Pacific Golden Plover a first for Clare

I went to Doonbeg in west Clare today to look for the American Golden Plover that Geoff Pearson found there yesterday. To all our surprise it turned out to be a Pacific Golden Plover and a first record of this rare North American wader to the county. 

 

Pacific Golden Plover at Doonbeg Bay John N Murphy

Common Cuckoo

During the Covid-19 lockdown and with all the fine weather it seems to have been a great early summer with Common Cuckoo abundant throughout the country. Here are a few shots of a male that spent a lot of time flying from pole to pole calling and picking up large caterpillars in the vegetation below.

 

Adult male Cuckoo © John N Murphy

 

 

Crossbills

There is much Crossbill activity out there at the moment.  I observed a family party of five during the week with three freshly hatched young chicks. All Crossbills in the country are being scrutinised now since Allan Mee found the Two-barred Crossbill in Limerick a couple of weeks back.  It is surprising that we don't have more records of this rare Siberian visitor to Ireland.  For now we will just have to keep looking and enjoy these superb birds.

 

Male & female Common (Red) Crossbills John N Murphy

Male Siskin John N Murphy

Semi-palmated Sandpiper in Sligo

I was passing through Sligo this afternoon on my way to Donegal and dropped into Ross's Strand to see the Semi-palmated Sandpiper that Paul Keogh found there yesterday evening.  I located the bird fairly quickly after good directions to the spot from Seamus Feeney. The weather was dull but the bird could easily be picked out close to shore within a flock of Ringed Plovers, Sanderling, Knot, one Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlin. This individual appeared bright at times and for a short spell I thought it might have been a Little Stint, but was re-assured by Killian Mullarney that it was a brighter individual of Semi-P than I have seen in the past. A great find by Paul.  Here are the distant limited shots that I got of the bird.

 

 Semi-palamated Sandpiper John N Murphy

 Curlew Sandpiper with Sanderling and the Semi-palmated Sandpiper on the right John N Murphy

Semi-palmated Sandpiper fling to the left hand side of this flock with Sanderling John N Murphy

Bonaparte's Gull still in Liscannor Bay

The first record or this rare North American Gull was found in the exact same spot over 20 years ago, a first-winter back on 24th to 29th of January 1999. Since then there have been six other records.  Two years ago an adult coming out of summer plumage was found at Quilty. Then last winter, a winter plumaged bird was found at Loop Head, and now this bird at Clahane, also an adult moulting out of summer plumage. Possibly the same bird or another, who knows. Great bird and always nice to see them close to home.

 Adult Bonaparte's with Black-headed Gull John N Murphy

Adult Bonaparte's Gull at Clahane John N Murphy

Old slide shots of the original first-winter Bonaparte's Gull at Clahane beach John N Murphy

Risso's Dolphins

During the last week a pod of 8 to10 Risso's Dolphins have been feeding off shore of Skellig Michael Island. I got a few shots of a mother and calf that came close to the south side of the island last Wednesday evening. The mother has lots of what looks like propeller scaring on her dorsal fin and back. Someone suggested it might be attacks from giant squid but I'm not convinced.

 

Mother Risso's Dolphin John N Murphy

 Calf and mother Risso's Dolphins John N Murphy

 Calf Risso's Dolphin John N Murphy

Risso's Dolphins John N Murphy

 

 

Puffin Season

Seabirds seem to have had a good breeding season this year with young birds departing the nest early than in previous years.  I was back on the Skellig Michael Island during the week and the Puffins have done well with hundreds of young birds out and about departing the nest burrows consistently all week long.

Adult Puffin will a bill full of Sand Eels and sprat John N Murphy

 Puffins playing with a flower stem John N Murphy

Puffins bill tapping John N Murphy

 Juvenile Puffin with adult John N Murphy

  Young Puffin emerging from burrow John N Murphy

 A young Puffin with grass ticks over its eyes John N Murphy

 Puffin in flight and birds at sea John N Murphy