Winter Birds 2015/2016

Birdnuts

(Mod Edit: Moved from an old winter thrushes thread.)

There back!! - clocked the calls on a foggy night in Blessington yesterday and spotted a few hanging around with Mistle Thrushes today.

OpenYourEyes

A few winter thrushes being reported in Ireland and the UK in recent days, plus it seems like numbers of waders and wildfowl are building.

I've only had one Whooper Swan in Roscommon as of last Saturday, but I'm sure a few more have arrived in the last few days. Wexford Wildfowl Reserve has small numbers of Greenland White-fronted Geese back on the North Slob, and I'm sure there are a few more around the country too. There are around 24,000 Brent Geese at Strangford Lough, and theres plenty in Ireland too as far down as Wexford.

The first Bewicks Swan has arrived in Slimbridge in the UK earlier than usual.

OpenYourEyes

And on the topic of winter migrants, a Curlew that was colour-ringed in Germany as a breeder has been seen recently in Dublin Bay.
Read about it here: http://dublinbaybirds.blogspot.ie/2015/10/colourful-german-curlew-overwinters-in.html

And for anyone in or near Dublin this weekend, head along to the Birdwatch Ireland colour-ring-reading event at the Bull Island Interpretative centre at 10:00 - should be an interesting talk plus an enjoyable few hours in the field!

OpenYourEyes

The Sligo Birdwatch Ireland branch have an outing this sunday meeting at Cartron Point car park at 11am, and visiting Bunduff, Raghly, & Lissadell to look for winter migrants (geese, waders etc.). See: https://www.facebook.com/birdwatch.sligo/photos/a.432845600227610.1073741826.432845560227614/505049979673838/?type=3


For anyone near Wexford, or interested in seeing something different and rather spectacular, theres a guided walk in the Raven Nature Reserve to see the Greenland White-fronted Geese taking off in the morning as they move from their roost site to the Slobs. This really is a spectacular sight, and you can be assured that if you're with the Guides from Wexford Wildfowl Reserve that you're not going to accidently cause any disturbance.

It's at 6am on Saturday the 24th of October, meeting at the gates of the Raven Wood. Highly recommended!

See: https://www.facebook.com/wexfordwildfowlreserve/posts/472534239600860

Woodville56

Seems like a big influx of Redwing & Fieldfare in recent days - large mixed flocks seen today

Birdnuts

Woodville56 wrote: »

Seems like a big influx of Redwing & Fieldfare in recent days - large mixed flocks seen today

I've noticed that too - seems to be a lot more about than usual so early in the season.

OpenYourEyes

Aldi have bird food and feeders in today - I tend to stock up at this time of year for the winter ahead!

https://www.aldi.ie/en/specialbuys/sun-25-oct/

my3cents

Doubt they were the first but saw my first couple of Brent Geese on Clonea beach (Nr Dungarvan) this morning.

Birdnuts

Clocked a good few Whoopers arriving in North Mayo this weekend

Woodville56

First Goldeneye flock on north midland lakes over the weekend, no Whooper Swans yet though and Wigeon scarce as well.

Del.Monte

Woodville56 wrote: »

Seems like a big influx of Redwing & Fieldfare in recent days - large mixed flocks seen today

Could this be a sign that it might be another good winter for Waxwings? Fingers crossed.

Caoimhgh1n

Every winter there is this robin on a certain tree, I'm convinced he's always the same guy! Hope to see him again this year.