First-year female King Eider, Sandy Bay, 12th February 2017 (Pepe Lehikoinen)
(with thanks to Ed Carty).
Visiting Finnish birders found this bird just off the car park below the school at Castlegregory on Sunday last, identifying it as a first-year female. Pepe wrote, "It was a first-winter female based on the colouration (female) and very faint white wing bars (1cy)."
This is only the third record for Kerry, following the first, a female, at Dingle in January 2001, and another female at Ballinskelligs Pier in December 2011 (see post HERE and HERE).
First-year female King Eider, Sandy Bay, 12th February 2017 (Pepe Lehikoinen).
Despite searching since, it hasn't been seen again, but in such a huge bay, it might again pop up nearby.
The Black Brant, present since early January, was also seen in Sandy Bay, as were 7 Slavonian Grebes, off Lough Naparka.
Adult Black Brant, Sandy Bay, 14th February 2017 (M.O'Clery).
