Kerry Birding

Tuesday, 4 October 2016

Yet another SemiP, at Kilshannig

Like Derrymore, the flat commonage at Kilshannig, north of Castlegregory, can be 'feast or famine'. Mostly famine. But this afternoon, the torrential rain in Kerry over the past 48 hours finally relented, leaving the flat grassy area severely flooded. And full of waders. Star of the bunch was this juvenile SemiP, with a juvenile Little Stint and three Curlew Sandpipers also seen, and a Ruff on another flooded grassland area to the south

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Kilshannig, 4th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, with Curlew Sandpiper, Kilshannig, 4th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, with Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlin, Kilshannig, 4th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Ruff, flooded grassland near Lough Naparka, 4th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Two Curlew Sandpipers, with Dunlin, Kilshannig, 4th October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Monday, 3 October 2016

SemiP at Black Rock

Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Black Rock, 3rd October 2016 (David O'Connor).

Sunday, 2 October 2016

Pectoral Sandpiper in the town park

A rather bizarre birding moment occurred today while driving out of Portmagee, when a medium-sized wader flew alongside the car at speed, narrowly avoiding a high speed collision as it passed mere feet away, before it flew low, up and over the wall of the tiny town park, and plonked itself on a gravel path. A juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper.

Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Portmagee park, north of town, 2nd October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Pectoral Sandpiper, Portmagee park, 2nd October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

After just a couple of minutes of the weird juxtaposition of lawn, well-tended flowerbeds, gravel, and confused-looking Nearctic wader, the bird decided enough was enough. It flew low over the park wall, and even lower over the busy main road, before flying to the far more obvious wader habitat nearby - flooded, muddy field and saltmarsh.

Pectoral Sandpiper, in proper Pectoral Sandpiper habitat, Portmagee, 2nd October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

It finally found more appropriate habitat, a spot where it was much less likely to be run over by a pram, hit by a frisbee, or step in a dog turd

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Adult White-tailed Eagle, south Kerry, 2nd October 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Saturday, 1 October 2016

Video of the Reenard Great White Egret

Great White Egret, Ardcost Cross, near Reenard30th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Hit the 'four arrows' icon to see the full sized version.

Thursday, 29 September 2016

Great White Egret returns

Great White Egret, Ardcost Cross, near Reenard, 29th September 2016 (Eric Dempsey).

The Great White Egret from the 27th returned to its original site just below the bridge at Ardcost Cross this evening, offering some much better views in the evening sun.

Great White Egret, Ardcost Cross, near Reenard, 29th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

Turtle Dove and more, Valentia

Juvenile Turtle Dove, Valentia Island, 29th September 2016 (M.O'Clery).

A fair bit of seawatching pulled in a good variety of seabirds at Coosgorm on 28th and 29th September, with (combined from about 6 hours over the two days) about 2000 Sooty Shearwaters, a Long-tailed Skua, a Great Shearwater, 9 Leach's Petrels, 15 Grey Phalaropes, 3 Balearic Shearwaters and 1 Pomarine and about a dozen Great Skuas. Some of these came close enough to get half decent photos. Well, quarter decent.

Grey Phalaropes, Coosgorm, Valentia Island, 29th September (M.O'Clery).

Great Skua, Coosgorm, Valentia Island, 29th September (M.O'Clery).

Great Skuas, Coosgorm, Valentia Island, 29th September (M.O'Clery).

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

Great White Egret, near Reenard

Great White Egret, Ardcost Cross, near Reenard, 27th September 2016 (Michael O'Clery).

Initially glimpsed from a moving car while passing over a small bridge, a screeching halt, an unconventional and probably illegal reversing manouvre and a rapid deployment of binoculars revealed the striking and unexpected sight of Kerry's fifth Great White Egret quietly feeding in a small creek.

Our version of 'fast parking' on the narrow road might well have been interpreted as 'abandonment of vehicle' in legal circles. Nevertheless, these record photos were quickly taken before returning to the car for The Big Lens, Canon's 500mm equivalent of heavy artillery, but by the time myself and Eric (Dempsey) got back to the bridge on foot, the bird had flown. We saw it distantly heading towards Reenard, then left up the channel towards Portmagee. Only 20 minutes of daylight remained, so not much chance for it to be relocated. Hopefully it will turn up again to be enjoyed at a more leisurely pace and with ample space and time to park.