101010

This morning we headed down to Irishtown Nature Reserve for our first outing with Ricardo Collins. Great morning for waders down at the shore, close views of Dunlins and their sewing machine action, Turnstones, poss Greenshank, Redshank, Oystercatchers, Great Crested Grebe in the sea, far off Mergansers and Garganey, Cormorants, a flock of Golden Plover and also a first sighting this year of a Brent Geese fly by (they were heading Bull island direction).

Down near the Poolbeg towers where Susan said she always used to see lots of Stonechats, we didn’t manage to see a single one – not good, well, there was a possible sighting of a female Stonechat but it was too far off to be certain. We did however see a female Reed Bunting and several Robins, Blue tits and Blackbirds.

The tide had come in high and all the waders had disappeared by the time I got back to the car where I had left my camera so I decided I’d head off to Kilcoole to see if 101010 would bring me luck in spotting the Wilson’s Phalarope.

When I pulled up in Kilcoole, Brian was getting out of his car as well, so we headed down the tracks together.

After many stops, the closest we got to the Phalarope was a Greenshank, so Brian called it a day. Happily, I didn’t have to get back home so I continued on down the tracks and saw this, but, I think it’s another Greenshank.

The pluamge of Greenshank and Wilson's Phalarope would be quite similar

But the legs seem too thin and the beak is too grey, if it was WP the beak would be jet black and the legs would be a thicker yellow, so I think this is a Greenshank.

Down where the inland water flows into the sea, there were Oystercatchers, Turnstones, Herring and Black headed gulls.

3rd Yr Herring Gull, white spots on primaries, a 2nd yr is simialr but wouldn’t have the spots

 

1st yr Herring Gull, black eyes, 2nd and 3rd Yrs have pale eyes

Juv Oystercatcher, black tip to beak

Adult Oystercatcher, all orange beak, no black tip.

I left the inlet and walked back towards the carpark. In one of the lakes  I spotted these gulls.

If you look closer there's something different about one of these Black headed gulls

Common Gull, yellow beak with black band. Not too sure if this is a 2nd yr or adult

Common Gull in flight, the white band along the primaries

Further down I spotted my first Shoveler,

My first decent sighting of a Shoveler

Linnet.

Back on the beach there were plenty of Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and Wheatears. No Lapland Bunting that I could see.

MEADOW PIPIT, Ian

Meadow Pipit in the evening sun

Very rustic looking Wheatear, showing it's white rear.

Curlew heading to bed.

Resting on a bush just before the carpark I saw this lovely little Dunnock.

Dunnock

Dunnock

Before getting back into the car I took a walk down the laneway behind the carpark and saw a family of Long Tailed tits.

Long Tailed Tit

Long Tailed Tit

Is it just me, or is this LTT wearing read eyeshadow??

A good days birding. My first Shoveler and Common Gull – and sighting of Brent Geese this year.

Happy days.