November 2007 Sightings
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| October 2007 <<< | Back to Archive | >>> December 2007 |
| 30th
November 2007 Ballintemple |
The darker of the two Richardson's Cackling Geese
was at Ballyconnell along with about 200 Barnacle Geese (i.e.
about 10% of the flock) (S.
Feeney). With the storm forecast for this weekend, the Barnacle geese may remain offshore on Inishmurray altogether. Some interesting charts of wind and especially wave height here. |
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| 29th November 2007 Glencar |
The adult male Ring-necked Duck was still at Glencar Lake, along with about 12 Tufted Ducks (S. Feeney, M. Casey) | |||||||||||||
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| 28th November 2007 Glencar Lake |
An adult male Ring-necked duck was found with the Tufted Ducks today at the Sligo end of Glencar Lake (N. Mugan). | |||||||||||||
| 28th November 2007 Ballintemple |
The Greenland White-fronted Goose was seen again, on it's own, in a field by the red shed close to where the Barnacle flock was grazing (N. Mugan). | |||||||||||||
| 28th November 2007 Streedagh |
The flock of 220 Eider was again off the strand today (D. Cotton) | |||||||||||||
| 27th November 2007 Sligo Institute of Technology |
A Peregrine Falcon was seen flying over the college today (P. Keogh) | |||||||||||||
| 27th November 2007 Streamstown |
One Snow Bunting seen, flew across inlet towards Kellystown (S. Feeney). | |||||||||||||
| 26th November 2007 Streamstown |
One Twite seen, on saltmarsh behind the stile, between the old sign and the point (M. Casey). | |||||||||||||
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| 25th November 2007 Drumcliff Bay |
On the mudflats at Carney, a large flock of 710 Golden Plover was
seen, while on the sea, there were 24 Red-breasted Mergansers,
three Long-tailed Duck
(one male, two female), seven Great
Northern Divers, five Red-throated
Divers (S.
Feeney). |
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| 25th November 2007 Ballisodare Bay |
Some interesting highlights from today's iWEBS count which concentrated on Ballisodare bay because of the poor weather and visibility in the morning. 23 Twite were seen at Streamstown on the south side of Ballisodare bay (M. Bell) while another three were at the Inishes on the north side of the bay (M. Casey). A Little Egret was again present at Tanrego (T. Hunter). A male Peregrine Falcon was seen chasing a small flock of Mallard, in a vain attempt to mark the Thanksgiving Day weekend with a duck for lunch (J. Dunleavy, D. Cotton). | |||||||||||||
| 25th November 2007 Ballintemple/Ballyconnell |
Two Richardson's Cackling Geese, and a Pink-footed Goose were seen with the main Barnacle Goose flock, which today comprised more than 2,000 birds (P. Kelly, A. Kelly). The flock was quite badly disturbed today, and at one stage was split into three groups, apparently as a result of shooting in the Lissadell area (outside the reserve). | |||||||||||||
| 24th
November 2007 Lissadell |
The dark juvenile Brent Goose (probable Dark-Bellied Brent Goose) that has been with the Barnacle Geese for at least the last week was on the sand flats off lissadell Strand today (D. Cotton). | |||||||||||||
| 24th November 2007 Tanrego |
Little Egret seen (T. Hunter) | |||||||||||||
| 23rd
November 2007 Lissadell |
One Richardson's Cackling Goose (the darker bird) and a single Pink-footed Goose were with the Barnacle geese at Lissadell today (whole flock not visible). Good numbers of Wigeon and 6/7 Shoveler seen (S. Feeney). | |||||||||||||
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| 22nd November 2007 Lissadell |
A single Pink-footed
Goose, the dark juvenile
Brent and 1300 Barnacle
Geese were at Lissadell today (N. Mugan). |
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| 21st November 2007 Lissadell |
A very dark juvenile Brent goose* was
with the Barnacle
flock at Lissadell today. The bird remained with the Barnacles grazing on
pasture in the Goose Field. In addition both Richardson's Cackling Geese,
the single Pink-footed
Goose with about 1100 Barnacle
Geese were at Lisadell today. Two Pintail ducks and
eight Shoveler
were on the pond and good numbers of Teal, Wigeon, Curlew and
Lapwing
were on the pasture. (J.
& S. Geraty, M. Casey) * The consensus among those who have seen this bird is that it is a juvenile Dark-bellied Brent. |
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| 21st November 2007 Lissadell |
A flock of 220 Common Eider were seen off the mid-point of the beach at Streedagh today (D. Cotton) | |||||||||||||
| 20th November 2007 Rosses Point |
One first-winter Iceland Gull seen (N. Mugan). | |||||||||||||
| 20th November 2007 Cartron Marsh (behind bus stop) |
One adult Mediterranean Gull was roosting with a small group of Black-headed Gulls (M. Casey) | |||||||||||||
| 20th November 2007 Ballintemple |
Two Richardson's Cackling Geese, one Pink-footed Goose and a Greenland White-fronted Goose were with the main Barnacle goose flock at Ballintemple today (S. Feeney). The main flock does not appear to have returned to Lissadell since the weekend. Note that another Richardson's Cackling Goose was reported from the Mullet in Mayo (D. Suddaby) and three have been seen on Islay this autumn. | |||||||||||||
| 19th
November 2007 Gibraltar Point |
One adult Mediterranean Gull was seen about 200m off the point (S. Feeney) | |||||||||||||
| 18th
November 2007 Ox Mountains |
A Common Buzzard was seen along the minor road that runs along the north slope of Knockalongy near the Ladies Brae (M. Bell) | |||||||||||||
| 18th
November 2007 Ross, Killaraght (ESE of Lough Gara) |
60 Wigeon and 70 Whooper Swans at Grid ref M757985 (M. Creegan) | |||||||||||||
| 18th
November 2007 Sligo Town Centre |
A Woodcock was seen flying through the grounds of the Mercy College and across Pearse Road, before briefly alighting at the Advance Tyre Centre on the Pearse Road - an unusual urban record (T. Hunter) | |||||||||||||
| 17th
November 2007 Ballintemple/Ballyconnell area |
Two Richardson's
Cackling Geese, one Greenland
White-fronted Goose and a Pink-footed
Goose were with the Barnacle goose flock (D. Breen). A very
dark juvenile Brent was also with the flock (S. Feeney) A particularly good autumn for seeing geese in Sligo. This sighting means that all five species of geese regularly occurring in Ireland (Brent, Barnacle, Greenland White-fronted, Pink- footed and Greylag) have been seen in this area this autumn.....plus Richardson's Cackling Goose! |
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| 16th
November 2007 Ballyconnell Strand |
A Little Stint was on the beach, associating loosely with a small group of Ringed Plovers. The group was flushed and flew south towards Raghley, and it was not re-found by nightfall (S. Feeney). | |||||||||||||
| 15th
November 2007 Rooses Point/Ballincar |
There was a possible Lesser Scaup with 7 Greater Scaup in Sligo Bay between Ballincar and Risses point,, where the estuary comes up to the Road. two Slavonian Grebes also seen (N. Mugan) | |||||||||||||
| 15th
November 2007 Lissadell |
2,100 Barnacle
Geese, 2 Richardson's
Cackling Goose
and 1 Pink-footed
Goose were grazing on the pasture in the Goose field,
while the ponds held 1 Whooper
Swan, 4 Shovelers
and 111 Wigeon
(D. Cotton). The World Rally Championship visits Sligo this week and with 62 helicopters licenced to fly in the general area of Sligo town, some disturbance of the Lissadell goose flock may be inevitable, even though the organisers are committed to keeping air traffic away from the reserve, from Ballyconnell, and from Inishmurray Island. Please report any infringements, via this website or directly to Sligo Airport who have overall responsibility for air traffic control. Severe traffic disruption is also expected. |
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| 14th November
2007 Ballygawley Lake |
The WWT Super Whooper Project's satellite-tagged Whooper Swan "Conn" is still at Ballygawley Lake (satellite signal recorded on the Super Whooper project website). Maps here. | |||||||||||||
| 14th
November 2007 Lissadell |
A Richardson's Cackling Goose was with the main Barnacle flock at Lissadell today - it was slightly smaller than the accompanying Barnacle Geese (S. Feeney). The observer considers that this 2007 bird is similar to the Richardson's Canada Goose (Branta canadensis/hutchinsii hutchinsii) seen with the Barnacles at Ballyconnell, Co. Sligo in February 2003 - see a photo of the 2003 bird here. | |||||||||||||
| 11th
November 2007 Lissadell |
1 Richardson's Cackling Goose, 1 Pink-footed Goose, 1 Whooper and several Shovelers were with the main Barnacle Goose flock at Lissadell (M. Enright). | |||||||||||||
| 11th
November 2007 Rathscanlon, Tubbercurry |
Two Woodcock seen going to roost separately in a young oak forest at dawn (M. Casey). | |||||||||||||
| 11th
November 2007 Cartron Bay |
A Mediterranean Gull was seen today (N. Mugan). | |||||||||||||
| 10th
November 2007 Cooanmore Point, Easky |
Two Twite gave excellent close views, and approximately 10 Purple Sandpipers were seen (M. Bell). | |||||||||||||
| 6th November 2007 Raghley Point |
3 Greylag Geese, and one Mediterranean Gull seen (N. Mugan). | |||||||||||||
| 6th November 2007 Ballygawley Lake |
"Conn", the satellite tagged Whooper Swan which is being tracked as part of the Super Whooper project was at Ballygawley Lake today at 10.30 pm (WWT website). | |||||||||||||
| 6th
November 2007 Ballygilgan Nature Reserve ("The Goose Field"), Lissadell |
A small Canada
Goose, thought to be a Richardson's
Cackling Goose, subsp hutchinsii
was at Lissadell today with the Barnacle
geese. Seven Shoveler
also present (N. Mugan).
The small stature of this bird, the location, the time of
year
and the fact that it is on its own with a large flock of another
species of migrating geese strongly suggest that this is a genuine
vagrant (from Canada) rather than a feral Canada goose (from Cavan!).
These smaller races have been split from Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) by some authorities, especially in north America (e.g. American Ornithological Union), and designated as a separate species - "Cackling Goose" (Branta hutchinsii), See the National Audubon Society website, also David Sibley's ID guide. |
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| 6th November 2007 Ballygawley Lake |
"Conn" the satellite-tagged Whooper Swan (see below) was detected again at Ballygawley Lake, by a signal received from his satellite tag at 10.30 pm (from Super Whooper website, via M. Enright). | |||||||||||||
| 4th
November 2007 Ballinacarrow |
A Woodcock was seen flying over the N17 at Ballinacarrow at 6 pm (N. Mugan) | |||||||||||||
| 4th November 2007 Union Wood, Collooney |
A Common Buzzard was soaring over Breeogue, Knocknahur (Ransboro area) at 3.35pm - possibly the same bird as seen nearby over Union Wood around the same time by John Gallagher? (T. Hunter). | |||||||||||||
| 4th November 2007 Union Wood, Collooney |
A Common Buzzard was seen soaring over Union Wood from the dual carriageway, near Collooney at about 3.30 pm (J. Gallagher). | |||||||||||||
| 4th November 2007 Gibraltar Point/ Cummeen Strand |
1,040 Light-bellied brent Geese and one Little Egret seen on Cummeen Strand from Gibraltar Point on the rising tide (W. Stringer). | |||||||||||||
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| 4th November 2007 Ballygawley Lake |
9.30am:
BirdWatch Sligo members confirm "Conn's" location on
Ballygawley Lake,
despite poor viewing conditions (fog); both his satellite antenna and
darvic ring were clearly seen and photographed (photos below).
He is
in the company of an apparent mate (M.
Bell, M. Casey, M. Keane, G. Scott) 10.15am: Conn and his mate were seen and videoed leaving Ballygawley lake and flying south/south-east (M. Keane, G. Scott). More photos of Conn and his mate, together with a video clip and satellite maps of his travels are here. |
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| 3rd/4th November 2007 Ballygawley Lake |
Satellite signals at 11.30 pm and 2.30am put satellite-tagged Whooper Swan "Conn" in the vicinity of Ballygawley Lake. The first signal was poor quality, but the later one is a high-quality signal with a high degree of accuracy and reliability (G. McElwaine). | |||||||||||||
| 3rd/4th November 2007 Several areas in western counties |
Very heavy passage of Redwings noted across Connacht, reported from Castlebar, Tubbercurry, Ballaghaderreen - what sounded like thousands of birds calling as they passed overhead between 9-12pm (J. Milroy, M.Casey, J. Gallagher) | |||||||||||||
| 3rd November 2007 Ballisodare Bay |
A satellite signal indicates that one of the Whooper Swans that were satellite-tagged in Iceland during the summer as part of the WWT Super Whooper project is in Ballisodare Bay at about 6.05pm, having moved down from Inch levels, Co. Donegal (G. McElwaine). | |||||||||||||
| 1st November 2007 Cartron (near Feehily's Funeral Home) |
A Barn Owl was seen hunting in this area at about 1 am (N. Mugan). | |||||||||||||
