April 2008 Sightings
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||
 |
 |
|
| April 2008 (for previous months, see the Archived Sightings page) |
 |
|
 |
||
| 30th April 2008 Drumcliff |
Newly fledged young Dippers were taking short flights along the rapids downstream of the bridge at Drumcliff (M. Casey). | |||||||||
| 30th April 2008 Inishcrone |
5 White Wagtails, 2 Great Northern Divers (one in summer plumage) and 3 Whimbrel were at Inishcrone (J. Donnelly via W. Stringer) | |||||||||
| LEITRIM SIGHTINGS 29th April 2008 Killavoggy, Dromahair, Co. Leitrim |
23 Crossbills were seen in forestry on Drumkeeran side of Killavoggy - Grid Reference G872 233 (S. Feeney). | |||||||||
| 27th April 2008 Sligo Harbour |
Iceland Gull in harbour (D. Skehan). | |||||||||
| 26th April 2008 - 2nd May 2008 Quay St Car Park |
A Common Sandpiper has been frequenting the shore by the boat slip on and off this week (D. Skehan). | |||||||||
| LEITRIM SIGHTINGS 29th April 2008 Killavoggy, Dromahair, Co. Leitrim |
23 Crossbills were seen in forestry on Drumkeeran side of Killavoggy - Grid Reference G872 233 (S. Feeney). | |||||||||
| 28th April 2008 Trawalua |
19 Wheatears were in the sand dunes, and 40 Sanderling were on the strand (D. Cotton & J. Dunleavy). | |||||||||
| 28th April 2008 Ballyconnell |
Approximately 15 Whimbrel were in the fields behind the beach (M. Casey). | |||||||||
| 28th April 2008 Lissadell |
A very large brown bird with a 5-foot wingspan flew north over the Goose Field at Lissadell today, with a slow steady wing beat. The observer did not notice any other specific markings. This sighting was at approximately 5.30pm. (J. Garvey via D. Feeney). Eagle or Buzzard?......well worth keeping an eye on the sky around Sligo these days! | |||||||||
| 27th April 2008 Lough Arrow (Ballinafad shore) |
During a walk along Lough Arrow in the Ballinafad area on Sunday morning, a nice variety of birds was encountered, including 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 5-6 Blackcaps and 1 Cuckoo (M. Bell). | |||||||||
| 26th April 2008 Strandhill |
A Common Swift (Sligo's first reported Swift of 2008) and a summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver were at Strandhill on Saturday (P. Keogh). | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| 24th April 2008 Raghly |
54 Whimbrels, 5 male White Wagtails and a female (maybe more), 3 Great Northern Divers in summer plumage (D. Cotton, J. Dunleavy). | |||||||||
| 24th April 2008 Ballysadare Bay |
Total of approximately 60 Whimbrel seen (D. Skehan). | |||||||||
| 22nd April 2008 Raghly/Ballyconnell |
Plenty of Wheatears
around today: c. 4 at Raghly Harbour, three more at the short beach by
the causeway, and plenty in the fields between Raghley and Ballyconnell
Beach. At least 30 Whimbrel & 8 White Wagtails were around Raghly, some 20 Whimbrels & 5 White Wagtails were at Ballyconnell Beach. Hirundines are now common with House Martins beginning to appear in numbers (c.30 today). Sand Martins prospecting at the cliff colony at Ballyconnell Beach - about 10-15 burrows being dug (D. Skehan). |
|||||||||
| 21st April 2008 BARNACLE GOOSE NEWS |
- The Sligo Barnacle flock seem to have departed for Greenland on Wednesday 16th April this year (M. Crowley). - Five male Barnacle Geese were satellite tagged on Inishkea, off Co. Mayo, this spring, and it will be interesting to follow their progress (D. Cabot via M. Enright).
|
|||||||||
| 21st April 2008 Tully Beg,
Ballygawley |
A Cuckoo was heard calling at Tully Beg, Ballygawley this morning (S. Conboy via S. Feeney). | |||||||||
| 21st April 2008 Cummeen Strand, Sligo Bay |
320 Brent were on Cummeen Strand this morning (compared with just 40 seen from Gibraltar yesterday) - clearly they are moving north for migration (M. Enright). | |||||||||
| 21st April 2008 Inishmurray |
Two male Eiders were in the natural harbour on Inishmurray today. The females were probably incubating eggs on the island, as Inishmurray is an important breeding site for this species (C. Davis). | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| 20th April 2008 Ladies' Brae, Coolaney |
A Common Buzzard was seen on the northern slopes of the Ox Mountains beside the first bridge on Ladies Brae drive (M. Breen, D. Hagen, F. Carroll). | |||||||||
| 20th April 2008 Mullaghmore |
Nine Great Northern Divers were at Mermaids Cove Mullaghmore, and was seen near Classiebawn Castle (M. Breen, D. Hagen, F. Carroll). | |||||||||
| 20th April 2008 Lough Easkey |
At least five Common Sandpipers were at Lough Easkey (M. Casey). | |||||||||
| 20th April 2008 Tanrego, Beltra |
The BirdWatch Sligo outing to Tanrego saw/heard Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Bullfinch and many other woodland species. On the shore there were 28 Whimbrel, while a flock of 51 passed overhead. Redshank, Greenshank, Brent and Long-tailed Duck also seen (Outing leaders M. Keane & T. Hunter). | |||||||||
| 20th April 2008 Raghly |
A first-winter Iceland Gull was in a ploughed field just before the causeway, two Sandwich Terns and a summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver were just off the short beach and five or six White Wagtails were on the beach, as well as up to eight Rock Pipits (M. Casey). | |||||||||
| 19th April 2008 Raghly |
At least 20 Wheatears
were in the sandy fields just after the turn-off from Raghly to
Ballyconnell. About 4/5 Hares were in the same field. At least two White Wagtails were at Raghly beach (D. Skehan). |
|||||||||
| 19th April 2008 Ballyconnell |
A Great Northern Diver in full summer plumage was seen just off the beach on the rising tide (S. Feeney) | |||||||||
| 19th April 2008 Raghly |
Large numbers of Wheatears present (D. Skehan). Three Iceland Gulls were seen off the short beach in the late evening, at high tide - all very white/bleached individuals (S. Feeney) | |||||||||
| 19th April 2008 Cartron |
3 Iceland Gulls seen (D. Skehan). | |||||||||
| 19th April 2008 Mailcoach Road, Sligo Town |
A large wing-tagged eagle, showing features of White-tailed Eagle,
flew along the route of Mailcoach Road in Sligo town just before 6pm.
The bird was being very heavily mobbed by crows and it flew south
to the end of Mailcoach Road, circled and flew east in the direction of
Lough Gill. The bird had a yellow wing-tag on the left wing, no
detail seen on the other wing-tag, it was flying very low over the town
(maybe 20-30 feet above the roof-tops), but appeared to be healthy and
in good condition (P. Keogh). This report and the Golden Eagle reports below are as received - it seems likely that they may refer to the same bird. Regardless, it seems that there were at least one eagle flying around Sligo on Saturday 19th April......... and just possibly two! A good number of people must have seen the Sligo town bird - any further sightings/descriptions, and especially photos/video in any size or format, very welcome at sightings@sligobirding.com |
|||||||||
| 19th April 2008 Bundoran Road Sligo |
On Saturday evening at around 5.30pm an eagle, probably a Golden Eagle
from the Donegal re-introduction project was seen at "Berties Pitch
& Putt" on the Bundoran Rd. The eagle was being mobbed by a large
number of crows as it headed out towards Sligo Bay. But this didn't
seem to affect the eagle, as it was in no rush and seem to be taking
its time. The bird was really striking for its very large size (J. Browne). |
|||||||||
| 19th April 2008 Lissadell |
A wing-tagged Golden Eagle from the Donegal re-introduction project was reported near Lissadell today. This was a first year Golden eagle, as it had a blue wing tag on the left wing and yellow on the right wing (B. Haslam via E. Dempsey, L O'Toole). | |||||||||
| 18th April 2008 Raghly |
24 Whimbrel, one Glaucous Gull and three Great Northern Divers were present. Good numbers of Linnet also seen (D. Skehan). | |||||||||
| 17th April 2008 Drumcliff Estuary |
A Little Egret was at Drumcliff Estuary at the back of Yeat's Tavern, as well as two Greenshank (D. Skehan). | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| 17th April 2008 Raghly |
14 Whimbrel, one Curlew and a summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit were on the beach to the east of the causeway. There was clear evidence of migration with Willow Warblers/Chiffchaffs feeding in the thickets along the track to Raghley Harbour. A summer plumaged Red-throated Diver was feeding off-shore. At least four White Wagtails were present, feeding on the narrow strip of shore left exposed at high tide. A first-winter Iceland Gull was at the same spot (D. Skehan). See photos above | |||||||||
| 17th April 2008 Maugherow |
Near the beach there were at least six Wheatears in the fields around the handball alley. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were singing from the thickets in this area (D. Skehan). | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| 17th April 2008 Ballyconnell |
One Whimbrel was with a group of 5 Curlews (M. Casey). | |||||||||
| 16th April 2008 Raghly |
A flock of 12 Whimbrel was at Raghly Strand, as well as a total of five White Wagtails (four in the pasture field and one on strand) (D. Cotton, J. Dunleavy). | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| 14th April 2008 Strandhill |
A group of about 30 Whooper Swans were seen flying over Strandhill Beach Sligo Monday April 14th at about 9pm flying in a north-westerly direction (V. Flannery). | |||||||||
| LEITRIM SIGHTINGS 14th April 2008 Glencar, Co. Leitrim |
Two Whooper Swans
were grazing in the field between the Glencar Waterfall car park and
Glencar Lake - probably late stragglers (C. McElhinney). A group of about 27 Whooper Swans wintered at Lough Nahoo, Mullagh, Dromahair, arriving about October 24th. Most left around the last week in March. Three remain since on Lough Nahoo (V. Flannery). If these Whoopers have indeed delayed their migration to Iceland, it may have been a wise decision - see the fates of two satellite-tagged Whoopers above. |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
| 14th April 2008 Ballyconnell |
A female Stonechat was seen carrying food to nestlings (M. Casey). | |||||||||
| 14th April 2008 Raghly |
At least 6 White Wagtails were on the beach nor | |||||||||
