Just a quick update. Only managed a couple of visits to Kilcoole during March since my last post on the Tree Sparrow patch ticking bonanza so nothing major to report on.
The brent flock finally produced an adult bernicla on 8th March, the first Dark-bellied Brent I've seen there all winter (normally one regular bird about most years). Otherwise, a nice ringtail Hen Harrier was the only other species of note that day.
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| Adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose |
Back down again on 15th March with the BirdWatch Ireland Kildare Branch. An enthusiastic gang of 30 or so participants enjoyed nice views of singing Skylarks, displaying Lapwing, hovering male Kestrel, five soaring Buzzards, a super flock of c.180 Golden Plover (some developing nice black underparts) and plenty of Light-bellied Brent Geese, Greylag Geese & Whooper Swans. Also scored my first migrant of the year during the outing, a Chiffchaff (97) singing quietly away in the Sea Buckthorn. No sign of any of the hoped for Wheatears on the day but it was good to meet up with and chat general patch nonsense(!) with fellow PWC participant, Michael O'Donnell.
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| Kildare Branch outing © Caroline McDonald |
Have been offshore this past week, seabird surveying on board the R.V. Celtic Explorer during the annual Blue Whiting Acoustic Survey but will be back on patch come mid-April to clean up on Spring migrants (hopefully!).
Until then... 97 species, 123 points, 60.59% comparative score, 790 BirdTrack records & 15 complete lists.
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