Long-billed Dowitcher

I was back in the sunny South-east again this weekend, where it was sunny for a change after all the adverse weather and storms that ran through the country over the last couple of weeks.  I eventually caught up with the Long-billed Dowitcher at Lady's Island and saw some distant Short-eared Owls at the South Slob that Kieran Grace flushed nicely for us. Two Cranes and harriers were also at Tacumschin.  After going through the scoter flock in Rosslare bay, the car was pointed towards Dunmore East in County Waterford, where along the way Duncannon harbour and beach in Wexford were checked for gulls, of which there were thousands.  Here we met up with a good friend Canary Joe Adamson who had just come back from Dunmore East. We left Joe with the Duncannon Gulls and arrived in Dunmore East late into the afternoon, where my buddy Finbarr and I eventually caught up with the Caspian Gull that was sitting out on the sea with other large gulls.  There were a couple of Icelands along with one first-winter Litlle Gull that rounded off the day very nicely.

Long-billed Dowitcher Lady's Island © John N Murphy

 Black-tailed Godwits feeding alongside the Dowitcher © John N Murphy