The best days birding in Wexford - 30 Oct 2010

Last Saturday I got into Philips car to journey to Wexford for a days birding with the one the only Eric Dempsey as our guide. There was 13 of us counting Eric and we fitted neatly into 3 cars.

We hoped we would see some great birds but little did we know quite how GREAT some of the birds would be......

We started off the day with a cup of tea and a scone in the Drinagh Court Hotel just outside Wexford - this was to fortify us for the days birding ahead. The weather forecast looked good but we were ready for anything.

Our 1st port of call was Churchtown and welcoming us as we parked was a very tame/nosey cock Pheasant, no really he stopped looked in Philips car and then walked on and looked in Eric's before he sauntered off up the lane - unfortunately the shooting season starts soon and me thinks he might just be the easiest Pheasant to pick off!!!

Up the lane Eric tried a bit of his legendary 'phising' remembering not to 'phist' in the wind (sorry couldn't resist it), however whatever it was that was singing in the bushes did not bit and stayed deep in the thicket.

The next bird to grab our attention was a Blackbird however our attention was quickly diverted to a female Sparrowhawk who was being mobbed by a Rook - as a result of the Sparrowhawk presence the hedgerow got quiet for a little while so we continued up the lane towards the sea.

Down at the sea were the usual suspects sitting on a rock drying their wings - Cormorants.

Further on down on our walk were a flock of Turnstones, with a Purple sandpiper, a Whimbrel, a couple of Oystercatchers and a Knot.

However it gets better, must apologise at this stage don't have many photos, but trust me it gets better!!!

We returned to the car after visiting the graveyard with the ruined church and got great views of Goldcrests.

Our next destination was Carne Beach/Harbour - the 1st thing that you could not miss was the smell of the seaweed which attracts flies and other insects and therefore lots and lots of birds. There were pipits everywhere - Meadow and Rock, I mean everywhere - the Meadow Pipits spend the winter at the coast as it stays a bit warmer then there summer habitat.

Along with the pipits were wagtails and starlings - who were enjoying the buffet of flies - the amount started to freak me out a bit - literally there were 1000s!!!!

There was a sighting of a Black Redstart but it was only fleeting.

Eric's attention was then drawn to an unusual looking 'Meadow Pipit' who had a very clean belly and dark legs as a Meadow pipit usually has pinky legs and a streaky belly. Closer investigation and the appearance of the birders bible aka the Collins Bird Guide declared this not to be any ordinary Pipit but ..... drum roll please..... a Buff Bellied Pipit.

Buff Bellied Pipit - a North American passerine. (photo kind courtesy of John Fox)

This pipit has travelled from North America in a cyclone and unfortunately will not be able to get home again. The birding grapevine out there is amazing- within 20mins there were at least 3 birders who had heard the news and wanted to see this wonderful little bird.

After spending some time marvelling in the pipit we headed off for lunch to Our Lady's Island where we were greeted by a fly over of some Whooper swans. As we ate lunch a Merlin was hunting - the first sign was all the Lapwings lifting. The aerobatic antics were fantastic as it chased a Meadow pipit, however the Merlin didn't get a meal as the pipit (or mipit) managed to avoid the talons.

There was also great views of Snipe - usually quite hard to see.

Then a phone call to Eric saw us pack up and head back to Carne Harbour as there was a sighting of a Grey Phalarope - again thank you to John Fox for the wonderful picture.

Grey Phalarope in winter plumage. (John Fox - this photo involved climbing out on to some very slippy Rocks)

We then took a look at Carne Beach again and the Black Redstart decided that he/she did not want to be outdone by the Buff Bellied Pipit or Grey Phalarope and gave us great views.

Black Redstart (John Fox)

Along the waterfront were a flock of Turnstones and Sanderlings - one of the Sanderlings was ringed but Ill come back to that in a few minutes.

Sanderling running along the shore-front (John Fox)

Eric and Philip trying for some Sanderling shots.

We then headed to our last destination Tacumshin Lake - which was flooded due to the rainfall in the last week, however this did not dampen our excitement. Here we saw the winter visitor Glossy Ibis, 100's and 100's of Whooper and Mute Swans and Ducks upon Ducks.

Also present were the raptors - a beautiful display from a Hen Harrier (or was it) and a Kestrel.
It turns out that the Hen Harrier was in fact also a visitor from the US and was a Northern Harrier.

With that the light started to fade and we decided to pack up and go home.

All in all we saw over 50 different birds. It was a fantastic day.

Take a trip to Wexford to all around Carne, Tacumshin and Our Lady's Island as you will fall over the birds. Its a great area.

Thanks to Georgina for organising it, Philip for the lift, John for the photos and Eric for being a fantastic Guide.

Bushy Park - 16 Oct 2010

After hearing about the sighting of Mandarin Ducks in Bushy Park I decided to take a wee trip over to have a look.

It was one of the last sunny days in October and when my Dad and I got the pond the 1st bird I saw was the unmissable Tree Creeper, then a small flocks of Goldcrests got my attention. As I was trying to get a photo of the Goldcrests my dad noticed movement on the small island in the middle of the pond and low and behold there they were - 8 of them in total - 6 males (including one juvenile) and 2 females.

The colours in these ducks are amazing and their sail feathers are a beautiful orangey brown!! Take a look.

Male Mandarin Duck

Juvenile Mandarin Duck - colours not as fully developed and no Sail feathers.

Look at the detail in the feathers and the lovely sail feathers.

'Did you say I was pretty, why you make me blush'

Female Mandarin Duck - she may not be as colourful as the male but wow is she still beautiful.

Unfortunately I can not count these as a tick on my list as these guys were most definitely escapees - they left the island because they saw the bread I had brought with me. They were so tame - there is a population in the North somewhere which have been given a non feral status.

After they had cleared me out of bread it seemed it was preen time and all of them had a active bath - photos didn't come out so well because they were moving so fast.

Synchronised Swimming Mandarin Duck Style.

Apparently their preening did not amuse a Mute swan who came and chased them for a bit - a bit grumpy me thinks!!!

Grumpy Mute Swan

Just down from the Ducks was a little Grebe still in partial summer plumage. The water in the pond is obviously clean as the Grebe was actively feeding on what looked like both Minnows and something shrimp like. However this Grebe was not the only one - there were 3 others which looked like 2 Juveniles and 1 adult.

Adult Little Grebe

Adult Little Grebe having his lunch

Three Little Grebes - two juveniles and an adult

Also in the lake were Tufted Ducks, the usual Mallards, Mute swans, Black Headed Gulls and Moor Hens.

Female Tufted Duck

Adult Moorhen

Black Headed Gull

The trees around the pond were teaming with birdlife - a Robin singing, Blue tits, Great tits, Long Tailed tits and the usual suspects Magpies, Jackdaws and Rooks.

It was a great hour birding.

Islantillia Spain

Hey guys,

Sorry I've not been on this in months!!! But now it is the winter and I'm more a winter birder so I should be here a bit more often.

So here I am with some pictures of my holidays from Islantillia Spain which is in Andalusia area - don't worry they are birdie photos silly - no dodgy holiday snaps here!!

Sanderling having a wee snack

Sanderling having another snack.

Sanderling having a rest - you can see in this picture that they do not have a hind claw - if they did it would be a bit like us trying to run in sand with stilettos on.

Juvenile Gull - I am thinking a Lesser Black Backed Gull (will take suggestions)

Juvenile Lesser Black Backed Gull looking at a fish Id kicked in the sand.

Sanderling having a Siesta

Two adult Lesser Black Backed Gulls???

Juvenile Lesser Blacked Gull and Sanderling - shows you how small the Sanderling is.