South Dublin Coast - Weeks 5, 6 and 7

As I didn't get a chance to post an update in the last few weeks here is a quick summary of what has been happening in the patch.

Week 5: Didn't get a chance to visit the Patch and so nothing new added.

Week 6: Started Saturday (16/2) morning on Killiney Hill looking for Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker, both of which had been reported at the end of January. Despite searching the woodland for about two hours, the only bird of note was a Treecreeper (60). Also, one of the re-introduced Red Squirrels gave good views looking for food in the canopy. With a dense layer of sea-fog drifting in from the Irish Sea and blanketing the Hill, there was no chance of repeating the trick of Mute Swan tick.

Sea Fog on Killiney Hill

I followed this with a one hour seawatch from Coliemore, which produced about 160 auks passing offshore, as well as a few Gannets and Red-throated Divers. Next up was Bullock Harbour, which was full of the usual gulls. Managed to get a few ring-reads including the third winter Herring Gull (GC 96244) below.

Ringed Herring Gull

Just as I was leaving, I had last scan through the roosting Herring and GBB Gulls, when a wader popped up its head - a Greenshank (61)! A completely unexpected patch tick - lacking any kind of mudflat the Patch was always going to struggle for waders so this is a nice bonus. Nothing much else to report this week other than the three Brambling still in the garden.

Week 7: Had another thorough look on Killiney Hill on Saturday morning, but still no joy finding either the Jay or GS Woodpecker. The only thing of note was watching a Common Gull chasing a Med Gull to about 150 metres altitude in an unsuccessful attempt to pirate some food.
Sunday started off great with a group of four Skylarks (62) flying west over the garden - only the third garden record. A quick visit to Shanganagh brought another Patch Tick in the form of 16 roosting Ringed Plovers (63). Also present were a few Oystercatchers and Turnstones, as well as about ten Red-throated Divers offshore. A female Brambling was a nice find near Shankill Dart Station.

Greenfinch at Shanganagh

So, those four new species bring the Patch List to 63 species, 74 points and 63.64%.

South Dublin Coast - Week 2

Having finally shaken off the cold from last week, I finally got a chance to do some birding on the patch. I started Saturday morning with a quick scan of Killiney Bay, which added a couple of local scarcities in the form of single Red-throated Diver and Shelduck. There was little else around so I moved on to Coliemore Harbour for an hours seawatching. Never having done any seawatching from here during the winter months, I was intrigued what may be around, especially with weather conditions quite favourable (moderate SE winds with on/off sleet). As it turns out, there was a small passage of Auks and Red-throated Divers, as well as seven Mediterranean Gulls and two Kittiwakes moving south. Not bad for January.

Purple Sandpipers occur in small numbers around the Dalkey Islands during the winter and I was delighted to find two feeding with Turnstones amongst the seaweed on Lamb Island. Further patch ticks included Grey Heron, Common Gull and Black Guillemot. Non-birding sightings included a Porpoise and about ten Grey Seals hauled up on Dalkey Island.

Dalkey Island

After almost freezing solid during the seawatch, I was glad of the walk to Bullock Harbour. Linnet, Goldcrest and Collared Dove were welcome patch ticks along the way. The harbour held the usual array of Black-headed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, as well as 11 rather tame Turnstones. Two or three Mediterranean Gulls were also mixed in amongst the Black-heads. One of the reasons I chose to include Bullock is to keep better track of the ringed Gulls which regularly turn up here. There were two present this week, a third winter Herring Gull (OJH) and a first-winter Great Black-backed Gull (1KH), both blue darvics.

Looking from Bullock Harbour towards Howth

Larus uglii

Sunday morning brought another patch tick in the form of Redwings, with several small flocks seen flying south along the coast during the day (displaced by the snow in the Dublin mountains and further up the coast?). At lunch time I headed over to Shanaganagh Beach, hoping for one or two Little Gulls blown in on the easterly winds. Three white-winged gulls were amongst the gulls feeding offshore, unfortunately Mediterranean rather than Little. A couple more Gannets and Red-throated Divers were about the best of it in worsening weather conditions. At least the garden contributed a patch tick in the form of Redpoll, with the female Brambling putting in another appearance at the feeders.

The totals for the first two weeks then are 55 species, 66 points and  55.56%.

Shanganagh Beach looking towards Bray Head