December 2008
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31st December 2008
Mermaid's Cove,
Mullaghmore,
Cliffoney		 A male Kestrel was seen carrying off a thrush, possibly a Song Thrush or a Redwing (S. Feeney).
31st December 2008
St Mary's GAA Club,
Ballydoogan,
(Maugheraboy area),
Sligo Town		 13 Waxwings were at Ballydoogan beside St. Mary's GAA Club this morning. (J. Feeney via D. Feeney).

Possibly the same birds seen at Oakfield Park earlier in the week.
31st December 2008
Edenreagh,
Cliffoney		 At least 19 Waxwings were present near 'Island View Stables', beside the 'Horse Holiday Farm', between Grange and Cliffoney.  The area is where the old Bundoran road runs as a by-road parallel to the current Sligo-Bundoran road.  the Waxwings spend part of the day feeding on the hawthorn hedges, and spent this afternoon fly-catching from the tall ash and sycamore trees around O'Connor's Stables ('Island View').   (M. Enright, N. Raftery, S. Feeney, M. Casey).

Video footage  ©  Séamus Feeney 2008
30th December 2008:
Video clip of Waxwings feeding on haws at Edenreagh, Cliffoney today - click above or go to YouTube to view the short clip.

 
30th December 2008
Roscommon News		 10 Crossbills seen in a spruce tree in a garden in the townland of Aghacurreen near Ballaghaderreen,  before flying towards a nearby forestry (P. Glencross via M. Bell).
30th December 2008
Easkey		 A Blackcap was seen in Easkey village and in a garden on the edge of the village (R. Burnhams).
30th December 2008
Edenreagh,
Cliffoney		 Approx 25 Waxwings continued to feed along the main Sligo-Bundoran Road north of Cliffoney, beside the 'Island View Stables' at Edenreagh (D. Skehan).

Images  ©  Mícheál Casey 2008
30th December 2008:
Record shots of male Goosander at Bunduff Lakes, Mullaghmore.

 
30th December 2008
Bunduff Lakes,
Mullaghmore		 An adult male Goosander showing traces of eclipse plumage was found at Bunduff, Mullaghmore today (N. Raftery). 

During the afternoon it moved between the marshy lake to the south of the road (where it fished) and the 'front lake' (where it mainly rested and preened) (S. Feeney, M. Casey).  An adult male Hen Harrier crossed the 'front lake' and flew down across the marsh towards Cliffoney in the late afternoon (S. Feeney)
Image  ©  Mícheál Casey 2008
Image  ©  Kevin Murray 2008

Image  ©  Declan Skehan 2008
28th- 30th December 2008:
Waxwings photographed at Edenreagh, along the main Sligo-Bundoran Road between Grange and Cliffoney, today.  Take great care if stopping to view these birds - this is a very fast and busy main road.

Click on the images above to see the full size (and very large!) originals
 
28th December 2008
Inishcrone		 Over 300 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were grazing in the field to the west of the Diamond Coast Hotel, Beside Enniscrone Golf Course.  The rings were read on 15 ringed birds, but the length of the grass in the field meant that many ringed birds were probably missed.  Most of these were probably ringed at the golf course last February  (M. Enright).  
28th December 2008
Sligo Harbour		 A single pale immature (probably first-year) Iceland Gull was in Sligo Harbour today (S. Feeney) (M. Bell).  A Ring-billed gull was at Quay St this morning (eating chips!), and a Kingfisher was seen flying upstream at 16.00 (D. Skehan).
28th December 2008
Edenreagh,
Cliffoney		 At least ten Waxwings were present near 'Island View Stables', beside the 'Horse Holiday Farm', between Grange and Cliffoney (M. Bell) (D. Skehan) (K. Murray).
Local nature photographers have been having a lot of fun with these most photogenic visitors - see above and below.
Image  Séamus Feeney 2008
28th December 2008:
Four Pink-footed Geese photographed in the Goose Field at Lissadell today.

Click on the images above to see the full size (and very large!) originals
 
29th December 2008
Ballygilgan Nature Reserve,
Lissadell		 4 Pink-footed Geese were feeding with the Wigeon by the pond.  Good numbers of Barnacle Geese, Brent, and Golden Plover also present (S. Feeney)(M. Bell).  A Chiffchaff was seen in the woodland along the path to the hide at Lissadell (M. Bell)  
28th December 2008
Ballyweelin,
Rosses Point		 A single male Gadwall was in the small tidal inlet along the main road (D. Skehan).  

Image  ©  Declan Skehan 2008
27th December 2008:
Waxwings photographed near Grange
 
28th December 2008
Seven Bridges/
Doorly Park		 A flock of 20 Waxwings was present near Island View stables, beside Horse Holiday farm, in Grange/Cliffoney. They were roosting in an ash tree with hawthorns nearby (B. MacDonald) (D. Skehan).  
28th December 2008
Oakfield Park,
Sligo Town		 3 Waxwings have been seen in a private garden for the past week (J. Keegan).  
Lesser Scaup with Tufted Ducks
Lesser Scaup

Image  ©  Séamus Feeney 2008
27th December 2008:
Photos of the adult drake Lesser Scaup in Rinnbaun Bay on Lough Arrow.  This bird strongly resembles the first winter bird seen at the site from January to March 2008  - see that bird here (caution - this page has a lot of images and may be slow to load)

It is possible that this and the Lesser Scaup seen in Ballinafad Bay (see below) are the same bird - better images of the Ballinafad bird would help to clear this up.

 
27th December 2008
Rinnbaun Bay,
Lough Arrow		 The adult drake Lesser Scaup was seen well on Rinnbaun Bay, in the company of a small flock of Tufted Ducks  (S. Feeney).  
27th December 2008
Grange		 A flock of 12 Waxwings was seen at the 'Horse Holiday Farm Stables' on the main Bundoran road approximately one mile north of Grange  (D. Skehan).  
27th December 2008
Seven Bridges/
Doorly Park		 3 Whooper Swans landed briefly on the Garvoge River before taking off when disturbed by passers-by.  2 Goldeneye and 4 Goldcrest also seen (J. McEvoy).  

Image  ©  Mícheál Casey 2008
26th December 2008:
The two ducks in the foreground were in Ballinafad Bay, Lough Arrow today.  The bird on the left is a male Lesser Scaup (first-winter?).  The female on the right remained asleep throughout, and could not be conclusively identified.  Two similar birds were seen at this site earlier in the week by Seamus Feeney, when the female showed better, showing a very small nail on the bill, a wing bar on the secondaries only and a greyish back (features consistent with female Lesser Scaup).  It is not certain that these are the same birds, and only the male can be conclusively identified as Lesser Scaup on this occasion.

 
26th December 2008
Rinnbaun Bay
& Ballinafad Bay,
Lough Arrow		 An adult male Lesser Scaup was seen in Rinnbaun Bay in the morning around 10am. It was out in the open with a few Tufted Duck. Some walkers arrived, a dog entered the water and the ducks flew out of the bay. Even though they were distant they were easily spooked. A pair of Shelduck was also seen in the bay (J. Donaldson).

A male (and a possible female) Lesser Scaup were seen in Ballinafad Bay in the late afternoon, in poor light (photos above).  The male may have been a different individual to the Rinnbaun bird, as it showed some immature features, few details visible on the female  (M. Casey).  

Two similar birds were seen at the same spot in Ballinafad Bay earlier in the week, when the female showed better, and showed features consistent with Lesser Scaup  (S. Feeney).
26th December 2008
Lough Skean		 Two Long-tailed Ducks were on Lough Skean  (J. Donaldson).  
26th December 2008
Mermaid's Cove,
Mullaghmore		 100+ Common Eider, 100+ Common Scoter and about 20 Long-tailed Ducks were seen at Mermaid's Cove  (M. Breen & F. Carroll).  
26th December 2008
Co Fermanagh News		 A White-tailed Sea Eagle was at Montgomery Rocks in Lower Lough Erne at about 11am (P. Taylor via M. Breen).  A Common Sandpiper was seen at the Rossinver shore of Lough Melvin near the 'Border River'  (M. Breen & F. Carroll).  A first-winter Iceland Gull was at the 'Round O' in Enniskillen (M. Breen & F. Carroll).  

Late news
A Great Northern Diver was seen off the Boa Island shore of Lough Erne in mid November, feeding actively, catching fish quite easily (M. Breen & F. Carroll).
26th December 2008
Ballinfull
 Five Waxwings spent the morning in a hedge at Ballinfull  (D. Feeney).

Good numbers of Waxwings now appearing in Derry where flocks of 70-100 have been seen in Derry (R. Smith).

It is hoped that a BirdWatch Sligo article appealing for Waxwing sightings in the this week's Sligo Champion will increase the number of reported sightings. 
26th December 2008
Inishcrone		 c.475 Light-bellied Brent and 1 Dark-Bellied Brent on grass beyond The Diamond Coast Hotel at Inishcrone, many ringed during the February 2008 cannon-netting operation by the Irish Brent Goose Research Group at this site catch  (M. Enright).  
25th December 2008
Sligo Harbour		 227 Light-bellied Brent were on the  soccer pitch at Lisheen (on the northern shore of Ballysadare Bay, between Kellystown and Strandhill).
Observations of Brent flocks would be welcome as much dispersal has taken place and the International survey takes place on Jan 10th/11th '09,  (M. Enright).  
25th December 2008
Rinnbaun Bay,
Lough Arrow		 The adult drake Lesser Scaup was seen again at the edge of Rinnbaun Bay  (S. Feeney).  
24th December 2008
Ballinfull,
Maugherow		 Eleven Waxwings were feeding in hedges at Ballinful, Maugherow  (D. Feeney).  
24th December 2008
Rinnbaun Bay,
Lough Arrow		 An adult drake Lesser Scaup was found today, possibly the same bird which spent several weeks here last winter  (S. Feeney).  
Lesser Scaup is an American diving duck.
23rd December 2008
Doorly Park
& Seven Bridges area		 A Sparrowhawk unsuccessfully trageted a flock of Blue Tits, before  giving up and crossing the river.  Two Goldeneyes, a
Tufted Duck and a flock of Goldcrests also seen (J. McEvoy).  
22nd December 2008
Rosses Point		 At least two Twite (the only individuals seen well) were among a flock of small finches seen at the car park at Rosses Point  (W. Woodrow).  
22nd December 2008
Sligo Harbour		 Three Scaup were in the main channel, towards Ballincar when viewing from the Deepwater Quay  (S. Feeney).  


Image  ©  John McEvoy 2008
21st December 2008:
Female Goosander (left) and Great Northern Diver (right) seen in Sligo Harbour today
21st December 2008
Sligo Harbour		 A female Goosander and a first-winter Great Northern Diver were seen in the inner harbour, near Hughes Bridge (J. McEvoy).  Six Scaup were at Gibraltar  (S. Feeney).  
21st December 2008
Drumcliff		 A very mobile flock of ten Waxwings were seen feeding in the hedges along the main Bundoran Road at the 'No overtaking' sign between Davis's and the old creamery   (D. Skehan).  
21st December 2008
Lissadell		 A Greylag Goose was with the Pink-footed Goose among the Barnacles at Lissadell today.  Good numbers of a wide variety of common waterfowl and waders also present on the pond  (S. Feeney).  
19th December 2008
Shannon Eighter,
Bunmdoran Road,
Sligo Town		 There were 220 Brent in the corner field beside Scotchman's walk and Bundoran road, and 4 Great Northern Divers were in the Harbour (S. Feeney).  
17th December 2008
Sligo Harbour		 The Ring-billed Gull was at Quay St car park in the morning  (D. Skehan).  
18th December 2008 
Polnadivva Harbour		 At Polnadivva the first winter Glaucous gull was still present with a group of Great Black-backed Gulls also 5 Great Northern Divers in the harbour (very approachable to 20m) There were 3 Fulmars on the cliffs by the harbour (S. Feeney).   
18th December 2008 
Portavaud		 There was a male Merlin sitting on a rock along the shore at Streamstown. At Portavaud, 2 Little Egrets  flew southeast overland a few  hundred metres and dropped out of sightonto the shore.   There was an immature Long-tailed Duck in the small lagoon that runs parallel to the beach  S. Feeney).

 
17th December 2008
Derkmore,
Dromard		 At Derkmore there was a first-winter Iceland Gull in a field with 300 Common Gulls (S. Feeney).  
17th December 2008
Portavaud		 A flock of 105 Ringed Plover was in the big tidal bay at Portavaud (high count for site), also 95 Brent, 105 Dunlin and 30 Lapwing  (S. Feeney).  
17th December 2008
Sligo Harbour		 The Ring-billed Gull was at Quay St car park in the morning  (D. Skehan).  
17th December 2008
Easkey		 Three Tree Sparrows were seen on peanut feeders in a garden   (R. Burnhams).  

For previous sightings, go to the Archived Sightings page