Cattle Egret at Ballylongford

 

Cattle Egret, near Ballylongford, 26th November 2024 (Hubert Servignat).

Cattle Egret, near Ballylongford, 26th November 2024 (Hubert Servignat).

Great White Egret at Blennerville

Great White Egret, Blennerville, 8th November 2024 (David O'Connor).

Great White Egret, Blennerville, 8th November 2024 (David O'Connor).

Great White Egret, Blennerville, 8th November 2024 (David O'Connor).

White-winged Scoter and 8 Surf Scoter at Inch

An adult male White-winged Scoter was at Inch on Wednesday, 30th October. There have been massive Common Scoter flocks offshore there since mid-July, with some 3000+ birds present, but they were almost always several kilometres out into the bay, well beyond identification distance.

However, in recent days, the flocks have generally been moving closer inshore, and with calm conditions and little swell on Wednesday, they were (mostly) within telescope range.

A male White-winged Scoter was present, but also, 8 Surf Scoters, with groups of 5 (3 males, 2 females), 2 (adult males), and a single female/juvenile in among the 1200 or so scoter close inshore.

Male White-winged Scoter (left bird), Inch, 30th October 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

 It's reasonable to assume that this adult male White-winged Scoter is a returning male from the three which were present at this site last winter, at the time, an adult and two first-winters.

The count of eight Surf Scoter at Inch is a record count for Kerry, and possibly Ireland. Have to check that one.

The intriguing part is that at least another 2000 scoter were still waaaay out in the bay. What else might be out there? 

The following day, there was also an adult male Surf Scoter at Gowlane, Brandon Bay.

Adult male Surf Scoter, Gowlane, Brandon Bay, 30th October 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Two male Eiders were also out in Brandon Bay.

Adult male Eider, Gowlane, Brandon Bay, 30th October 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Surf Scoter pair at Inch

 

 

Male and female Surf Scoter, Inch, 27th October 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Male and female Surf Scoter, Inch, 27th October 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Yellow-browed Warbler, near Tralee

 One of two Yellow-browed Warblers in a private garden this weekend, just west of Tralee.

Yellow-browed Warbler, The Kerries, Tralee, Co. Kerry 27th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Yellow-browed Warbler, The Kerries, Tralee, Co. Kerry 27th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Yellow-browed Warbler, The Kerries, Tralee, Co. Kerry 27th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Continental Cormorant and Pinkfeet

 

Continental Cormorant (left), Blennerville, 13th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Continental Cormorant (right), Blennerville, 13th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Continental Cormorant (left), Blennerville, 13th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Pink-footed Geese, Blennerville, 13th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

American Golden Plover at Carrahane

 

Juvenile American Golden Plover, Carrahane, 8th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile American Golden Plover, Carrahane, 8th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile American Golden Plover, Carrahane, 8th October 2024 (David O'Connor).

Some autumn 'scarcities'

 

White Wagtail, Valentia Island, 27th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

'Greenland' Wheatear, Blennerville, 29th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Eiders, Rough Point, 30th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Eiders, Rough Point, 30th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Black Stork at Lough Gill - 1st Kerry record

David was sitting in the car park at Lough Gill, getting ready to have a look over the lake, when this juvenile Black Stork appeared, Circling overhead, it rose higher, still circling, and eventually drifted off out of sight, high to the NW.

The first record for Kerry. 

 Another (or the same) Black Stork was reported flying north from Dursey Island, Co. Cork, on the afternoon of Sunday 15th September.

Juvenile Black Stork, Lough Gill, 17th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile Black Stork, Lough Gill, 17th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile Black Stork, Lough Gill, 17th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile Black Stork, Lough Gill, 17th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile Black Stork, Lough Gill, 17th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile Black Stork, Lough Gill, 17th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile Black Stork, Lough Gill, 17th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Juvenile Black Stork, Lough Gill, 17th September 2024 (David O'Connor).

Sabine's Gull & Little Stint at Rough Point

 

Juvenile Sabine's Gull, Rough Point, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Sabine's Gull, Rough Point, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Sabine's Gull, Rough Point, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Sabine's Gull, Rough Point, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Sabine's Gull, Rough Point, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Sabine's Gull, Rough Point, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Little Stint, Rough Point, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Little Stint, Rough Point, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Little Gull, Inch Beach

 

Juvenile Little Gull, Inch Beach, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Little Gull, Inch Beach, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Juvenile Little Gull, Inch Beach, 5th September 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Ring-billed Gull, Blennerville

 

Second-summer (third calendar-year) Ring-billed Gull, Blennerville, 4th June 2024 (David O'Connor).

Second-summer (third calendar-year) Ring-billed Gull, Blennerville, 4th June 2024 (David O'Connor).

Better pics of the Woodchat Shrike

The Woodchat Shrike continued its stay, sticking mainly to one favoured field at Faha, Ballybunion. Only the second record for Kerry, since one on Great Blasket on 19th April 2011. Rather surprising, given the frequency of records on the south coast of Ireland (eg, pretty much annual in Co. Cork).

With thanks to the finder Sean and his wife for help and hospitality to visiting birders.

First-summer Woodchat Shrike, Faha, Ballybunion, 7th May 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Woodchat Shrike, Faha, Ballybunion, 7th May 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

The bird is a first-summer bird, based particularly on the heavily moulting tail, visible in the above photo, with retained juvenile feathers on the left of the tail, and at least two strongly white-tipped adult-type feathers on the right of the tail. One of these adult-type tail feathers is only a third or so grown. Also, the white patch on the mantle has some slight buff (not pure white as in an adult bird) and the crown is not as rich chestnut as an adult (though some females can be duller too). The sexing of Woodchat Shrikes is not always straightforward, with some overlap in features, though this bird is most likely a male, with no hint of fine barring on the breast (present on many, but not all first-summer and adult females), and uniformly blackish ear coverts (often speckled with brown on females).

Woodchat Shrike, Faha, Ballybunion, 7th May2024 (David O'Connor).

Woodchat Shrike, Faha, Ballybunion, 7th May2024 (Michael O'Clery).

 

In the flight photo below, you can see the tail showing a mix of black, white-tipped adult-type tail feathers, two of which are still growing, the almost all-dark juvenile feathers, and also the stump of a heavily worn juvenile feather, almost down to the bare shaft of the feather!

Woodchat Shrike, Faha, Ballybunion, 7th May2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Woodchat Shrike, Faha, Ballybunion, 7th May 2024 (David O'Connor).

Woodchat Shrike, Faha, Ballybunion, 7th May 2024 (Michael O'Clery).

Woodchat Shrike, Faha, Ballybunion, 7th May 2024 (Michael O'Clery).