Ring Ouzel

MB Lacey

is it way too late to see a Ring Ouzel in Ireland?

MB Lacey

Hey, after a brainwave, I searched on Irishbirding for Ring Ouzel and last year they were seen as late as late October!


(Also - 11 lapland buntings in Kilcoole now! Wonder if that's an extra digit pressed by mistake?)

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It is a bit on the late side. Perhaps on the East Coast, but definative records after September are not that common.

MB Lacey

were you ever lucky enough to see one?

Feargal as Luimneach

Easier to see on passage in spring (around april) or autumn ( around october). Cape clear/ saltees off wexford best place to see them.

There a very rare breeding bird now and will become extinct IMO. There used to be a few in Glenmalure but gone rare there too. They were alot more common (never very common) but have decreased rapidly:(.

There a very shy bird and will fly off even before you see them. I have never seen one a glaring ommision from my list:mad:.

MB Lacey

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

There used to be a few in Glenmalure but gone rare there too.

There a very shy bird and will fly off even before you see them. I have never seen one a glaring ommision from my list:mad:.

Thanks Ferg, Glenmalure was were I was going to head and hang around on the off chance.

Sorry you've never seen one - I'm suprised at that.
I saw from the irishbirds list that the sightings in October were mainly down in Cork, Wexford..

Alun

I saw one while walking along the edge of the cliffs on Luggala above Lough Tay once.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

MB Lacey wrote: »

were you ever lucky enough to see one?

1 in 1992, 1 1997, 2 2003, 1 2005, 1 2009. (All county Louth or Meath)

I always get a thrill when I see one.

MB Lacey

Leila Mushy Silicon wrote: »

1 in 1992, 1 1997, 2 2003, 1 2005, 1 2009. (All county Louth or Meath)

So you saw one then didn't see another for 5 years, saw another one, then had to wait another 6 years until you saw your next one?!

I thought I saw some on Sunday, I spent hours willing a family of Blackbirds to be Ring Ouzels, but in the end, someone looked on my blog and suggested the photos were blackbirds. Sorry Fearg, I was getting excited about being able to tell you where they were too.

I can tell you where there's a family of blackbirds in Glenmalure valley if you're interested?!

Feargal as Luimneach

MB Lacey wrote: »

So you saw one then didn't see another for 5 years, saw another one, then had to wait another 6 years until you saw your next one?!

I thought I saw some on Sunday, I spent hours willing a family of Blackbirds to be Ring Ouzels, but in the end, someone looked on my blog and suggested the photos were blackbirds. Sorry Fearg, I was getting excited about being able to tell you where they were too.

I can tell you where there's a family of blackbirds in Glenmalure valley if you're interested?!

You'll catch up with them eventually! Me too hopefully:o

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

MB Lacey wrote: »

So you saw one then didn't see another for 5 years, saw another one, then had to wait another 6 years until you saw your next one?!

Yes sir. I thought that was great. With only perhaps a couple of dozen reported in the country in a year I'm delighted with the sightings I get here from time to time.

It's amasing how many times they are confused with Blackbirds but once you see one you'll never have any difficulty with BBs anymore.

MB Lacey

Leila Mushy Silicon wrote: »

It's amasing how many times they are confused with Blackbirds but once you see one you'll never have any difficulty with BBs anymore.

Exactly - unlike you, I had no mental image of a Ring Ouzel to compare these blackbirds to.
The blackbirds were in extreme moult too which didn't help things.
One had all black body with white plumage showing under it's chin and on the breast, another had all black plumage except for under it's chin and head which was like a song thrush...

I was hours waiting and trying to get more detailed glimpses of the birds - then eventually I broke my scope, so called it quits!

photos of the blackbirds here if you're interested.

Feargal as Luimneach

Leila Mushy Silicon wrote: »

Yes sir. I thought that was great. With only perhaps a couple of dozen reported in the country in a year I'm delighted with the sightings I get here from time to time.

It's amasing how many times they are confused with Blackbirds but once you see one you'll never have any difficulty with BBs anymore.

In all fairness if you had distant views of a first-winter ring ouzel you could easily mistake it for a blackbird!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They're Blackbirds alright. It's had to describe it but the Ouzel is just that bit more robust or stocky than the Blackbird although teh same basic size. It holds itself kind of like a Fieldfare in manner.

You'll see one someday and grasp it for yourself.

Feargal as Luimneach

MB Lacey wrote: »

Hey, after a brainwave, I searched on Irishbirding for Ring Ouzel and last year they were seen as late as late October!


(Also - 11 lapland buntings in Kilcoole now! Wonder if that's an extra digit pressed by mistake?)

You should have gone to kilcoole instead of Glenmalure. I saw seven of those Lapland Bunting:D

MB Lacey

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

You should have gone to kilcoole instead of Glenmalure. I saw seven of those Lapland Bunting:D

Nice one. I've been down to Kilcoole a few times lately and didn't manage to see the Bunting.

When it says 'on the beach between the station and Webbs field' - which one is Webbs field? I've seen it mentioned a few times..

Is it the field further down with the bigger lake?

Feargal as Luimneach

MB Lacey wrote: »

Nice one. I've been down to Kilcoole a few times lately and didn't manage to see the Bunting.

When it says 'on the beach between the station and Webbs field' - which one is Webbs field? I've seen it mentioned a few times..

Is it the field further down with the bigger lake?

Webb is the farmer who owns the land south of the small BWI reserve. He usually has cattle in the fields. His fields extend to the Breeches (where the sea enters inland). The Lapland bunting are on beach (stony part). They are feeding on small weed seeds. You won't see them beside the tide like dunlin. They have a distinctive call : p'r'r't.
You're better off going early before people and their dogs are on the beach. They will scare them off. They are in winter plumage not summer plumage. There's a big invasion of them around the country (unusual), now's the time to add them to you list:D

MB Lacey

Thanks fearg, i thought webbs field might have been the farmers name, didnt realise it was as far down as the bwi reserve. Thanks cos i've seen it mentioned quite a few times, so good to know which field it is now.