After a few days down on Mizen with some mega Sooty Shearwater passage, but only a few commoner migrants on the head (Blip view of Rosefinch the best), I decided to nip back to Ballycotton with the news of a Short Toed Lark on the lake.
Myself and Hanna arrived late evening and headed straight up to the lake exit, where the lark was showing very well on the shingle. Absolute stunner, a real rufous job.
Whilst scanning the lake, I picked up a small wader flying, distantly, in with a couple of Dunlin at the back of the channel. Clearly slightly smaller and slimmer, with clean underparts and longer wings, it fit the bill for a Juv Baird's or White Rumped, but I was unable to see the rump to pick between the two.
We ran around to the gate above the lake, where after a good deal of searching, and hearing the bird call multiple times in the flock as they flew around the lake, I managed to pick out the bird, alongside a juv Curlew Sandpiper (also new for the year). It was a long winged little git, no doubt about that, and even let me see the rump, so I was definitely leaning towards bairds.
It was very distant though, and although it looked the part, the combination of fading light and distance, I decided to put out the news of a probable and allow others to dot I's and cross T's.
The bird was seen this morning. So happy days.
3 year ticks and an excellent find with bonus points.
Species: 161
Score: 269
Comparative Score: 114.14%
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