Lesser Yellowlegs and Sabine's Gull

Lesser Yellowlegs, Cappagh Beach, 9th September 2017 (Ian Jones).

A great find by Ian Jones today (though strictly speaking, it was his mum that pointed it out initially), on a beach that rarely warrants much attention from birders. The most you can expect there normally is very distant views of scoter in the winter and occasional distant views of skuas in the autumn. 

Lesser Yellowlegs, Cappagh Beach, 9th September 2017 (Ian Jones).

Lesser Yellowlegs, Cappagh Beach, 9th September 2017 (Ian Jones).

Cappagh Beach, 9th September 2017.

The small rainwater rivulet on Cappagh Beach where the Yellowlegs chose to visit. Not only the first rarity to be found on this beach but one of the few actual birds to ever have landed on it.

Sabine's Gull, Brandon Pier, 9th September 2017 (Ian Jones).

Meanwhile, on another nearby beach, a juvenile Sabine's Gull made an appearance.

Sabine's Gull, Brandon Pier, 9th September 2017 (Ian Jones).

Sabine's Gull, Kilcummin, Brandon Bay, 9th September 2017 (David O'Connor).

Another (or possibly the same? Head and side-of-breast markings look very similar) Sabine's Gull was found by David O'Connor on nearby Kilcummin Beach, a few km to the east.

Semipalmated Sandpiper at Smerwick Harbour

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Smerwick Harbour, 7th September 2017 (Ian Jones).

Another of these pint-sized Nearctic wonders to gladden the eye...

Westerlies are going to dominate the weather in the coming week. There may well be more of these and other Nearctic goodies to be found.

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Smerwick Harbour, 7th September 2017 (Ian Jones).

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper with Sanderling, Smerwick Harbour, 7th September 2017 (Ian Jones).

A wandering Med. Gull

This ringed Mediterranean Gull was seen at Ventry by David O'Connor last Monday, and David has been able to find out more information about its travels. Makes for interesting reading...

Colour-ringed second winter Mediterranean Gull, Ventry 4th September 2017 (David O'Connor).

David writes, "Ringed as a pullus at Lady's Island Lake in Wexford last year, it was down in Portugal in February, paid a visit to Cornwall at the end of May, then hit the Kingdom by September...I wonder where to next! Details below:"

BTO Ring 2X1N, ringed as a chick 08/06/2016 at Inish Island, Lady's Island, Lake, Wexford, Ireland.

Seen, 11/02/17, Carlos Pacheco, Vila Nova de Milfontes (Odemira), Beja, Portugal.

Seen again 31/04/2017 in Cornwall, at the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall, United Kingdom.

And most recently on 04/09/2017 at Ventry, Kerry, Ireland.

A feisty Semipalmated Sandpiper at Derrymore

Feisty: "Full of animation, energy, or courage; spirited; plucky." Dictionary.com

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Derrymore, 6th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

As ever with Derrymore, you roll the dice. At stake is three hours of your life, mostly taken up with trudging along calf-busting soft sand and gravel to get to the main birding area, the high tide roost of hundreds of waders - or at least that's the theory. Sometimes there can be little or nothing. Most times there is something to warrant the effort.

There were about 700-800 Dunlin present there this evening and among them, this little frosty-looking beaut. The encounter was made all the more enjoyable when after carefully approaching the main flock on the beach, the assembled throng of waders got used to my presence and I was eventually approached and then surrounded by hundreds of small, busy waders and, in the case of this SemiP, at distances down to 20 feet. 

The return walk is made easy after encountering such a feisty and characterful little bird, and one that has just crossed the Atlantic at barely two months of age.

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Derrymore, 6th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

The SemiP regularly returned to and tried to defend a few square feet of small tideline pool, despite being dwarfed by the occasional intruding Sanderling or Dunlin. Each time one of its competitors came near it adopted this posture, tail high. It didn't always seem to work and the Sanderling in particular seemed unimpressed but the Dunlin would occasionally give it a wide berth after this apparent show of aggression. Perhaps it gives the bird just enough time and space to snatch its fair share of food despite being the smallest bird on the beach.

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Derrymore, 6th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Derrymore, 6th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

A photo illustrating the reason for the name - the small webbing between the outer and middle toe, the 'palmation'. Or a semi palmation. Its not much of a web, really.

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Derrymore, 6th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

And here's 'titch' in his temporary territory, giving it large to any intruders. Two feet of pool edge to defend and everyone knows it.

Med. Gull numbers get ridiculous

Adult Mediterranean Gull, Burnham Lagoon, 5th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

It won't be long before one of the Healy-Rae's demands a cull of this invader as numbers continue to rise, year on year. Early September sees peak numbers with Ventry Harbour and Black Rock regularly hosting double figures in recent years. This year has seen a further increase and today, some 90 birds were seen on a quick scoot around the Dingle Peninsula. 32 were at Burnham Lagoon, 28 were at Ventry, and another 18 were in a grass field near Ventry. At all three sites it was the commonest gull present. Others were at Ferriter's Cove, Milltown, Trabeg and Baile an Reannaigh.

Two adult Pomarine Skuas, Rough Point, 5th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Two gorgeous adults, 'spoons' and all, and heading well into Tralee Bay.

Ruff, Ventry, 5th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Ruff, Ventry, 5th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Water Rail, Ventry, 5th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

One of the better sites to see this reclusive species.

Juvenile Water Rail, Ventry, 5th September 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Buff-breast at Reenroe

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Reenroe Beach, near Waterville, 4th September 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Another Nearctic wader made an appearance at the high tide roost at Reenroe this afternoon, found by local birdwatcher, Chris Nelms. 

Not a bad haul of waders so far in the past couple of weeks, and more westerlies in the coming week will mean more are likely.

This Buff-b is the 39th record for Co. Kerry.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Reenroe Beach, near Waterville, 4th September 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Reenroe Beach, near Waterville, 4th September 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Reenroe Beach, near Waterville, 4th September 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Pec still at Carrahane

Pectoral Sandpiper, Carrahane, 3rd September 2017 (Ed Carty).

Pectoral Sandpiper, Carrahane, 3rd September 2017 (Ed Carty).

Spotted Redshank, River Maine, 30th August 2017 (Michael O'Clery).

Spotted Redshank, River Maine, 30th August 2017 (Michael O'Clery).

Early September is wader bonanza time in Kerry, with a few Nearctic species already recorded, including this obliging Pectoral Sandpiper at Carrahane today. Also a great time of year to catch up with Kerry wader scarcities such as this Spotted Redshank, and the likes of Ruff, with a few around Blennerville and Trabeg, and a Green Sandpiper or two (such as at Trabeg today) though curiously, not a single Curlew Sandpiper or Little Stint as yet. Still, early days.

Baird's Sandpiper, Ballycarbery

Juvenile Baird's Sandpiper, with Dunlin, Ballycarbery, near Caherciveen, 1st September 2017 (Pat McDaid).

The first Baird's Sandpiper for the Ivearagh Peninsula, and a good find at a spot which is rarely visited by birders.

Juvenile Baird's Sandpiper, with Dunlin, Ballycarbery, near Caherciveen, 1st September 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Juvenile Baird's Sandpiper, with Dunlin, Ballycarbery, near Caherciveen, 1st September 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Juvenile Baird's Sandpiper, with Dunlin, Ballycarbery, near Caherciveen, 1st September 2017 (Pat McDaid).

Pectoral Sandpiper, Carrahane

Pectoral Sandpiper, Carrahane, 30th August 2017 (David O'Connor).

Pectoral Sandpiper, Carrahane, 30th August 2017 (David O'Connor).

Pectoral Sandpiper, Carrahane, 30th August 2017 (David O'Connor).

Spotted Sandpiper, Rough Point

This juvenile Spotted Sandpaper was at Rough Point today, found by holidaying birder Paul Troake. The bird was frequenting the rocky shoreline of the very north-east of the Magharees Peninsula and was somewhat wary and flighty.

Juvenile Spotted Sandpiper, Rough Point, 29th August 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Spotted Sandpiper, Rough Point, 29th August 2017 (M.O'Clery).

This is the eighth record for Kerry after the first, a summer-plumaged adult, at Dunquin in 1994, followed by records at Listowel (1994), Black Rock (2009), Tuosist (2011), Baile an Reannaigh (2012), near Ross Castle (2012) and on Skellig Michael (2016).

Juvenile Spotted Sandpiper, Rough Point, 29th August 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Spotted Sandpiper, Rough Point, 29th August 2017 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Spotted Sandpiper, Rough Point, 29th August 2017 (M.O'Clery).