Grasshopper Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler, Brosna, 3rd May 2012 (Davey Farrar).

White Wagtail, Black Rock

White Wagtail, Black Rock, 2nd May 2012 (Ed Carty).

Another Gripping Photo

 

First-summer American Golden Plover, Reenroe, 1st May 2012 (Seamus Enright).

First-summer American Golden Plover, Reenroe, 1st May 2012 (Seamus Enright). The dark underwing is clearly visible on the leftmost photo. The right hand photo shows the 'AGP' on the right, with a Golden Plover.

AGP = Absolutely Great Photo

First-summer American Golden Plover, Reenroe, 1st May 2012 (Seamus Enright).

More 'AGP' photos

First-summer American Golden Plover, Reenroe, 30th April 2012 (Pat McDaid).

First-summer American Golden Plover (left), Reenroe, 30th April 2012 (Pat McDaid).

American Golden Plover, Reenroe

American Golden Plover, Reenroe (near Waterville), 28th April 2012 (Pat McDaid).

American Golden Plover (left), with Golden Plover, Reenroe, 28th April 2012 (Pat McDaid).

American Golden Plover (left) with Golden Plovers, Reenroe, 28th April 2012 (Pat McDaid). Though often thought of as an autumn vagrant to Kerry, spring records of this Nearctic species are not unprecedented, with a May record from Akeragh Lough in 1971, and with summer records in June (1969) and July (1993) from Baile an Reannaig and Rough Point respectively. This is the first April record for Kerry.

Hoopoe, County Kerry

Hoopoe, Lixnaw, 28th April 2012 (Davey Farrar).

Hoopoe, Lixnaw

Hoopoe, Lixnaw, 28th April 2012 (Seamus Enright).

Wing-tagged Buzzards

Wing-tagged Buzzard chicks (Allan Mee).

Co. Kerry is one of the few counties yet to be re-colonised by Buzzards, with only one known nesting attempt in recent years. They are now present and breeding in North and central Cork, so it is surely a matter of time before they reach Kerry. Many chicks are now wing-tagged, so if you see one this summer, be sure to pass on the details. All Buzzards wing-tagged in Co. Cork in 2011 have dark blue tags on the right wing and orange tags on the left wing. In 2012 these will be dark blue (right wing) and purple (left wing). Please help track their movements by reporting all sightings to Dr. Allan Mee (email: allanmee@goldeneagle.ie; tel: +353-873117608) or Tony Nagle (email: tnagle@eircom.net; tel: +353-862612283). 

Full details are on the Duhallow Raptor Conservation Project website HERE.

Hoopoe, near Lixnaw

Hoopoe, near Lixnaw, 26th April 2012 (Ed Carty).

Hoopoe, near Lixnaw, 26th April 2012 (Ed Carty). The second record for Kerry this spring, following one near Waterville on 31st March (which you can read about HERE).