A Crane in the Ass

Weds evening was spent debating whether I'd go birding on patch on Thurs or stay in and do some work. I opted for work...a poor decision!

It all started with a tweet from @ECoastBirdNews on Thurs morning reporting that 5 Cranes had been seen flying North over the North Slob at 10:15. The Tacumshin birds on the move? Then word came through that the staff at BirdWatch Ireland had intercepted them from the Kilcoole office at around 15:30 as they continued North! So I dashed up to Killiney Hill which isn't far from home in the hopes of seeing them coming over Bray Head (previous records of Osprey & White-tailed Eagle at Kilcoole have been successfully twitched from the hill in this manner before, see here). Spent 45mins on the hill with Noel Keogh & Brian Porter but no sign...

Anyway, it transpires that the Cranes were first seen flying North over Blackditch ECNR by a member of the public who phoned it in to the office. The guys in the office then picked up the birds circling over the coast heading North before turning back South and seemingly dropping down somewhere between Kilcoole & ECNR at 15:50 possibly to roost for the evening. 

No news on them this morning so it would appear they continued on their journey unseen? I was tied up for most of the morning but made it down to Newcastle/ECNR this eve for a look around in the hopes they might still be there but alas it was not meant to be. That makes 4 times I've dipped Crane on the patch now...ouch!

Did see a Merlin over Newcastle Airfield however which was a nice patch year tick (only got one by the skin of my teeth there last year on 30th Dec). Silver linings and all that jazz.

Onwards & upwards! (I hope)

Four of the five Cranes in question. I found these birds back on 29th Oct '12 as they flew in off the sea & over Tacumshin Lake where they then spent the next three & half months...I'd much rather see them on the patch though!