Baird's Sandpiper

Adult Baird's Sandpiper,Ballinrannig, 17th August 2012 (Kerry Birding).

Least Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper, Carrahane, 13th August 2012 (Davey Farrar).

Dingle Pelagic

Fulmar, 7km west of The Tearaght, 8th August 2012 (Dan Mantle).

Grey Phalarope, 7km west of The Tearaght, 8th August 2012 (Dan Mantle).

Storm Petrel, 7km west of The Tearaght, 8th August 2012 (Dan Mantle).

The annual pelagic out of Dingle on 8th August was a rather subdued affair with, as can be seen from the above photos, almost windless conditions. The Grey Phalarope and perhaps 10 Sooty Shearwaters were the avian highlights, perhaps eclipsed by the other sea life seen during the trip, Basking Shark, 2 Pilot Whales, Minke Whale and Sunfish.

Juvenile Little Tern, Barrow Harbour

Juvenile Little Tern, Barrow Harbour, 30th July 2012 (David O'Connor).

Hen Harrier

 Hen Harrier, undisclosed site in Kerry, 26th July 2012 (Davey Farrar).

Co. Kerry Barn Owl nest - live web cam

The first live Barn Owl nest camera in Ireland started broadcasting today.

Screengrab from the Mooney Barn Owl Nest Camera, 24th July 2012. The adult male delivers a Bank Vole to the two chicks.

The nest is at a secret location near Tralee and contains two chicks. The nest box was originally installed in 2008 by the West Kerry Branch of BirdWatch Ireland, and the birds have bred there every year since. The camera can be accessed through the Derek Mooney page on the RTE website HERE. Click on the Barn Owl image on that page to see live footage of the owls. The oldest chick is about 40 days old, the youngest, about 34 days old. They should be taking their first flight in about two weeks time. The parents are roosting by day away from the nest and will return at dusk to start feeding the chicks.

Lots more info on Barn Owls in Kerry and Cork can be seen on the Duhallow Raptor Blog HERE.

Yellow-legged and 'Intermedius'-type gulls

Yellow-legged Gull, Carrahane, 20th June (Photo: David O'Connor).

Probable 'Intermedius'-type Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black Rock, 20th June (Photo: David O'Connor). This form of Lesser Black-backed Gull occurs along southern coasts of the North Sea (including Britain), though identification can be complicated by gradations between two other forms, fuscus and graellsii. If this bird proves to be intermedius, it would be only the second record for Co. Kerry.

Eider

First-Summer male Eider, Black Rock, 15th June 2012 (Bob Ford).

Long-eared Owl chick

Long-eared Owl chick, Duhallow area, 4th June 2012 (M.O'Clery).

This chick is about 16 to 18 days old and was ringed as part of the Duhallow Raptor Conservation Project, covering east Kerry and NW Cork. Video and photos of the ringing of this chick, and more info on Barn Owls, Kestrels and Long-eared Owls, can be seen on this website HERE.

Dipper, Killarney

Dipper, Killarney, 4th June 2012 (Ed Carty).

Although the race of Dipper occurring in Ireland is of the race Cinclus cinclus Hibernicus, and is often referred to as the 'Irish Dipper', it also occurs in Western Scotland and the Inner Hebrides.