Category Archives: Scarce & Rare Bird Sightings

Sunday 9th October 2022

A Red-eyed Vireo wearing a ring on it’s right leg, was in Tevlin’s Garden, Kilbaha, Loop Head this morning. (Sean Farrell).
One of the two ringed birds already there from during the week.
One Grey Phalarope was at Rineville Bay.(Doug Dickson & Mark Gibson)
A half hour seawatch off the Bridges of Ross this evening under heavy sea spray (17.00-17.30) produced two pale phase Arctic Skuas, five Manx Shearwater, one Storm Petrel, one Grey Phalarope and two Great Northern Divers.(MG & DD)


Saturday 8th October 2022

One Short-toed Lark was near Loop Head lighthouse yesterday.(Finbar MacGabhann) This was a 2nd county record for this species.
There was also one Snow Bunting and a Lapland Bunting were near Loop Head Lighthouse. (FMacG & Mark Gibson)
At the Bridges of Ross (09:00-10:00) there were two Storm Petrels, ten Common Scoter, two Red-throated Divers and three Grey Phalaropes. (Chris Cullen)
On the headland and throughout Kilbaha there was one male Hen Harrier, a female Merlin , five Redpoll two Goldcrest, two Collared Dove, two coal tits, six Swallows and 100+ Golden Plovers. (Paidi Cullinane et al)


Friday 7th October 2022

Friday 7th October 2022

Long-tailed Skua off the Bridges Jeff Copner

One Wilson’s Petrel was at the Bridges of Ross this morning (08.37), along with nine Sooty Shearwaters, 18 Manx Shearwaters, three Leaches Petrels,26 Storm Petrels, four Arctic Skuas, one Bonxie, a juvenile Sabine’s Gull, 11 Arctic Terns, 14 Sandwich Terns and 14 Grey Phalaropes.(Doug Dickson & Mark Gibson)
Between (10:30-14:45) at the Bridges of Ross there was one juvenile Long-tailed Skuas, one Bonxie, 18 Leach’s Petrels, two juvenile Sabine’s Gulls, 25 Arctic Tern, four Great Northern Divers, two Red-throated Diver and 18 Grey Phalaropes.(Jeff Copner)
This evening between at the Bridges (17.00-18.00) there were nine Manx Shearwaters, seven Storm Petrels and seven Grey Phalaropes sitting on the sea. (MG & DD)
Three Pink-footed Geese flew over Kilbaha village and dropped into fields nearby. (DD & MG)


Thursday 6th October 2022

Thursday 6th October 2022

Common Sandpiper in Kilbaha Harbour John N Murphy

This evenings at the Bridge of Ross (16:40-18.00) there was one Grey Phalarope, six Sooty Shearwaters, 21 Manx Shearwaters, a Bonxie, four Storm Petrels, three Arctic Tern and two Red-throat Divers. (Mark Gibson & Doug Dickson)
Earlier this mornings at the Bridges (8.00 -11.00) off the Bridges there were 106 Sooty Shearwaters, 25 Manx Shearwaters, three Pomarine Skuas,eight Storm Petrels, five Arctic Tern, seven Sandwich Terns, 30 Common Scoter and a ring tailed Hen Harrier flying well out on the sea (DD, MG & Geoff Pearson)
In Kilbaha, Loop Head this morning there was one Chiffchaff, one male Bullfinch (rarer at Loop Head than Red-eyed Vireo), one immature male Hen Harrier, four Redpoll, six Swallows one Woodpigeon and a Common Sandpiper.(John N Murphy)
A flock of 80 Golden Plover were on the rocks are Ross Bay.(MG & DD)


Wednesday 5th October 2022

At the Bridges of Ross this afternoon there were two Barolo’s Shearwaters (17.17)(18.00). The first bird flew into the bay less than 200m out one its own for five minutes landing on occasion on the water before moving off west.(Mark Gibson, John N Murphy, Doug Dickson & Paul Troake)
The second bird cane past with a Manx Shearwaters in a slightly more worn state if moult approx 300m out for two minutes heading off west.
There were three Long-tailed Skuas, one adult and two juveniles. (John N Murphy & Paul Troake)
Also at the Bridges in the late morning and afternoon were; 310 Sooty Shearwaters, 350 Manx Shearwaters, 52 Leach’s Petrels, 94 Storm Petrels, three juvenile Sabine’s Gulls, one first-winter Little Gull,14 Common Scoter, ten Great Northern Divers, 18 Red-throated Divers, eight Fulmars, 42 Arctic Terns, eight Sandwich Terns, 14 Arctic Skuas, two juvenile Pomarine Skuas, six Bonxies, 25 Grey Phalaropes and three Puffins.(PT, JNM et al)
Between 8.00 & 10.00 this morning off Ross, Loop Head there was one Great Shearwater, 28 Sooty Shearwaters, 127 Manx Shearwaters, eight Leach’s Petrels, eight Storm Petrels, two juv Sabine’s Gulls, one Bonxie, one Grey Phalarope, two Arctic Terns, two Common Scoter and five Red-throated Divers.(JNM)
In Kilbaha village and Loop Head there were only two Goldcrest, five Swallow, one Kingfisher and two Redpoll in the gardens.(JNM)
One first-winter Mediterranean Gull was at Kilkee. (JNM)


Tuesday 4th October 2022

Tuesday 4th October 2022

Cattle Egret in Kilbaha John N Murphy

A Cattle Egret flew in over the garden where the Baltimore Oriole was at the weekend and landed in the Harbour. (John N Murphy & Geoff Pearson)(6th county record)
The juvenile American Golden Plover was still up at the lighthouse.(JNM)
Throughout the headland at Loop there was one immature male Hen Harrier, the Common Sandpiper was in the harbour and in the gardens there were two Goldcrest and six Redpoll only.(JNM)
S 2 hour seawatch this morning off Ross Loop Head only produced one Leach’s Petrel, three Storm Petrels, one Sooty Shearwater, three Manx Shearwaters, 25 Sandwich Terns, ten Common Scoter and a Great Northern Diver.(JNM)


Monday 3rd October 2022

Monday 3rd October 2022

One of the Red-eyed Vireos caught at Kilbaha Phillip Brennan

Two Red-eyed Vireos were caught and ringed in Kilbaha.(Phillip Brennan)
A juvenile American Golden Plover was near Loop lighthouse this afternoon within a flock of 100 European Golden Plover.(John N Murphy, Joe Proudfoot & Tom Tarpey)
Throughout the headland and Kilbaha village there was one Common Sandpiper, one juvenile male Hen Harrier, one Merlin one Blackcap, one Great Northern Diver, three Goldcrest, five Swallow, one Sandwich Tern and one Whimbrel.(JNM et al)
This morning an Arctic Skua flew past the Bridges of Ross. (JP)
This evening at Ross, Loop Head there was one Leach’s Petrel, four Storm Petrels and two Manx Shearwaters.(JNM)
Seven Redwing were on the Kilrush Road outside Ennis. (TT)


Sunday 2nd October 2022

Sunday 2nd October 2022

Immature male Baltimore Oriole at Kilbaha John N Murphy

The Baltimore Oriole was still around the garden of Kilbaha Cottage this morning. (Seamus Feeney & Jeff Copner)
Two Red-eyed Vireos and a Willow Warbler were also in the gardens the second Rev was found at Seni Costello’s garden. (Ray Glynn).
One juvenile Little Stint was at Clahane, Liscannor Bay. (Geoff Pearson)
One Kingfisher was at Moyasta. (Finbar MacGabhainn)
One pale Buzzard was near Tullycrine. (JNM)


Saturday 1st October 2022

Saturday 1st October 2022

Baltimore Oriole at Kilbaha John N Murphy

At Kilbaha today there was a Baltimore Oriole. (Chris Cullen, John N Murphy, James Organ, Kevin Kiely et al) This is a first county record and only a sixth for Ireland.
In the same garden at Kilbaha Cottage there was one Red-eyed Vireo a seventh county record. (James Organ, John N Murphy & Chris Cullen et al)
One Willow Warbler, one first-winter Mediterranean Gull and 105 Rock Doves were also in Kilbaha. (JNM et al)
At the Bridges of Ross 07:35-10:00 / 16:00-18:30 there were three juvenile Long-tailed Skuas, three Pomarine Skuas, seven Arctic Skuas, four Bonxies, three Leach’s Petrels,
22 Storm Petrels, 53 Sooty Shearwaters, 119 Manx Shearwaters, 13 Grey Phalaropes, 45 Puffin, eight Common Scoter, 11 Arctic Terns, six Sandwich Terns, two Red-throated Divers and two Great Northern Divers. (Niall Keogh,Brian McCluskey, Ian Stevenson, John N Murphy, James Organ & Chris Cullen)


Friday 30th September 2022

The juvenile American Golden Plover was still at Ross Bay today. (Tom Kilbane)
At the Bridges of Ross there were five Sabine’s Gulls, 80 Sooty Shearwaters, one Leach’s Petrel, one Pomarine Skuas, three Bonxies and 200 Puffins. (TK)