"Ballycotton gives and Ballycotton takes!"

Ballycotton gives and Ballycotton takes!". My wife Polina came up with that about a year ago after she started to notice that everytime we see good birds at Ballycotton I end up losing something. 3 years ago a White-rumped Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper (a good BallyC bird) and a Marsh Harrier cost me a lens hood. Last year, 7 Buff-breasted Sandpipers and 20 Curlew Sandpipers cost me a pair of waterproofs. Today, A Buff-bellied Pipit, a Whinchat and a Barred Warbler cost me a pair of sunglasses! Good help me if I ever find something really rare there myself, I'll probably lose my car keys then!
Anyway, the weather today was absolutely cracking, not a breathe of wind, clear skies and good light. Myself and Harry Hussey headed to Ballynamona strand to get views of the Buff-bellied Pipit which Dennis O'Sullivan found yesterday. The bird had been located near the beach carpark feeding on the weed with Rock and Meadow Pipits. It was initially distant but a helpful Red Setter flushed it  little closer to our group.

 

 

 

Buff-bellied Pipit - Ballynamona Beach 6th November 2011

Unfortunately that was the last time any loose dogs helped us out so once the beach had filled up with other dogs (and their owners) we called it a day and decided to look in Ballycotton village itself for migrants.
We had got no further than 200 metres away from the carpark when I spied a nice Whinchat sitting up on the hedgerow along the road. Sadly before I got a chance to press the shutter it flew into the field on the opposite side of the road against the strong sun. It was fly-catching here happily so I decided to set up the camera and tripod and wait for it to return to the hedgerow where I'd first seen it. In the meantime Harry suggested he'd continue to walk the narrow road that leaves the car-park and joins the main Ballycotton road in the hope that there might be something else around. He returned 20 minutes later and happily told me that he'd had a Barred Warbler further down the road. I left the Whinchat to its fly-catching and followed Harry. We relocated the bird after about 5 minutes and were soon joined by several other birders who'd been to see the Pipit. The bird did what Barred Warblers often do and remained elusive but at times it showed quite well.

Barred Warbler - Ballycotton 6th November 2011

This was the best shot I could manage, if it stays there may be better shots than this. 2 male Blackcaps and a female Blackcap were also in the same area.
We eventually made our way up to the village but it was all quiet there. One final check for better views of the Barred or Whinchat but by that stage the light and birds were gone so I headed home to roost myself.

Knockadoon 'sore' Head

Last night was my 'going away' do from work so fully expecting a bad hangover today I had made no plans to do any birding. However news of a RB Fly giving amazing views at the campsite on Knockadoon Head was too tempting so I dragged my sorry carcase off the couch and headed out.
Once I reached the site I found several other birders watching a Garden Warbler in the brambles opposite the campsite, the RB Fly had been sitting out earlier giving great views but was now nowhere to be seen. In fact I never got to see the bird despite checking several possible places. It's around somewhere and will hopefully oblige tomorrow if it stays.

Anyway, I'm personally a fan of Garden Warblers so I was quite happy to see if I could get some shots of this one. It remained quite close in the brambles but there was always a leaf or a branch in the way of 'that' shot. However after a little wait it got somewhat more showey for me and I managed some pics as it munched away happily on the blackberries.

Garden Warbler - Knockadoon Head 5th November 2011

While at Knoackadoon there was also news of a Buff-bellied Pipit found by Dennis O'Sullivan on Ballynamona Beach this afternoon with a Water Pipit also there,that one found by Owen. With all the weed on the beach it has the potential to pull in some more nice birds...maybe a Wheatear of some sort Santa!

East Cork

The weather here in Cork has been pretty unsettled so clear skies and calm winds yesterday meant it was a chance to check some spots in East Cork. I was joined by Harry Hussey and first stop was Cobh for a brief and unsuccessful check of Kennedy Pier and the Pilot Boat Pier for the juv American Herring Gull. Maybe it's saving itself for next years Bird Race!

Over at Cuskinny, Harry quickly picked up a 1st winter Little Gull amongst the Black-headed Gulls on the seaward side. The light was the wrong side for shots so I just enjoyed watching the bird instead. No sooner had it appearred when it disappeared but was quickly replaced by the regular Sabine's Gull. This bird, assuming it's the same one, has been appearring annually each autumn in Cobh since as a far back as 2003 I believe.

Sabine's Gull over Cuskinny Reserve

It flew out of the Cuskinny reserve presumably after a quick wash and away out of sight. Between House Crows, American Herring Gulls, Sabine's Gulls and lots of other stuff, Great Island always has something to offer, the Bird Race tallies often pass the 100 spp. mark. Not bad for early January!
We headed on to Knockadoon Head in the company of John Meade but could only dig out a Chiffer, some Goldcrests and a Lesser Redpoll. Harry received at text from Micheal Cowming that the 1st winter Ring Ouzel was showing well over at Ardmore Head so for the sake of seeing a good bird we jumped back in the car and headed to Ardmore. The bird was indeed showing well but was very nervous, it was returning to the same Cotoneaster hedge all the time though and with a little patience in the fading light it obliged for one shot.

1st winter Ring Ouzel - Ardmore Head, Co. Waterford

After that it was homeward bound!

A few days off!

I had 6 days off work in late October and decided to head west for Mizen Head after word reached me of a Red-eyed Vireo found by Owen Foley. Reaching the head on Thursday morning I met local birder Dan Ballard, Dan told me the bird was on show in the garden in the pines. 2 minutes later I was in position and of course no sign of the pesky varmit! 3 hours later it still hadn't showed so I decided it was time to take a break, warm up a little and get some coffee. I headed over to the main Mizen garden with Owen where we pinned down the tristis Chiffer. A very distinctive looking bird alongside the other common Chiffs and it called intermittently allowing me to get my ear in on its vocalisation. I obtained a couple of decent shots of the bird as it fed close by in the willows;

Sibe Chiffer - Mizen Head 20th October 2011

Sibe Chiffer - Mizen Head 20th October 2011

Feeling in better spirits I returned to the REV garden and this time the bird appeared feeding in the fuschia hedgerow in the field opposite. I've only seen REVs in Panama and Ecuador and then they were high up in the canopy feeding but this chap was very showy in the evening light and allowed some nice pics!

REV -  Mizen Head 20th October

REV - Mizen Head 20th October

The bird remained in the garden for at least a few more days and I know several people connected with it and got some great shots also!
The next few days I took in the Old Head and Knockadoon Head in East Cork but the best bird was a late Willow Warbler on the Old Head picked up by Harry Hussey. Blackcaps and Chiffers were plentiful however.
With a bit of brighter and calmer weather I decided to head west again this time to Galley Head. A Black Redstart (looked like a 2nd cy male) was hopping around the rooftops near Red Strand and while trying to get a shot of a Yellow-browed Warbler (without success) at Dirk Bay this Chiffer showed briefly. It never called sadly but I think it looked good for tristis (what with me suddenly being an expert on these now ;-)). See what you think!

Sibe Chiffer? - Dirk Bay 24th October

A female Common Redstart appeared briefly in the garden of the end house but I couldn't relocate her, a female type Black Redstart was also present on the pier wall at Dirk. Just in case you think it's all very autumnal, there was a winter plumage Red-throated Diver in Dirk Bay and a very nice summer plumage Great Northern Diver off Red Strand, just letting me know that winter was on the way.
My final day off saw me once more on the Old Head. Checking the Plantation the very first bird was this nice Lesser Whitethroat. I spent a few hours watching the bird and obtained some shots. After posting them on line some observers felt the bird looked very brown and could possibly be one of the eastern forms. Some of the local ringers were contacted but were unable to travel to the Old Head so this one will remain a little mystery. Here's the shots and I will leave it up to you to speculate!

Eastern form Lesser 'throat???

Showing quite a lot of brown on the head and mantle.

I headed home just as a Firecrest was found by Ronan O'Driscoll and the next morning a Subalpine was also located by Ciaran Cronin proving that the Old Head always has the potential to deliver!