrow so hopefully the scoreboard will start to fill up a bit!

Game on!