Clare Bird Sightings

Wednesday 12th October 2022

Wednesday 12th October 2022

Yellow-rumped Warbler in Kilbaha Cottage Garden Paidi Cullinan

One Myrtle Warbler was in Kilbaha this morning. (Paidi Cullinan) This is only a second county record.
Also at Loop Head today were two Blackcaps, one Chiffchaff, one Siskin, one Wheatear, one Swallow and three Goldcrests.
At Toulles Lough, Corofin this evening there was a family party of five Whooper Swans (2ad 3juv), 20 Shoveler, 24 Gadwall, 125+ Black-tailed Godwits, 45+ Curlew, 25+ Lapwing, a large Black-headed Gull flock of 250+ and at least six Water Rail calling from around the reed beds.(James Organ)


Tuesday 11th October 2022

One Green Sandpiper was at Moyasta Creek. (John N Murphy)
At Loop Head and Kilbaha there were four Brent Geese flying south west past the headland, four Swallows, four Goldcrests and two Redpolls were in Kilbaha village.(MG, DD & JNM)
Four Swallows were at Rehy Hill near Rineville.(JNM)
Three Brent Geese and a juvenile Peregrine were at Poulnasherry Bay.(Stan Nugent & JNM)


Monday 10th October 2022

Buzzards were at Ballygrennan, Grange and Ballyneety (TT).


Monday 10th October 2022

Monday 10th October 2022

Golden Plover at Loop Head Lighthouse John N Murphy

The Cattle Egret was roosting with seven Little Egrets at Kilcredaun Marsh this evening.(John N Murphy) This was probably the same individual that was at Kilbaha last week.
At Rinevilla Bay this morning the Grey Phalarope was feeding along the beach with a small flock of nine Sanderling and 120 Dunlin. (Mark Gibson & Doug Dickson)
At Kilcredaun there were six Goldcrest an flock of 70 Goldfinch and 30 Chaffinch.(JNM)
One Black Guillemot was in the bay close to the O’Curry Irish college near Carrigaholt.(MG & DD)
Three Common Sandpipers were at Clarecastle Quay.(Finbar MacGabhann)
One Merlin and a Kingfisher were at Islandavanna.(Chris Cullen)
One Buzzard was at Clarecastle.(Nuala and Tom Lynch)
One Buzzard was near Kilrush.(JNM)
There were five Barnacle Geese south over Seafield Point today. A juvenile Puffin was on the sea close in at Seafield and two Whoopers flew north.(Paul Troake)
Two Whooper Swan were at Lough Cullaun.(Pius Murray)


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

A 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull was at O’Callaghan’s Strand (TT).


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)