Saltees Trip

Having seen reports of migrant Wryneck around the Irish coast and on the Saltees in particular I couldn't resist a trip over to chance my luck at another lifer. Two yellow-browed warbler had been spotted on Saturday but were a no show on Sunday unfortunately.
Just as the boat landed I noticed a few seal pups on the shore, with their mothers paying close attention from the water.

 

Heading towards 'the throne' I picked up a kestrel hunting near the far gannet colony as well as a hen harrier hunting along the hedges and bracken along the northern coast. I had a was a possible lesser whitethroat near 'the throne' but I only got a fleeting glance in poor light so no tick there for me i'm sorry to say. Two chough, a couple of whinchat -my first in Ireland this year- and a single wheatear (not forgetting the hundreds of swallow and large numbers of meadow pipit) were the best from the south side of the island.
I had been given directions for where the wryneck was previously spotted but, after more than an hour searching it was nowhere to be found, however as I headed back towards the house, just as the house/boat paths diverged I noticed movement in the bracken and there it was- feeding along the old stone wall near the path.

 

I headed back towards the house and garden through the palms where I found Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Spotted Flycatcher.

 

I was told there had been a garden warbler seen to the right of the house so went to check it out. Ten minutes in and around the house yielded nothing so I headed down the path towards the boat. Scanning the elderberry trees  I noticed a few more blackcap and then, there, low in the bush was the garden warbler. It stayed here for a time before moving into the sycamores, a nice end to the day and a second lifer!