Pied-billed Grebe

I was working in west Mayo today and got the opportunity to visit Lough Baun near Louisburgh early this morning to have a look for a Pied-billed Grebe that Pat Lonergan found a couple of days ago.  On the lake there was a Long-tailed duck. one Little Grebe, a half dozen Eurasian Teal and the Pied-billed. I first spotted the bird in the reed bed to the North side of the lake.  It then proceeded to swim out into the open water and start fishing.  After 20 minutes it swam into thick vegetation to the west where it skulked about for a long time, giving bad views on and off hereafter. This was the first record for Mayo.

This is the 11th Irish record of Pied-billed Grebe.  The previous records were as follows (thanks to Joe Hobbs for help with the attached list).

1. 24 May - 21 June 1987. Our Lady's Island Lake, Co. Wexford. Irish Birds 3(4): 611 & 4(1): 81.
2. 23 - 24 April 1988. Lough Anarget, Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal. Irish Birds 4(1): 81.
3.  2 January - 4 March 1995. North Slob, Co. Wexford. Irish Birds 5(4): 447.
4.  1 February - 23 March 1997. Rostellan, Co. Cork. Irish Birds 6(2): 287.
     10 October 1997 - 5 April 1998. Rostellan, Co. Cork. Presumed same individual returning. Irish Birds 6(2): 287.
     29 June 1998 - 20 April 1999. Rostellan, Co. Cork. Presumed same individual returning. Irish Birds 6(3): 379.
5. 11 - 14 December 1997. Kilbaha, Co. Clare. Irish Birds 6(2): 287.
6. 24 October - 8 November 2000. Lough Aderra, Co. Cork. Irish Birds 7(1): 81.
7. 22 - 30 November 2003. Tacumshin, Co. Wexford. Irish Birds 7(4): 553.
8. 19 February - 31 March 2010. Lough Gur, Co. Limerick. Irish Birds 9(2): 291.
9.  5 March - 3 April 2010. Corofin, Co. Clare. Irish Birds 9(2): 291.
10. 11 December 2010 - 3 February 2011. Little Island, Co. Cork. Irish Birds 9(2): 291.

Pied-billed Grebe at Lough Baun, Mayo © John N Murphy