Bird ID - Limerick

Itsdacraic

Just wondering if anybody has seen the flock of birds in the field by the slip road as you come off onto the dock road after leaving the tunnel coming from the Shannon side. It's the field between that slip road and the side road to the treatment plant.

They fairly big birds, possibly geese of some description, mostly brown but with a white patch under the wing/body? I haven't got a very good look at them but there are about 40 of them in the field.

Sorry for the lack of detail but I've only seen them from distance.

Itsdacraic

Could they be brent geese? They look similar to the fella below and the ones I saw would be much bigger than say a duck or seagull.

LostCovey

Itsdacraic wrote: »

Could they be brent geese? They look similar to the fella below and the ones I saw would be much bigger than say a duck or seagull.

Hi Itsdacraic,

It is very early for Brent Geese to be seen that far south, as they are just arriving from Canada at the moment in the north of the country.

Your birds are more likely, based on this, and on your description, to be feral Greylag Geese.

Possibly these birds:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcos/5458484340/sizes/o/in/photostream/

LostCovey

Itsdacraic

LostCovey wrote: »

Hi Itsdacraic,

It is very early for Brent Geese to be seen that far south, as they are just arriving from Canada at the moment in the north of the country.

Your birds are more likely, based on this, and on your description, to be feral Greylag Geese.

Possibly these birds:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcos/5458484340/sizes/o/in/photostream/

LostCovey

I don't think the neck was as long as that, but from looking at other greylag geese pictures, you could be on the ball. The field they are in is very near a marsh/lagoon/lake type area and I've only noticed them there the past two mornings.

It's a very busy area traffic wise hopefully one of the regular limerick birdwatch heads might have seen them.

LostCovey

Itsdacraic wrote: »

I don't think the neck was as long as that, but from looking at other greylag geese pictures, you could be on the ball. The field they are in is very near a marsh/lagoon/lake type area and I've only noticed them there the past two mornings.

It's a very busy area traffic wise hopefully one of the regular limerick birdwatch heads might have seen them.

They only extend their neck like that when they are alarmed (presumably by the photographer!).

They look more like this when relaxed:

http://birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=027022

LC

Itsdacraic

Yip, looks like you are right, a search for Greylag Geese Limeirck throws up the following Flickr photo:


Greylag Geese, Limerick Tunnel Lagoon by D.Cosgrove, on Flickr

Kess73

Itsdacraic wrote: »

Just wondering if anybody has seen the flock of birds in the field by the slip road as you come off onto the dock road after leaving the tunnel coming from the Shannon side. It's the field between that slip road and the side road to the treatment plant.

They fairly big birds, possibly geese of some description, mostly brown but with a white patch under the wing/body? I haven't got a very good look at them but there are about 40 of them in the field.

Sorry for the lack of detail but I've only seen them from distance.

If you are seeing them in the lake and surrounding fields near the Dock road entrance/exit for the tunnel then they are greylag geese.

If you want to see more of them just head across Shannon bridge (heading out of Limerick) to the Bird reserve on the right hand side of the road. There are greylag geese there that make daily trips in large (ish) numbers between the two spots.

Itsdacraic

Kess73 wrote: »

If you are seeing them in the lake and surrounding fields near the Dock road entrance/exit for the tunnel then they are greylag geese.

If you want to see more of them just head across Shannon bridge (heading out of Limerick) to the Bird reserve on the right hand side of the road. There are greylag geese there that make daily trips in large (ish) numbers between the two spots.

Sound, it was just that I had never noticed so many big birds in that field before and thought it might have been a migratory species dropping in.

Kess73

Itsdacraic wrote: »

Sound, it was just that I had never noticed so many big birds in that field before and thought it might have been a migratory species dropping in.

You will see some Brent geese in the area from about mid October onwards if they are anything like they have been in recent years in terms of when they arrive, and there is normally quite a few brent geese further out the Estuary from about the end of October/start of November onwards. The shoreline and surrounding fields in behind Robertstown church and graveyard (last church on the right hand side before you reach Foynes coming from Limerick) is often a good spot to see them then, as is near Kilteery pier on the way to Loughill.

Itsdacraic

Kess73 wrote: »

You will see some Brent geese in the area from about mid October onwards if they are anything like they have been in recent years in terms of when they arrive, and there is normally quite a few brent geese further out the Estuary from about the end of October/start of November onwards. The shoreline and surrounding fields in behind Robertstown church and graveyard (last church on the right hand side before you reach Foynes coming from Limerick) is often a good spot to see them then, as is near Kilteery pier on the way to Loughill.

Cheers, I am out that way a good bit with work so I know the area pretty well.

Birdnuts

Itsdacraic wrote: »

Yip, looks like you are right, a search for Greylag Geese Limeirck throws up the following Flickr photo:


Greylag Geese, Limerick Tunnel Lagoon by D.Cosgrove, on Flickr

That sounds like a good spot - I might check it out with the scope next time I'm down that way:cool: