Best of the rest

Just a few pics I liked from my outings during 2013.

Angle Shades

Poplar Hawkmoth

Hairy Dragonfly

Bat (species unknown - sorry)

Irish Hare

Basking Shark

Sloe Bug

Speckled Wood

July Highflier

Brown Hawker

Emperor Dragonfly

Grey Seal pup

Red Squirrel

2013 Birding Round-Up

What a year that was! I had decided at the start of the year do try my first 'year list'. I tried to travel around as much as possible but with no car that wasn't always possible but for the majority of my findings, thankfully, it looks like Wexford was the place to be. Three separate Shrike species, one of which (the Red-backed) I found myself and am very proud of, a long waited for Long-eared Owl, a very elusive Corncrake, a very distant but scoped and tickable Golden Eagle, and a rather curious looking bird, the Wryneck, are perhaps my highlights but it was a great year birding so its very hard to choose. My tally finished, on Dec 30th, with a Kumliens Gull at Kilmore Quay. That put me up to 177 species for the year (a staggering 39 of which were 'lifers' for me - that list now stands at 201!). Here's a few of my favourite photos from during the year. I hope, kind reader, you like my blog. I appreciate the page views and who knows what 2014 has in store.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Citrine Wagtail

Great Skua

Glossy Ibis

Kumlien's Gull

Kingfisher

Little Stint

Blue-headed Wagtail

Waxwing

Red Kite (untagged)

Long-eared Owl

Osprey

Corncrake

Great Skua

Bearded Reedling

Red-backed Shrike

Cuckoo

Red-backed Shrike (phonescoped)

Gull-billed Tern (phonescoped)

Pectoral Sandpiper

Wryneck

Spoonbill
 

Woodchat Shrike

 

Mediterranean Gull

 

 

 

Kilmore Gulls

Took a spin out to Kilmore Quay today for what was most likely my last trip of the year. The Sib. Chiff. that had been on show was unfortunately not showing itself when I got there so I headed of to the harbour to scan for gulls. There were plenty of Great Northern Diver inside and outside the harbour and I had a high count of 15. Moving towards the monument I picked up a 1st winter Glaucous Gull on the shore. Then on to the high car park where a few twitchers had collected and were watching a very graceful Kumliens Gull, also 1st winter. A cold and blustery day but worth it for the year tick Glaucous and the lifer Kumliens!

Great Northern Diver

Kumliens Gull

Kumliens Gull

Kumliens Gull

Kumliens Gull

Glaucous Gull

Glaucous Gull

Kumliens (left) and Glaucous (right)

Kumliens Gull

Glaucous Gull

Glaucous Gull

Red Squirrel

Headed for JFK Arboretum today in the hope of finding some Red Squirrel. Heavy rain and wind nearly cancelled the trip but sticking it out paid dividends as the weather eased and with the help of ranger Ken Foley I was able to find and photograph this amazing little animal.