Kerry Birding

Thursday 17 October 2024

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).

Wednesday 9 October 2024

American Golden Plover at Carrahane

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

Saturday 5 October 2024

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).

Tuesday 17 September 2024

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).

Thursday 5 September 2024

Sabine's Gull & Little Stint at Rough Point

Juvenile Sabine's Gull, 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).

Wednesday 5 June 2024

Ring-billed Gull, Blennerville

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

Wednesday 8 May 2024

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!