White-rumped Sandpiper still at the Cashen

White-rumped Sandpiper, The Cashen, 30th October 2019 (Davey Farrar).

Long-tailed Duck, Blennerville, 24th October 2019 (David O'Connor).

Long-tailed Duck, Blennerville, 24th October 2019 (David O'Connor). 

Pinkfeet twosome still at Trabeg

Pink-footed Geese, Trabeg, 16th October 2019 (Cait O'Neill).

Still present after more than a week.

Whaaat? ANOTHER White-rumped?

Juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper with Ringed Plover, Reenroe, 16th October 2019 (Pat McDaid).

Wow! White-rumped number 8 for Co. Kerry, a new record for this species in a Kingdom birding year. Fair play to Pat, who has been flogging this site for rarities all autumn without much success, until this evening.

White-rumped Sandpiper, Reenroe, 16th October 2019 (Pat McDaid).

White-rumped Sandpiper with Ringed Plover, Reenroe, 16th October 2019 (Pat McDaid).

Two more White-rumped Sandpipers

Juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper, Black Rock, 15th October 2019 (Davey Farrar).

It's raining White-rumpeds. You don't get to hear that exact phrase very often...

Juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper with a Dunlin, near Ballylongford, 16th October 2019 (Davey Farrar).

White-rumped Sandpiper at Rough Point

Juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper, Rough Point, 16th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

With two more White-rumped Sandpipers found in Kerry today - this, and one near Ballylongford (per Davey Farrar) - the total for Kerry this autumn is now seven, assuming none are relocating birds. With White-rumpeds popping up all over the European Western seaboard over the past week, the more pertinent question might be, 'how many are being missed?'.

White-rumped Sandpiper, Rough Point, 16th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

White-rumped Sandpiper, Rough Point, 16th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

White-rumped Sandpiper with Sanderling, Rough Point, 16th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Grey Phalarope, Rough Point

Grey Phalarope, Rough Point, 14th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

This bird was feeding in the surf just off the headland, in a modest NW breeze. Most are seen in strong NW gales off headlands like Brandon Point so, like the Sabine's Gull a couple of weeks back (see below), it was great to enjoy one that didn't seem to be in any great hurry.

 

Grey Phalarope, Rough Point, 14th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Grey Phalarope, Rough Point, 14th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Grey Phalarope, Rough Point, 14th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Another White-rumped Sandpiper at Ferriter's Cove

Juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper, Ferriter's Cove, 13th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

A juvenile bird moulting into winter plumage, and already showing a lot of moulted feathers, most noticeably on the mantle. A very confiding bird, coming to within 30 feet (10m)

White-rumped Sandpiper, Ferriter's Cove, 13th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

White-rumped Sandpiper, Ferriter's Cove, 13th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

White-rumped Sandpiper, Ferriter's Cove, 13th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

 

Juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper, Ferriter's Cove, 13th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Yep, there's that white rump...

White-rumped Sandpipers (yes, PLURAL) at Carrahane

Three White-rumped Sandpipers, Carrahane, 11th October 2019 (David O'Connor).

A really remarkable record, but amazingly, not the first time that three have been seen in Ireland - three were at the Roe Estuary in Derry in October 2018 - but this first time that three have been seen together in Kerry. However David thought there was a minimum of three, with flocks of waders highly mobile and unsettled. Be great if it proved to be four and the Kingdom could secure that record!

White-rumped Sandpiper, Carrahane, 11th October 2019 (David O'Connor).

White-rumped Sandpipers, Carrahane, 11th October 2019 (David O'Connor).

White-rumped Sandpipers, Carrahane, 11th October 2019 (David O'Connor).

Lesser Yellowlegs, Blennerville

Lesser Yellowlegs, Blennerville, 6th October 2019 (Ger Scollard).

Late news of a Lesser Yellowlegs on a small pool near Blennerville. The 21st record for Co. Kerry.

Track of Hurricane Lorenzo

With all the rare Nearctic birds in Ireland at the moment, it's interesting to look back over weather conditions in the five days leading up to Lorenzo side-swiping Ireland, on 3rd October.

Animated wind chart for 29th Spetember to 3rd October 2019, the track of ex-hurricane Lorenzo as it hits Ireland on 3rd October. Red is storm force winds, black is hurricane-force.

Easy to visualise how any migrants launching themselves SE from Newfoundland could get caught up in the accelerating storm system and end up on the 'wrong' side of the Atlantic.

American Golden Plover at Carrahane

Adult American Golden Plover with Golden Plovers, Carrahane, 9th October 2019 (David O'Connor).

This might well be the same bird seen at Carrahane on 14th September (see post HERE), and again on 25th September.(see post HERE). If indeed it is the same bird, it has been very elusive. 

Bearing in mind the black underpart feathering would be gradually lost with the moult into winter plumage, these photos do seem to show a change consistent showing the same bird over a month. Anyone prepared to put these to a forensic test and give a more definitive view? Break out your microscope and photo-enhancing software!

Adult American Golden Plover (lower bird), Carrahane, 9th October 2019 (David O'Connor).

White-rumped Sandpiper, Cashen Estuary

White-rumped Sandpiper, The Cashen Estuary, 9th October 2019 (Davey Farrar).

Least Bittern at Farranfore, first Irish record

Anthony O'Connor and John O'Donoghue, with the Least Bittern, Farranfore, 8th October 2019 (A.O'Connor and J.O'Donoghue).

An already extraordinary week for rare North American birds in Ireland and Europe just got even more extraordinary with the discovery of a Least Bittern, found in an exhausted state in a back garden near Farranfore.

As one of the finders describes, "...when found on the back lawn he was very weak and couldn't fly, John caught him and brought him inside and within a few short minutes he passed away."

They reported the finding to BirdWatch Ireland and Brian Burke and Niall Keogh were able to identify the bird from this excellent series of photos shown here, taken by Anthony and John.

Least Bittern, Farranfore, 8th October 2019 (A.O'Connor and J.O'Donoghue).

This is the first Irish record, and the 10th for the Western Palearctic.

Least Bittern, Farranfore, 8th October 2019 (A.O'Connor and J.O'Donoghue).

Least Bittern, Farranfore, 8th October 2019 (A.O'Connor and J.O'Donoghue).

Least Bittern, Farranfore, 8th October 2019 (A.O'Connor and J.O'Donoghue).

Least Bittern, Farranfore, 8th October 2019 (A.O'Connor and J.O'Donoghue).

Least Bittern, Farranfore, 8th October 2019 (A.O'Connor and J.O'Donoghue).

With thanks to the finders, Anthony O'Connor and John O'Donoghue for alerting BirdWatch Ireland and being so forthcoming with photos and information, and also to Brian Burke and Niall Keogh at BirdWatch Ireland for spreading the word so quickly.

Turtle Dove and Pinkfeet

Turtle Dove, Dunquin, 4th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Present for almost a week and frequenting the church area.

Turtle Dove, Dunquin, 4th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Pink-footed Geese, Trabeg, 4th October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Lots of autumn goodies

Red-breasted Flycatcher, Dunquin, 2nd October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Found by Seamus Enright, this is only the second record for Co. Kerry, and the first since one was found on An Tearaght in October 1890. A 129 year wait, and long overdue!

Red-breasted Flycatcher, Dunquin, 2nd October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Red-breasted Flycatcher, Dunquin, 2nd October 2019 (Michael O'Clery).

Turtle Dove, Dunquin, 2nd October 2019 (David O'Connor).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Dunquin, 2nd October 2019 (Kilian Kelly).

The Yellow-browed was in the same trees as the Red-breasted Flycatcher.

Black Tern, Rough Point, 30th September 2019 (David O'Connor).

Little Stint, Ventry, 2nd October 2019 (David O'Connor).

Buzzard, Milltown, 2nd September 2019 (David O'Connor).