Glaucous Gull

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Cashen, 13th December 2013.

Glossy Ibis and Snow Goose, Carrahane

Glossy Ibis, Carrahane, 12th December 2013 (David O'Connor).

Snow Goose, Carrahane, 12th December 2013 (David O'Connor).

A second winter Ring-billed Gull was also at this site.

Glossy Ibis, Finian's Bay

Glossy Ibis, Finian's Bay, 11th December 2013 (John Murphy).

Ring-necked Duck, Killarney

Ring-necked Duck, Ross Castle, 11th December 2013.

Talk on Merlin, Newmarket, 18th Dec.

Merlin (Photo: John Fox).

John Lusby, Raptor Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, will be giving a talk on Ireland's smallest falcon, the Merlin. It is to be held on Wednesday 18th December 2013 at the James O'Keeffe Building, Newmarket, NW Cork, at 19:00. Admission is free.

For information on the James O'Keeffe Building, and how to get there, visit this website HERE (opens a new window).

John has been conducting a ground-breaking survey on this elusive species, one of the rarest breeding raptors in Ireland.

Siberian Chiffchaff, near Tralee

Siberian Chiffchaff, Kerries, near Tralee, 6th December 2013 (David O'Connor).

Any Chiffchaff seen in winter is worth a second look, as Siberian Chiffchaffs have been increasingly identified throughout Ireland, though whether this is because they are occurring more frequently or have been previously overlooked is open to debate. They are usually treated as a distinct subspecies of Chiffchaff (Tristris), but have been treated as a full species by some.

Several have been seen in Kerry in late autumn and winter recently, including two individuals together at Ross Castle in January 2012. See photos of those birds in this post HERE and HERE, and one from 2009 HERE (also at Ross Castle), and compare them with the above individual. Although very similar to Chiffchaff, the generally 'cold' tones to the plumage, slight pale wingbar and pale tertials are all indicative of a 'Sibe Chiffer', as well as the different call.

Ring-billed Gulls, Tralee

 

Adult Ring-billed Gull, Tralee Bay Wetlands  Centre, Tralee, 6th December (Ed Carty).

Second winter Ring-billed Gull, Tralee Bay Wetlands  Centre, Tralee, 6th December (Ed Carty).

Snow Goose, Carrahane

Snow Goose, Carrahane, 2nd December 2013 (D.Farrar).

Black Redstart, Cashen

Black Redstart, Cashen, 30th November 2013 (Davey Farrar).

female Lesser Scaup, Ross Castle

First-winter female Lesser Scaup, Ross Castle, 28th November 2013 (D.Farrar).