Ballyquintin news ...

It has been a while since I updated this ... I have been visiting once or twice per week over the last few months, but ticks come a bit slower at this time of year. So, here is a list of those ticks:

sedge warbler: one or more singing regularly from the reed bed at Templecowey since 28th April

grasshopper warbler: at least two singing from the rough grass on the shore at Templecowey on 28th April

blackcap: singing at Templecowey on 28th April

Manx shearwater: the first for the patch with 5 past Ballyquintin on 28th April, seen regularly since (up to 100s/hour)

whitethroat: first singing at Ballyquintin on 5th May, seen and heard regularly after that at both Ballyquintin and Templecowey

Arctic tern: first past Ballyquintin on 5th May, seen regularly since then

house martin: single birds seen a few times from 6th May at Ballyquintin and Templecowey, apparently not breeding in the area

common tern: 2 past Ballyquintin on 6th May, seen occasionally after that (larger numbers apparently moving south on 3rd August)

Arctic skua: at least one (possibly two) at Ballyquintin on 15th May, chasing terns, and a dark juvenile chasing terns there on the evening of the 3rd

lesser whitethroat: one singing and seen briefly in the bushes near the Ballyquintin lookout on 15th May

sanderling: 10 resting with dunlin at Barr Hall Bay on 2nd June

storm petrel: a group of about 10 feeding offshore from Ballyquintin on 15th June, a smaller group on 23rd June, one flew past on 3rd August

puffin: three past Ballyquintin on 21st July, two by themsleves, one with a couple of guillemots

peregrine: one flew straight over the lookout on 21st July (surprised it took this long to see one in the area)

Mediterranean gull: an adult flew south past Ballyquintin on 23rd July

Balearic shearwater: one flew south past Ballyquintin on 30th July, by itself, and obligingly swung in towards the shore as it came past, with a moderate passage of Manx shearwaters

swift: a groups of about 10 moved past, low over the sea into a stiff headwind on 3rd August

black-tailed godwit: a group of six flew past, in a fine colourful group, on the evening of 3rd August

Definitely moving towards autumn in the area - passerines in flocks, passage at sea starting to pick up, with good numbers of terns this week (Sandwich terns earlier in the week, common and Arctic today)

109 species (141 points)