December 2004 Sightings

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November 2004 <<<   Back to Archive   >>> January 2005

24.12.04 Cartron Marsh
65 Black-tailed Godwits
A very high count for this site. Seen on the 20.12
 
22.12.04 Ballytivnan
1 Waxwing
Seen on the 18.12.04
 
17.12.04 Streedagh
1 Great Northern Diver
5 Eider (3 females, 2 males)
3 Grey Plover
 
17.12.04 Cartron Inner Bay
6 Goldeneye
 
17.12.04 Ballytivnan
7 Waxwings
At St. Edwards School
 
17.12.04 Cartron Marsh
1 Black-tailed Godwit
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Raven
 
16.12.04 Inner Cartron Bay
3 Black-tailed Godwits
 
16.12.04 Cartron Marsh
7 Black-tailed Godwits
 
16.12.04 Ballytivnan
11 Waxwings
At St. Edwards School.
 
15.12.04 Inner Cartron Bay
2 Blacktailed Godwits
 
15.12.04 Ballytivnan
6 Waxwings
At St. Edwards School
 
14.12.04 Cairns Hill, Sligo Town
A total of 125 Waxwings were seen yesterday in the Heather View Estate. This represents one of the largest flocks of  Waxwings ever seen in County Sligo.
The estate is located in the district of Tonaphubble close to Cairns Hill. For a map of the area, click here.
 
14.12.04 Ballytivnan
ca. 10 Waxwings
This flock now seems to favour the Clarrion Village end of the Rowan hedge along the Mental Hospital Road.
 
13.12.04 Cairns Hill, Sligo Town
ca. 70 Waxwings
The Waxwing irruption into County Sligo continues...
 
13.12.04 IT Sligo
12 Waxwings
Seen flying south over the IT.
 
12.12.04 Tullaghan, County Leitrim
1 Whimbrel
An exceptionally late record for this species in Ireland.
 
11.12.04 Ballytivnan
16 Waxwings
At St. Edwards School
 
08.12.04 Ballytivnan
15 Waxwings
 
08.12.04 Streedagh
1 Bar-tailed Godwit (Leucistic)
30 Grey Plovers
An unusually high number of Grey Plovers for County Sligo were seen at a high tide roost in the estuary. The leucistic  Bartailed Godwit was also present at this roost. 
 
07.12.04 Cartron Inner Bay
1 Kingfisher
 
07.12.04 Ballytivnan
6 Waxwings
At St. Edwards School.
 
Leucistic bar-tailed Godwit Leucistic Bar-tailed Godwit
Images © Mícheál Casey 2004
6th December 2004: Leucistic birds lack pigment in part of their plumage, like this Bar-tailed Godwit at Streedagh today, which appears to have pigment only on the wing-tips and the bill.

06.12.04 Streedagh

1 Bar-tailed Godwit
1 Snow Bunting
Interestingly, the Bar-tailed Godwit is stongly leucistic (unpigmented).
Photos
 
06.12.04 Ballytivnan
12 Waxwings
At St. Edwards School
 
03.12.04 Ballytivnan

20 Waxwings
At St. Edwards School
 
03.12.04 Cartron Marsh
1 Great Crested Grebe
4 Brent Geese
3 Goldeneye
 
02.12.04 Cartron Inner Bay
2 Goldeneye
1 Greenshank
1 Black-tailed Godwit
 
02.12.04 Ballytivnan
12 Waxwings
Seen at St. Edwards N.School.
 
Waxwing
Waxwing Waxwing
Images © Mícheál Casey 2004
1st December 2004:  Waxwings feeding on haws in the Hawthorn hedge by St Edward's School in Ballytivnan provide an irresistible seasonal photo-opportunity.

These birds appear very settled and in view of the bumper crop of berries on the trees this year, there is ample feeding for them.  Like all berry-feeders they need to drink a lot of water, and these birds are getting theirs in a blocked gutter on an adjacent building.

01.12.04 Ballytivnan

5 Waxwings
Seen in a berry covered hedge close to St. Edwards National School along the Mental Hospital Road.
For a map of the area, click here.
 
01.12.04 Easky
1 Hen Harrier
 
01.12.04 Cartron Inner Bay
3 Black-tailed Godwits
 
01.12.04 Ballytivnan, Sligo Town
2 Waxwings
Only two Waxwings were present at the same site today (St. Johns Hospital).