Bunting and Gulls

Work commitments took me to Dublin today so I brought my camera and before I headed home I took a detour out to Bull Island in the hope of finding the Snow Bunting that have been present the last week or so. Conditions were poor and I was having difficulty locating them (based on where they had been reported before). I made my way right out to the tip of the Bull Wall, then, with the wind and rain at my back retraced my steps checking the beach and rocks as I went. I eventually found them and positioned myself low on the rocks as they made their way along the beach towards me. As luck would have it the boulder in front of my position had a small dip in it which had filled with rain water and the birds proceeded to use it to drink from, coming as close as three feet away at times. A very relaxed Turnstone also stopped to pose for a photo. I have been looking for Snow Bunting for my life list for a long time, never managing to spot them in Dun Laoghaire or Howth so seeing them (and so close) was something special.

 

Hopping back on the train I thought i'd try find the Azorean Yellow-legged and Ring-billed Gulls in Wexford harbour if I got back in time and the daylight held out that long. I got back with about an hour to spare and on the advice of Jimmy Murphy I headed across Wexford Bridge towards the Ferrybank. When I got there Killian Mullarney was already there and he had noted both birds but they were still quite mobile. It wasn't long before I picked up the Yellow-legged, recognising it from previous pictures, as it floated around a fishing boat which was casting off waste. Killian had left and it was getting dull and dusky but eventually the Ring-billed flew in to roost on the rocky spit, circling with the other gulls before it landed almost directly behind the now settled Yellow-legged.

 

 

 

Carrigbyrne

Heres a few snaps from a recent trip to Carrigbyrne Hill and woods. I missed out on seeing a Jay for my year list last year but found two in the woods here, making it four for this year already, typical! but they are a lovely bird and I managed to get an unusual angle on one of them. Other species seen on the day were: 3 Raven, 2 Treecreeper, A flock of 7 Bullfinch (the most I've ever seen together) as well as numerous Coal Tits and Goldcrest. The was topped off nicely when I found a Red Squirell eating pine cones just before I left.

Avoca

Took advantage of the break in the bad weather with a trip to Avoca on Thursday this week. Got a train to Rathdrum with M.P. and headed out to trek the scenic route through Avondale Forest Park. Our first surprise of the day was an early bird fox on the prowl through the fields just outside Rathdrum.

 

The park itself sees a lot of human (and dog) traffic so there wasn't a whole lot to see bar great, blue and coal tit, chaffinch, blackbird and the ever present rook and jackdaw. Outside the park and back on the road we stopped beside a shaded glade where M.P. picked up two Jay rummaging through the leaf litter (his first ever and my first for three years). They were a treat to watch, moving between ditches and branches looking for a snack. Just as we were about to leave a Treecreeper flew in beside us and went about its business unconcerned with our presence.

We continued on towards 'The Meeting of the Waters' where we found Long-tailed tit and a showy little Goldcrest as well as a large number of Grey Squirrel, one of whom I interrupted at breakfast!

We saw two Raven while walking the path but the show really started as we headed to my favourite spot, the old graveyard, on the far side of Avoca. Just outside the village two Red Kites put on an aerial show for us which was simply stunning! These fantastic birds may be commonplace in parts of England and further afield (even to the good people of Avoca it seemed) but I for one, and I'm pretty sure M.P. for two, will never get tired of seeing them as up close and personal as they were that day.

We eventually tore ourselves away and moved on towards to the old graveyard. We spotted more Raven here and a high count of nine distant Kites but it was the Buzzard that stole the show here. Two birds at first but four at times, they soared high above us, stooping, carrying and dropping food items and flying in unison through the trees, their display was amazing to witness.

They way back gave us a brazen male Bullfinch and, as if not to be outdone, a Red Kite, perched in the pines looking ready to settle in for the night.

 I would highly recommend a visit to Avoca to anybody of a similar mind-set as myself as the Kites here are truly something to behold.