May 2004 Sightings
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| April 2004 <<< | Back to Archive | >>> June 2004 |
 |
| Images © Mícheál Casey 2004 |
| 29th May 2004: This Spotted Flycatcher was photographed in a rural garden near Tubbercurry. |
29.05.04 Rathscanlon, Tubbercurry
1 Spotted Flycatcher
27.05.04 Strandhill
2 Chough
 |
| Images © Mícheál Casey 2004 |
| 25th June 2003: Taken last year at Lough Easkey, this Common Sandpiper may be well be the same bird reported at Lough Easkey this week |
22.05.04 Lough Talt
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Common Gulls
22.05.04 Downpatrick Head, County Mayo
2 "Bridled" Guillemots
21.05.04 Mullaghmore
2 Whooper Swans
Skua sp. -What may have been an Arctic Skua was reported from Streedagh beach chasing Arctic Terns on the 19th.
White Wagtail
Following the reports from Inishcrone, another three White Wagtails were found. They were seen on the 29th of April near Ballyconnel feeding in seaweed.
 |
||
 |
 |
|
| Images © Mícheál Casey 2004 | ||
| Waders are beginning to get scarce on the coast of Sligo this month, and soon only our resident breeding species, such as the Ringed Plover (lower left) will be left). As these normally drab birds moult into their brighter summer plumage, birds such as the Turnstone (top) and the Sanderling (below right) transform their appearance. | ||
18.05.04 Raghly
1 Sanderling seen feeding with Dunlin on the seaweed covered shore near the harbour. Similar to the Whooper Swan record, this is a very late sighting of this species
17.05.04 Cartron
1 Whimbrel
16.05.04 Glencar Lake
1 Whooper Swan seen flying over the lake. This is a very late record for this species in County Sligo.
1 Dipper was seen swimming in the lake, rather uncharacteristic behaviour for this species
14.05.04 Hazelwood
good numbers of Blackcap and Mistle Thrush were noted, with Treecreeper, Jay and two male Bullfinches also noted
13.05.04 IT Sligo
2 Sedge Warblers
1 Redpoll
12.05.04 Ballyconnell
1 Great Northern Diver
2 Wheatears
White Wagtail
There were sightings of this subspecies from Enniscrone on the 28th of April and Ballyconnell on the 29th (see http://www.castlebar.ie/clubs/mayobirdwatch, photo on April 2004 page)). The only previous reports of White Wagtail are from around 1900 in the same area. The scarcity of White Wagtail is most likely due to a lack of observers, as the species breeds in Iceland and is most likely is a passage migrant in small numbers.
10.05.04 Ballyconnell
1 Great Northern Diver in breeding plumage
06.05.04 IT Sligo
1 singing Sedge Warbler
1 Willow Warbler