There's a bit of an influx of Ruff these last few days. A couple at Trabeg yesterday (MOC), five at Ferriter's Cove today (J.Crosher), and 11 at this flooded pool near Tralee also today (K. Kelly). 14 were at the Cashen on Monday (D. Farrar).
Although these are remarkable numbers for Kerry, Frank King had a flock of 74, yes, 74, at Akearagh Lough in September 1968. Extraordinary.
Flock of Ruff, near The Kerries, Tralee, 27th September 2017 (Kilian Kelly).
Ruff, near The Kerries, Tralee, 27th September 2017 (Kilian Kelly).
Ruff, near The Kerries, Tralee, 27th September 2017 (Kilian Kelly).
Ringed Bar-tailed Godwit, Black Rock, 27th September 2017 (Kilian Kelly)
Shortly after the appearance of a Norwegian-ringed Bar-tailed Godwit from Norway at Black Rock (see post HERE) another appeared right alongside it. And what's more, from the exact same place, and ringed only three hours after the first. What are the chances of that? Well... unless they travelled together. Still, pretty amazing that they are both now feeding along a Kerry shoreline. One might well assume they are now here for the winter, but it's possible that these long-distance migrants are just staging before an even longer journey. The bulk of the population winters south of the Equator.
With thanks to Kilian Kelly.
