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Imagine my surprise when I arrived at our meeting point in the Woodies store carpark, the freezing rain still pelting down, to discover several dozen people already waiting, including quite a few new faces. I put it down to New Year’s resolutions: “I must attend branch outings NO MATTER WHAT.” Several other committee members had also braved the elements, and after a brief discussion from the relative comfort of our vehicles we decided to wait for the weather to calm down before setting off to our first port of call. After about half an hour, when we realised no respite would be forthcoming, we set off for Broadmeadow regardless. As I parked at our destination and squelched through the mud towards the rest of the group crowded under the newly-built motorway flyover, the only shelter for miles, I was reminded of the flocks of Dunlin and Sanderling that gather at high tide along the outside of the West Pier in Dún Laoghaire, all huddled together to brave the biting wind. The birds on the estuary didn’t seem that bothered by the weather though, and before long we were consoling ourselves with fine views of Godwits, Curlew, Shelduck and hundreds of Golden Plover. The usual flock of Mute Swans were trying to cadge bread off some hardy kind souls on the opposite shore (more New Year’s resolutions at work, I suspect), and the local Mallard were also quick to take advantage of this goodwill. Somewhat shyer were their fellow ducks, the Wigeon, Shoveler and Teal, but they still put on a fine show for us at close range, perhaps because they knew that we wouldn’t be coming out from under the flyover anytime soon to bother them. Before long a couple of distant Red-breasted Mergansers were picked out, and the fact that everyone was packed in so close together meant that all got great views of these handsome ducks through the assembled line of telescopes. Part of the group of waterfowl known as the ‘sawbills’ on account of their serrated mandibles, the better to hold on to their slippery aquatic prey with, these punk-headed fish-eaters had a novel way of avoiding the worst of the weather, namely diving under the water and staying there for as long as possible. This technique was also employed by a couple of nearby Little Grebes, looking like little powder-puffs every time they surfaced for air. We were discussing amongst ourselves what to do next when Paul Jago arrived and informed us that he had just seen a Kingfisher from a bridge a little further upstream. Always a welcome sight, would this aquatic jewel be able to tempt us out from hiding? The decision was made for us when, miraculously, the clouds overhead began to part and the rain lessened. Taking advantage of this weather window, we all raced back to our cars and drove the short distance to the bridge to look for Paul’s bird. Sure enough, there it was, perched on the left-hand bank, and we enjoyed fantastic views of it as it repeatedly dove into the water, grabbed a small fish, and returned to its perch to dash its meal on a nearby branch before swallowing it whole. After she had apparently eaten her fill (and we could tell it was a ‘she’ by the extensive reddish-orange colouration on her bill; a male would look almost identical, but with an almost all-dark beak) she flew towards us and shot underneath the bridge right below our feet, followed closely by a second Kingfisher (this time a dark-billed male) that had previously escaped our attention. Boosted by such a thrilling encounter, we then decided to drive on to the BirdWatch Ireland reserve at Rogerstown to see what could be found there. As we drove along the track towards the hide a big dark blur dashed in front of our cars - the largest Sparrowhawk I think I have ever seen. The thought that it might be Rogerstown’s highly elusive resident Goshawk did cross my mind, but no, this was definitely just a very hefty female Sparrowhawk. As we pressed on we could see small flocks of Linnets and Goldfinches feeding around the allotments; like us, clearly taking advantage of the welcome break in the weather. We had barely entered the hide, however, when the wind and rain returned, and we were all extremely grateful that the Fingal branch had done such a great job of weatherproofing the structure. Despite the bitter conditions, hundreds of gulls could still be seen loafing about on the mudflats, many standing on one leg in an effort to conserve body heat: the presence of the rubbish dump overlooking the estuary ensures that there are always large flocks of these opportunistic scavengers in the area, whatever the weather. Around them danced good numbers of Redshank and Dunlin, while hundreds of Lapwing gathered on the far shore. The waders seemed pretty restless and skittish for some reason, and we soon found it - a magnificent adult Peregrine sitting in the grass opposite the hide, most likely standing guard over a recent kill. Its presence soon flushed large numbers of Wigeon who made for the relative safety of the open water, many settling obligingly in front of the hide. Scanning through them Stephen McAvoy soon picked out an unusual Wigeon in the flock, showing a much more extensive cream-coloured patch on the crown and darker sides to the head. After much scrutiny and patience in waiting for the bird to turn around it became clear that it was most probably a 2nd generation Eurasian Wigeon x American Wigeon hybrid; not the striking drake American Wigeon that has been present at this site for the past few winters as we had initially hoped, but most likely his grandson. Not something you see every day. A lone Little Egret and a flock of Brent Geese soon arrived on the scene and gave good views, but before long even the dazzling white plumage of the egret was difficult to make out through the worsening rain and hail. Suddenly we heard a high-pitched yelping from the field immediately right of the hide. Glancing out the window I was astonished to see that it was emanating from a rather sodden fox, sitting on his hind legs and ‘singing’ his lungs out. Early to mid January is mating season for foxes, and it is not uncommon to hear their yelps and screams during the cold winter nights, but it is very seldom that one actually gets to observe this behaviour, let alone in daylight. Alerted by the crowd of people thronging to the window for a better view, the fox trotted over to get a closer look and peered in through the window at us before scarpering off along a nearby hedgerow. Taking our cue from our canine friend we too decided to call it a day and headed back to our cars while there was still some hope of driving out along the muddying track. It had turned out to be a fine day’s birding despite the weather, and it yielded some hard-to-see species for us. A big thank you to all who turned up despite the fact that a Sunday morning lie-in must have seemed more tempting than ever before, and thanks also to the Fingal Branch who braved the elements to open up the Rogerstown hide for us. Thank goodness for New Year’s resolutions! - Niall Hatch
Off the Rosslare road back to Wexford a Buzzard circled low over the ditches, mobbed by some crows. It is good to see them moving south in the country. Fieldfare were plentiful on the grasslands. At the North Slobs we had big numbers of Greenland White-fronted Geese close up in front of the tower hide. Several Ruff stalked the grass among the geese, one a very distinctive white-headed individual. A Peregrine was seen briefly. Snipe were plentiful in the nearby ponds and pale Greenshank stood out. South in the channels there were large flocks of Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Pochard, Widgeon with a few Scaup. Flocks of Curlew flew in to graze the stubble fields. On the bus trip through the reserve we had the chance to compare all three Irish swan species side by side in the channel near Begerin Bridge. Pintail were plentiful in the shallows. Rarer goose species remained elusive, no Snow Goose or Pink-footed though a few people glimpsed some Barnacle Geese. Hen Harrier were equally elusive even though there are reportedly up to six here in their wintering area. Near the "Barn Owl Sheds" we had good views of a small flock of Tree Sparrows but we were of course too early for the owls themselves. Back at the pump-house there was just time to see some Red-breasted Merganser close by the dyke, while a Little Egret flew across the harbour into the dusk. A grand total of 80 species were seen on the day plus one (Water Rail) heard. B.G.
Bull Island Trip 12 October 2003 Photo:Tom Kealy
Branch Trip to Wales, 31st May - 1st June 2003- Niall Hatch
The South Dublin Branch has a long tradition of outings and field trips, but the June Bank Holiday weekend marked an
important departure for us - our first foreign branch trip. From Saturday 31st May to 1st of June, 33 of us travelled across
the Irish Sea for a most eventful (rather more eventful than we had anticipated, in fact) weekend of birding in north and
central Wales.
Conwy
Further along the trail we enjoyed fine views of Tufted Ducks and Pochards amid the more exotic-looking
Ruddy
Ducks and Canada Geese that also inhabit the reserve. Reed Buntings sang from all
directions, Carrion Crows flapped
lazily overhead and a busy pair of Whitethroats was seen finding food for their brood. Some lucky people even managed
to see the a breeding pair of Little Ringed Plovers right next to the visitors’ centre as we left the reserve.
As the trail climbed higher up the hillside, it brought us to a clearing with just a couple of dead trees. Atop these trees we
found yet another of our British target specialities, a pair of rival male Tree Pipits busy performing elaborate song-flights in
an attempt to defend their territories. Looking for all the world like our familiar Meadow Pipits, these small brown birds
behave very differently, being far more arboreal, and have a very different song. On the way back to Coach No.2 we
passed through some more woodland, full of singing Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, and a lone Sparrowhawk dashed
out of the trees in search of dinner.
Feeling somewhat peckish ourselves, we decided it was now time to make our way to our hotel, the lovely Royal Ship
Hotel in the town of Dolgellau in Gwynedd. After a delicious meal, a couple of us decided to take a night-time stroll
through the streets of the town and were lucky enough to hear a young Tawny Owl calling from a tree next to the road.
The next morning I decided to sneak out by myself and take a quick walk down by the river, and I managed to see both a
Common Sandpiper and a Garden Warbler before breakfast.
After we had all eaten, we boarded the coach and set off on the next leg of our journey . . . not a very long leg, as it
transpired, for no sooner had we pulled away from the front of the hotel and turned the corner than the driver clipped
some scaffolding on the main street, smashing the main side window and showering the unfortunate passengers on the
right-hand side of the coach with shards of glass. Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt, but there were still a few cuts
and gashes which needed to be dealt with back at the hotel. The damaged coach was in no state to continue, so we had
to wait for 2 hours in a riverside car park until Coach No.3 turned up. Annoying as this was, there was a silver lining in the
dumpy form of a Dipper that entertained us as it flew up and down the river. A different race to the Dippers we have in
Ireland, British birds are somewhat paler above and have a broader light brown band above their white bellies.
Suddenly there was a sharp screech from a trailside tree and 6 or 7 brown shapes exploded out of a hole in the
trunk and dashed past us in a panicked blur of wings. Not birds, but bats - Noctule Bats, in fact; a large species not
found in Ireland. Not normally the most willing of early afternoon fliers, these bats had presumably been roosting in
the tree hole when they were surprised by a hungry intruder, most likely a stoat or a weasel. Somewhat surprised
ourselves, we returned to the visitors’ centre for lunch.
As we ate and enjoyed the birdsong and sunshine, word filtered through that a pair of Redstarts had been seen by some
of our party down another nearby trail. Setting off alone to investigate, I paused on a small bridge to scan the valley opposite
and found myself looking right at a soaring Red Kite heading high over the ridge, right in the direction of the picnic tables!
I ran back as fast as I could to alert everyone else, but alas I wasn’t as fast as the kite, which had already shot past by
the time I got there.
What with all the unforeseen coach mishaps, we were running short of time, so we returned to Dolgellau where we had to
wait for Coach No.4 to take us back to Anglesey (due to some contractual reason or other, Coach No.3 wasn’t able to
take us). We had hoped to visit South Stack R.S.P.B. Reserve, just a stone’s throw from Holyhead, on the way back,
but time was now against us and we decided it would be better not to risk missing the ferry. Little did we know that right
at that moment something rather special had just been found next to South Stack’s main car park - a Black Lark, a
species normally confined to Central Asia and never before seen in Britain. Possibly the rarest vagrant ever to turn up in
Wales and we had missed it!
Still, we were blissfully unaware of this fact as we sailed back to Dun Laoghaire, so the mood was upbeat. 2 days,
95 species and 4 coaches - not a bad tally. Great Spotted Woodpecker was voted bird of the trip, and we were all
delighted to have connected with so many of our target specialities. Mishaps aside, I think everyone really enjoyed the
trip, and I for one am looking forward to doing it again next year (though maybe with a different coach company).
Special thanks must go to R.S.P.B. Wales for all their help in planning the trip and for looking after us so well at their
fantastic reserves.
(By the way, in case you’re interested, 1,400 twitchers turned up at South Stack the following morning to see the
Black Lark, along with several TV news crews who turned up to see the twitchers. It remained at the reserve for
most of the week, with birders travelling from as far afield as Switzerland to ‘tick’ it. I myself popped back across
the Irish Sea on the Tuesday morning and enjoyed fantastic views of the little fellow, and a few other Irish birders
did likewise over the following days.)
Niall Hatch FlightLines September 2003
On Sunday the 11th of May, the South Dublin Branch once again participated in the National Dawn Chorus Day by
organising a field trip to Cabinteely Park, always one of the most popular events in our calendar. We had arranged to
meet up at 4am outside Dunnes Stores at Cornelscourt, and despite the early hour I’m delighted to report that there was the
customary large attendance. We waited for a few minutes for any latecomers, then drove to the North Gate of
Cabinteely Park. After we had stood patiently for half an hour or so in the darkness, the birds started singing - the
Dawn Chorus had begun!
The first birds to begin singing were the Robins, with their distinctive melancholic song: at least three different individuals
could be heard singing near our initial stop. After walking a short distance towards a hedgerow, we heard our second
species of the morning, a Wren. The Wren is our most widespread species and its distinctive, loud, fast warble can be
heard throughout the year. We continued walking through the park and as it grew increasingly brighter, more and
more birds joined in. A lone Dunnock sang its scratchy ‘unoiled trolley wheel’ song from the same hedgerow where the
Wren had been performing earlier. The Blackbirds and Song Thrushes added their distinctive flute-like tones to the chorus
at about 5am, and shortly after that they were joined by that virtuoso of Irish woodland, the Blackcap.
As dawn approached we walked to the small woodland beside Cabinteely House, and soon we heard (it would be hard
not to) the large, noisy colony of Rooks, with several Jackdaws thrown in for good measure, waking and then flying
off to their feeding grounds. Several Woodpigeons were heard cooing in the trees above our heads before they, too,
departed to find breakfast, clattering off through the branches as they went.
Two specialities of this woodland are the resident Treecreepers and Goldcrests. Both species are rather retiring and are
usually noticed by their calls: the Treecreeper gives a buzzing but flat “tsrri”, whereas the Goldcrest calls with a very high
pitched and upslurred “tsee-tsee-tsee”. A Treecreeper was heard calling from inside the wood and after some searching
was located climbing up a Horse Chestnut tree, though frustratingly it gave only brief views. The Goldcrest, Europe’s
smallest bird, was heard calling from a stand of old pine trees. It was seen only briefly flying between the trees
and then gleaning insects from the end of a branch, but several more could clearly be heard singing nearby. From
this woodland we walked towards the southern end of the park, and along the way were lucky enough to encounter
all four Irish Tit species - Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed. At the Loughlinstown Stream, which flows through the
park, a pair of Moorhens was found, while several Greenfinches and Goldfinches were seen feeding in a nearby tree.
It was at this point that one lucky observer found a Sparrowhawk flying over, but unfortunately it disappeared before the
whole group could see it. As we walked back towards Cabinteely House for a well deserved breakfast, Hooded Crows,
Mistle Thrushes and Collared Doves were seen feeding on the football pitches, while a flock of Black-headed Gulls was
hawking insects overhead, joined before long by several noisy Swallows.
We would like to extend special thanks to the Parks Dept. of Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown County Council for opening up
Cabinteely Park for us at such an unsociable hour, not to mention for the delicious breakfast they provided for all the
participants at the end of the outing and the guided tours of Cabinteely House that followed. We are very fortunate to
have such a wonderful amenity in our branch area, and are most grateful for all the assistance we have received from the
Parks Dept. over the years.
Stephen McEvoyFlightLines September 2003
On a dull and overcast Sunday, the South Dublin Branch held its outing in Kilcoole.
A few Meadow Pipits and Greenfinches were singing from the bushes surrounding the car park.
One of the Greenfinches flew overhead while performing its characteristic display flight
during which it sings a very trilling song. A few Sand Martins were seen hunting for insects
over the car park and the Reserve itself.
We then walked from the car park south along the BirdWatch Ireland reserve.
Opposite the train station we noticed that many large boulders had been dumped, apparently
in an effort to protect the shore from erosion. There was very little water in the reserve
due to the very dry weather in the preceding weeks, and so only two Lapwings and a few
Moorhens were in the present. A single summer-plumaged Red-throated Diver was located on the
sea, while Fulmars, Kittiwakes and Gannets were spotted passing by further out. A large
flock of gulls and a mixed flock of Cormorants and Shags were seen following a trawler for
any scraps thrown overboard. Many Guillemots and Razorbills from the breeding colonies of
Bray and Wicklow Head were also spotted nearby.
While walking further south towards the Breaches, a Harbour Porpoise was spotted quite
close to shore. It was admired by all, although it gave only brief views. Porpoises can
be separated from dolphins by their much smaller dorsal fin. Porpoises are relatively
abundant in Irish waters and Killiney Bay and Kilcoole are usually very reliable places to
see them. A large flock of summer plumaged Golden Plovers were present in the field between
the reserve and the Breaches. In winter plumage Golden Plovers are a rather dull yellow-brown,
but in breeding dress they have a black face and belly. Golden Plovers breed in low numbers
on the mountains of Donegal and other upland regions, but very commonly in Scandinavia, were
most of our wintering birds originate. A single Snipe was seen feeding near the plovers,
standing out in full view. Only occasionally does one see this very secretive bird,
although it is a relatively common breeding bird on Irish bogs.
From the Breaches we could see several summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwits, which are a
beautiful deep rusty red in colour; altogether much more striking than when wearing their
more familiar winter garb. A lone Little Egret was seen walking around the fields behind
the Breaches, poking its head up over the grass ridges. Rogerstown Estuary in north county
Dublin and Kilcoole are usually very good places to see this all white relative of the
commoner Grey Heron. As the weather was rapidly deteriorating, we returned to the car park,
spotting a small flock of migrating Sandwich Terns flying quickly north on our way.
Stephen McEvoy
Following the popularity and success of last year's coach trip over the border into
Northern Ireland it was decided that we would repeat the venture this year. Our main
focal point was once again the superb RSPB reserve at Belfast Lough, but as on the
previous trip we also planned to take in a few other good birding spots in the general
vicinity. All too often we birders in the Dublin area tend to overlook the huge birding
potential just a few miles north of us on the N1, and through this now-annual
excursion we hope that we have started to fill in a few of the gaps in our knowledge of
birding sites in Northern Ireland.
So it was, then, that a coach containing 31 of us set off on the northbound journey on
a fine cool Sunday morning. Our first birding stop for the day was Dundalk docks,
always a productive and interesting spot, and on this occasion a very convenient one
too. As we came to a halt at the dockside a quick glance was enough to show that gull
numbers were uncharacteristically low on the mudflats that morning: ordinarily there
are high numbers of gulls around the docks area due to its close proximity to Dundalk
rubbish dump, with all its fine gourmet dining potential, but alas not during this quick
visit. Waterfowl and waders were present in abundance, however, and no sooner had
we stepped from the coach then we were enjoying good close views of colourful
clusters of Mallard, Wigeon and Teal along the small grassy bank opposite. A couple
of 'punk-headed' Red-breasted Mergansers also drifted by, as a group of hungry-
looking Mute Swans swam over to investigate us and perhaps avail of a free meal.
Good numbers of Redshank and Oystercatcher also obliged us with fine views,
Continuing northwards towards Belfast we made a short detour to enable us to pay a
visit to our second scheduled stop of the day, the delightfully-named Balancing Lakes
just outside Craigavon, a new site for us. These two small lakes, divided by a narrow
grassy ridge, are a well-known local birding spot with a good network of paths and
viewing points, and are so-called because the water levels in one lake always
correspond to the levels in the other. Following a thorough exploration of the
fascinating A27 roundabout system, almost worth a trip in its own right, we managed
to locate the main car park and disembarked for a quick lakeshore walk . . . just in
time for an absolutely torrential rain shower, soaking us all to the skin. Those of you
who were on the now-notorious Clonmacnoise leg of our Shannon Callows trip will
know that this is not an uncommon occurrence for the South Dublin Branch. The rain
soon cleared, however, and before long everyone was enjoying excellent views of
Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen and Pochard, as well as of a surprisingly high number of
Great Crested Grebes. Despite careful scanning we failed to locate the drake Smew
that had been reported on one of the lakes during the preceding week, but we did
come up with a few handsome Goldeneye by way of compensation.
Following a brief break for lunch back at the car park, watched all the while by a very
odd-looking goose (most likely a feral Canada Goose x Greylag Goose hybrid), we
got back on our coach and set off to our main destination for the day, the
Belfast
Lough
reserve itself. For those of you who have yet to visit, it is rather a surprising
The star of the show, however, was a stunning drake Goosander (see above) that was just loafing
about on the small island to the left-hand side of the lagoon, and all present enjoyed
the best possible views of this handsome duck. A very scarce visitor to our shores
from continental Europe (although tiny numbers do breed in Co. Wicklow), this
species is a close relative of the more familiar Red-breasted Merganser. Both ducks
are members of a group known as the sawbills, so-named due to the fact that the
edges of their long, narrow bills are serrated to give them a better grip on slippery
prey, and at close range making it appear as though they have teeth.
Walking back towards the main entrance where our coach was waiting, the light
beginning to fade, we spotted many large white objects grazing in fields nearby.
Sheep, perhaps? No, they were Whooper Swans, as we discovered once we had
found them in the scopes. As we walked on, a lone Song Thrush sang repetitively
from a trail-side tree, and several lucky people glimpsed a pair of Merlins dashing
over the path ahead of us. With darkness descending we climbed back into the coach
and set off for home after what had been a great day's birding, having tallied a very
respectable total of 80 species for the day.
Niall Hatch
Drawings from the trip by Robert Vaughan
The fourth County Wicklow Bird Race took place on 8th February. Seven teams
huddled round their cars in the dark on Bray promenade, discussing tactics
before the off at 7.30 am. The object to see as many species of birds as
possible by 6.30pm.
Six minutes later, we ("The Peckers") logged our first bird - a Mallard
winging overhead in the grey light of daybreak at Kilmacanogue.
Glendalough, our first real stop was productive and though it didn't yield
up Jay or Goosander two key species - our list stood at 29 when we left at
9.15. We had Dipper, Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Peregrine, Raven and
Siskin under our belts. The weather was blustery and "guaranteed" sites
where there had been Redpoll, Bullfinch and Yellowhammer only days before,
let us down hard!
On the plus side, a Buzzard soaring near Ashford and a Stock Dove (always a
tricky one on race day) whizzing by lifted the spirits, only to be let down
when we found that the water level had dropped at Killoughter. Where were
the Pintail and the White-fronted Geese we had lined up? At least the
Gadwall were there and a Little Egret and the Golden Plover hundreds of
them, which meant that all the other teams saw them as well. The Wicklow
Race is quite different to the Dublin Race species you take for granted in
Dublin like Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Scoter and Great Northern
Diver can be next to impossible to find in Wicklow in the depths of winter.
This was the first time Grey Plover was recorded in the race and only the
second time for Golden Plover.
At 1.00pm our score was 73, an hour later it was only 75. Panic usually
sets in by this stage of the day, especially when you realise that though
you have Kingfisher, Purple Sandpiper and Blackcap firmly in the bag, you
haven't yet seen a Rock Pipit or worse an Oystercatcher! Greystones,
Kilcoole and Broad Lough all drew a blank. It was five o'clock, the light
was going, we were near Wicklow town looking for Feral Pigeon, our score was
82, where did we go wrong? We saw any hope of the trophy slip away. Must
save face, can't repeat last year's no Oystercatcher again this year.
I leap out of the car near Brittas Bay. In the twilight, I pick up a flock
of 30 Oystercatchers flying round a headland; they disappear. The rules
state that three or more people in the team must see a bird for it to count.
There is no access to the beach. We drive on towards Arklow; it's getting
darker, a quick U-turn, must try for those Oystercatchers. A barrier, CCTV, a
caravan park and a long walk to a sandy beach proved no obstacle to four
desperate men. There, in the dark, at 5.45pm, we clocked our 84th species.
Three teams beat us by a handful of points, but the outright winners were
"Southpark", with an outstanding total of 95.5 species (Water Rail heard
only counts as a half point). The composite species total for the day was
105. In January, the Dublin Race winners scored 103, out a composite total
of 111 species. It's tough at the top!
We couldn’t have asked for a nicer morning for our February outing to the Blessington Lakes. Given the somewhat discouraging weather forecast and blustery downpours of the previous day, the cloudless blue skies, warm shining sun and wonderfully calm breeze came as a very pleasant and welcome surprise for all those of us who had made our way to our meeting point in Blessington village. Indeed, so many had been lured out by the fine conditions that it was necessary for some participants to ‘double-up’ with other birders for the morning in order to reduce the number of cars that would be competing for limited roadside parking later on.
With all the vehicular arrangements finalised we set off in the direction of the lakes. En route we stopped to view a large flock of Greylag Geese that were grazing contentedly in a field, located thanks to the scouting efforts of Michael Ryan the previous day. As we paused to enjoy scope-filling views of these winter visitors from Iceland, a familiar sight for many years now in the Blessington area, three Common Snipe flew up from the tall grass beside us. Normally rather muted and cryptic in appearance, these shy waders looked positively dazzling in the bright sunshine, flashes of vivid yellow blazing out from their warm brown plumage. Just as resplendent, albeit in a less atypical way, was a single Goldfinch that obligingly perched for all to see atop a roadside fencepost. Meanwhile the Greylags grazed on, oblivious to our close attentions and clearly used to proximity to humans; one need only drive past the closely-related Greenland White-fronted Geese on the Wexford Slobs to see just how skittish wild geese can be in different circumstances. We continued on down to the main reservoir itself, arriving at the parking area just in time to glimpse a flock of deep-flapping Lapwings pass overhead. No doubt spurred on by the good weather, birds were singing from the trees all around us, and in just a couple of seconds I was able to make out Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Robin, Wren, Blackbird and Chaffinch, all in fine voice. Walking along the trail down to the water’s edge we were further entertained by the antics of several Coal Tits flitting restlessly between the conifers, and several people were lucky enough to glimpse a shy Red Squirrel climbing along a tree limb. As we stopped in an attempt to relocate this beautiful mammal a keen pair of ears detected a soft twittering coming from a nearby alder. Closer investigation revealed a group of 4 tiny Siskins foraging in the tree in question, including one stunning male that posed for our telescopes for several minutes: a lovely encounter with this hard-to-pin-down finch. As we admired his bright yellow and green plumage, set off by a lovely black cap, a duelling pair of male Chaffinches argued noisily right beside us before disappearing off into the woods. Initially the lake itself appeared uncharacteristically quiet, but careful scanning of the water and the shoreline soon revealed a large group of Lapwings and Curlews lounging on the opposite bank, as well as several Great Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls wheeling about. A flock consisting of a few dozen Pied Wagtails dashed about on a lake-side spit, with more and more flying in to join them every few minutes - unusual to see so large a group outside of a winter night-time roost. Several ducks could also be seen bobbing about on the water, though due to the intense reflected sunlight most merely appeared as dark silhouettes. Patient scanning, however, at least provided identifiable views of Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Pochard and even a few Goldeneye, and the highly distinctive outline of a Great Crested Grebe was also picked out before we left. Unexpectedly absent were the swans for which the lake is so well known: we wondered if perhaps this was due to the large number of noisy anglers camped out all around the lakeshore. As we returned to our cars we collected quite an assortment of discarded fishing tackle, including one particularly nasty multi-hooked Pike lure that would have spelled certain death for any waterbird unfortunate enough to have ingested it. The lake is a resource that can be enjoyed by birder and angler alike, but some degree of responsibility clearly attaches to those who visit it to make as little impact on the local ecosystem as possible. Still, it was almost impossible to be in an angry mood as we made our way back along the trail to the main road, the spirited song of a Mistle Thrush heralding our approach and Coal and Blue Tits flitting around on all sides. On the way back to the village a few of us decided to make a quick detour to look for the large Fieldfare and Redwing flock that Michael had found the day before. After a few minutes we found them, hundreds of birds all out feeding in the warmth and providing what were undoubtedly the best views of these winter thrushes that I have had in a long while. Perhaps the best part of the experience was being able to observe the foraging behaviour of these handsome birds - they could clearly be seen lowering their heads to the ground, tilting them first one way, then the other, obviously listening for sounds of their prey moving under the soil, before jabbing abruptly down with their bills and claiming their prizes. A fine end to what I’m sure everyone who was there would describe as a wonderful morning’s birding. Niall Hatch Broadlough Lake, Co. Wicklow. 12 January 2003
Our usual meeting place for the Broadlough Outing is at
the entrance to Clark's Grain Store, opposite Rathnew Cemetery. Once again
it proved a great spot to see one of our more colourful and increasingly less
common birds of open farmland, the Yellowhammer. On a dull January
morning the sight of a large flock of these bright yellow birds was a uplifting
sight with fifteen at a time feeding on the grain spilt on the ground at the
factory entrance. They were inter-
spersed among an even larger flock
of Chaffinches. A Kestrel flew over
causing a temporary dispersal to the
nearby trees but they soon returned.
The only drawback on this occasion
was that the car park adjoining the
road was locked so we didn't want
to delay too long on a busy road.
The convoy set off for the car park
near the beach from where we set
off up the coast. A single Goldfinch hopped around a
thistle long enough
for a good look at him, another of our most colourful birds and always a treat
to see. Over the railway siding a female kestrel hung in the air, which seemed
quite a feat considering the wind,
We turned the 'scopes towards the sea and picked out a Red-throated Diver
and shortly after two Great Crested Grebes close to the shore.
Did I mention it was bitterly cold? It was. The weather forecast had said it
would be getting milder and the ground temperature may have risen taking
away the last of the frosts but a cutting wind was blowing from the south
west and we were very exposed. But we're a determined bunch and
Broadlough can be a great spot so we ploughed on, crossing the railway line
and heading inland. The tide was
rising but there was plenty of mud and on that mud were Common, Herring
and Black headed Gulls, Ringed Plover and Redshank. Joe Hobbs was
keeping an eye ahead and saw a distant Little Egret it's white plumage and
long neck unmistakable. He also saw over the fields near Killoughter what he
described as a 'ring-tail', either a female or a juvenile Hen Harrier both of
which have brown plumage and a white rump patch, an unusual bird for
Broadlough though many of these birds winter near the coast.
Dick Coombes spotted a solitary Greenshank
standing motionless at
"the mouth of a channel and moments later someone
saw a cat peering at the Greenshank from the
reeds. He stayed undisturbed
though slim and pale, an elegant wader.
Further down the lake there was
lots of activity and we saw a flock of dozens of
Golden Plover
standing spread out motionless on the mud, heads tucked into wings.
Black-tailed Godwit fed In the rising channel,
Dunlin rushed around feeding in the mud. Floating in the channel among the
Wigeon, Mallard and Mute Swans Dick saw a small group of a duck that
isn't often seen around the coast, the Gadwall. Not spectacular looking but
very neat with the male having one defining characteristic, a black stern or
rump.
A pair of Stonechats hopped around the grasses in front of us. Further across
the lake almost hidden at the edge of the reeds some Teal groomed
themselves.
Although a great array of wildfowl lay before us, as I mentioned before it
was freezing and even the hardiest observer didn't delay. At least someone
seemed to be benefiting from the wind as that Kestrel was still hanging in the
air, this time right in front of us as we hurried back to the car park.
Michael Ryan, FlightLines February 2003.
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Lake Vyrnwy
Ynys-hir
accompanied by a Lapwing or two, and after a few minutes a flock of shimmering
Golden Plover flew in to join them. Many of these were starting to show signs of
moult from winter to summer plumage, and a couple had already completed the
change from subtle golden-washed brown to vivid black and gold. A distant Shelduck
and a few Cormorants were also spotted, and careful scanning through the waders
revealed a nice total of four Ruff, including one male with an almost entirely white
head (see right). This distinctive-looking, medium-sized wader, with its long-necked and pot-
bellied appearance, is predominantly a passage visitor to Ireland - that is to stay, it is
generally pops in to see us only for a brief stop-over during its main migration.
Dundalk is a well-known staging post for this species, but even so we were most
fortunate to see four together.
location to find birds, being situated in the middle of Belfast Harbour Estate, a large
industrial complex on the west side of the harbour, adjacent to Belfast City Airport,
and directly across the road from a large BP fuel depot - not exactly the first place
one would think of looking for a nature reserve. One glance over the lagoon from the
picture windows in the very lavish and comfortable main hide, though, is enough to
convince even the most sceptical birder that this place does indeed have a lot to offer.
Large numbers of Wigeon and Teal were immediately visible, together with lots of
Shelduck, many waders and a nice assortment of gulls, including several Lesser
Black-backs.
Just as exciting were the outstanding views we had of a Buzzard (see right) in the short grass at
the back of the lagoon, grappling with a very feisty frog that stubbornly refused to let
itself be eaten and continued to struggle despite the talons trying to pin it to the
ground. As the frog hopped, so the Buzzard was forced to do likewise so as not to
loose its lunch, and the whole scene was rather amusing (no disrespect intended to the
unfortunate frog). Ultimately the larger creature prevailed and stayed put to devour
its prize right in front of us, affording perhaps the best views of an active Buzzard I
have ever had. Somewhat less gruesome was the striking flock of Reed Buntings that
flew in at this point, flitting restlessly about in the reeds just a few feet in front of the
hide windows as angry Moorhens chased each other around beneath them. All the
time the noisy Linnets and Greenfinches continued their chatter from the bushes at
either side of us. A few Knot also flew in and scattered themselves amongst the
mixed flock of Black- and Bar-tailed Godwits on the main island, and a few Shoveler
drifted lazily across the back of the lagoon.
Our final stop for the day was Oxford Island Nature Reserve, on the southern shore of
Lough Neagh. We arrived rather late in the day, but we still had about an hour or so
to explore the place. We started off with nice views of some Tufted Duck and
Goldeneye out on the lake, with several Grey Herons and Cormorants seen more
distantly. A quick scan through the Tufties on the other side of the visitors' centre
revealed a lovely female Scaup in close to the shore, and a few more of these scarce
diving ducks were spotted further off. The Pochards were also showing well, as were
the Great Crested and Little Grebes, and at the edge of the reeds in the distance a keen
pair of eyes picked up a pair of Ruddy Ducks, no doubt wanderers from the
controversial introduced population in Britain rather than genuine vagrants from the
native haunts of the species in the Americas (for more information on the controversy
surrounding Ruddy Ducks in Britain see