Winter Birds 2017/18

OpenYourEyes

The evenings are getting shorter and temperatures are getting colder so I thought I'd start a thread for general winter migration and bird talk!

In the last week there's been reports of Whooper Swans from around the country as well as big numbers seen leaving Iceland. The first Greenland White-fronted Geese have arrived in Wexford today too. Numbers of waders in Dublin bay are building week-on-week during BirdWatch Ireland counts, and Wigeon and Teal numbers are slowly increasing too! There have been Brent Geese around for over a month now, with most staying at Strangford Lough for the time being and at least one flock coming down as far as Dublin before heading back up to Strangford!

I love this time of year!

Birdnuts

tis exciting allright - saw big numbers of Golden Plovers on the Curragh driving on the M7 last week

Birdnuts

Had Redwings calling 2 nights ago and spotted a migrating flock of whoopers today

shopper2011

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

The first Greenland White-fronted Geese have arrived in Wexford today too. Numbers of waders in Dublin bay are building week-on-week during BirdWatch Ireland counts, and Wigeon and Teal numbers are slowly increasing too!

I love this time of year!

A false dawn maybe. Seen very little Geese, Wigeon or Teal anywhere so far this winter. Just wondering has anybody else notice this. Mid-October would be the expected time but its now nearly mid-December and still nothing.

OpenYourEyes

I was out on my local wetlands in Roscommon the last few days and saw very few Teal, probably less Shovelers than I was expecting, but normal numbers of Wigeon and Whoopers, plus a bonus Greylag. Searched a few GWFGoose haunts, but no sign of them, but they can be difficult to find in that area! Good numbers of Golden Plover and Lapwing around, which are always nice to see!

Birdnuts

I was down on the Slobs last week and there was good numbers of all the usual geese - including a surprising number of Barnacle Geese

axe2grind

Couldn't find garden bird thread or more specifically for the garden bird survey, just finished. Anyway the final week saw a double of the usual count with 32 species, with rarities for garden including Brambling, Lapwing, Snipe & Little Egret. Rural Co. Wicklow.

Bsal

25 species for me, the only unusual ones this time round were 2 Carrion Crows a few weeks ago but there is no entry for them on the form, and a Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrush during the snow last week.

whyulittle

Bsal wrote: »

25 species for me, the only unusual ones this time round were 2 Carrion Crows a few weeks ago but there is no entry for them on the form, and a Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrush during the snow last week.

I didn't take part this year but they used to allow you add extra species to the form.

OpenYourEyes

Bsal wrote: »

25 species for me, the only unusual ones this time round were 2 Carrion Crows a few weeks ago but there is no entry for them on the form, and a Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrush during the snow last week.

I'll send you a PM about adding other species!