
	Image © Mícheál Casey 2009
1st November 2009: Black Brant at the Lower Rosses, Drumcliff Bay This Black Brant is the subspecies of Brent Goose that normally breeds in western Canada and winters on the Pacific coast of the USA. A Black Brant has been seen with Light-bellied Brent in this area in recent years in autumn.

Sligo Bird Images - November 2009

Definitely NOT the same geese!!!

Image © Micheál Casey 2009

Image © Chris Batty & Birding World 2002


Image © Chris Batty 2002	Image © Mícheál Casey 2009
As seen at Isle of Islay, Argyll, Scotland November 2002	As seen at Lissadell, Sligo, Ireland - November 2009
The mismatched pair of Canada/Cackling Geese currently with the Barnacle Goose flock at Lissadell bear a superficial resemblance to an similarly mismatched pair photographed at Loch Gruinart on the Scottish island of Islay in November 2002, and published in the Winter 2002/2003 edition of the magazine "Birding World". However, closer scrutiny of the photo shows a clear size disparity (thanks to those who pointed this out) - the Scottish birds are clearly smaller. In fact the larger of the two Scottish birds is similar in size the the smaller Sligo bird, with the other Islay bird even smaller. Two further images of these birds kindly supplied by the photographer and co-author of the Birding World article put this beyond doubt - see below. Chris also comments that the 2002 Islay birds were only very loosely associated with each other, whereas the 2009 Lissadell birds seem strongly bonded. See Batty, C. Lowe, T. and Millington, R.(2003) Branta goose gallery: Winter 2002/2003 Birding World 16 (3) 108 -113


	Images © Chris Batty 2002
Further photos supplied by Chris Batty confirm that these Islay birds are different geese (as suggested by Killian Mullarney and Mike O'Keefe), it ios also clear that the long-necked appearance of the Islay bird in the first photo above is a chance effect of posture, it is proportioned very similar to the smaller, probable Richardsons (B. h. Hutchinsii) bird at Lissadell. Chris's comment on these birds is below:
....both the Islay geese are of the small clade of Canada goose (ie Branta hutchinsii as opposed to Branta canadensis). Furthermore, I believe it is most likely that the smaller, darker bird is Branta hutchinsii minima - which I think is not as unlikely a vagrant as is traditionally supposed - and the larger, paler bird is a Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii. However, our ability to identify these birds to race/form has been questioned (and indeed the classification of these races/forms in North America has itself been questioned). I have used scientific names only to avoid the somewhat confusing common names attributed to these birds." Thanks to all whose input has helped clarify this issue.


	Image © Mícheál Casey 2009
*30th November 2009: Great Northern Diver at Raghly*




	Image © Paul Kelly 2009
*29th November 2009: Second-winter Glaucous Gull x Herring Gull hybrid at Lissadell*


	Image © Paul Kelly 2009
*29th November 2009: Possible Canada Goose (left) and Cackling Goose (right) with Barnacles at Lissadell today*



	Images © Conor McElhinney2009
*29th November 2009:Little Egret pictured at Streamstown , Ballysadare Bay today*


	Image © Mícheál Casey 2009
*28th November 2009: Dunnock in song (or what passes for song if you're a Dunnock) at Lissadell*




	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
*26th November 2009: A pair of Chough foraging on pasture at Mullaghmore Head*


	Image © Mícheál Casey 2009
*26th November 2009: Great Northern Diver outside Mullaghmore harbour*


	Image © Fiona Farrell 2009
*24th November 2009: This adult female in winter plumage was seen on Lough Doon today.*




	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
*22nd November 2009: First-winter Iceland Gull on lissadell Strand (opposite Maugherow Church)*


	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
*23rd November 2009: Storm Petrel found dead at Lissadell on Monday by Noel Raftery. The bird was found along the woodland walk to the hide at the Goose Field, which runs along the shore.*



	Images © Declan Skehan 2009
22nd November 2009: Storm Petrel seen flying along the water's edge at the Alpine Gardens, Lissadell on Sunday evening by Declan Skehan - the same bird found the following day a mile east by Noel Raftery (above)?ay


	Image © Mícheál Casey 2009
20th November 2009: Part of the huge gull flock feeding on the stranded starfish at Lissadell Strand (John's port end). The starfish numbers seem to have gone up again, possibly more still coming ashore.



	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
20th November 2009: The possible hybrid Glaucous-winged Gull still present on Lissadell Strand, in a flock of c. 1,000 gulls, mostly Herring Gulls, but with an increasing component of Great Black-backed Gulls


	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
20th November 2009: First-winter Iceland Gull on Lissadell Strand opposite the Alpine Gardens at Lissadell today


	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
20th November 2009: First-winter Iceland Gull on Lissadell Strand opposite the Alpine Gardens at Lissadell today



	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
20th November 2009: The Canada and Cackling Geese were recognisable and stayed close together in flight as a flock of 100 Barnacle Geese approached the Lissadell Goose Field at lunch time



	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
19th November 2009: Two of the three Iceland Gulls at Lissadell today


	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
17th November 2009: Possible hybrid Glaucous-winged Gull (left) being chased by an Iceland Gull (right) at Lissadell today. Further images of the unidentified gull are here.


	Image © Mícheál Casey 2009
17th November 2009: Reed Bunting at John's Port, Lissadell



	Images © Marius Breen 2009
*15th November 2009: Cackling & Canada Goose with Barnacles at Lissadell*






	Images © Derek Charles 2009
*14th November 2009: Cackling & Canada Goose with Barnacles at Lissadell*

*Possible Glaucous-winged Gull - Lissadell Strand, 14th November 2009*




	Images © Declan Skehan, Derekj Charles, & Mícheál Casey (with Declan Skehan's lens!) 2009
*14th November 2009: This gull, showing features of Glaucous-winged Gull, was found at Lissadell by Derek Charles this afternoon.* A gallery of photos of this bird has been posted here. Comments on its identity welcome!



	Images © Mícheál Casey (with Declan Skehan's lens!) 2009
14th November 2009: Kumlien's Gull at Lissadell - found by Derek Charles


	Image © Michael D. (Mike) Casey 2009
10th November 2009: Little Egret at Gibraltar



	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
10th November 2009: Two first winter Iceland Gulls - the bird in flight and at lower left is the one seen at this site yesterday.



	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
9th November 2009: First winter Iceland Gull joining in the starfish feast at Lissadell.



	Images © Marius Breen2009
8th November 2009: Black Guillemot in winter plumage at Mullaghmore Harbour (upper image) and a compact flock of Eider at Mermaid's Cove (lower image).



	Images © Marius Breen2009
8th November 2009: Two Kestrels seen at Raghly (lower image) and being mobbed by a crow at Bunduff, Mullaghmore (upper image).



	Images © Mícheál Casey 2009
6th November 2009: An unusual mass stranding of a common species of starfish (Asteria rubens) occurred at on Lissadell Beach, where Drumcliif Estuary meets Drumcliff Bay. The casue is unknown, but is probably a result of the resecnt protracted perid of stormy weather, at a time when there are spring tides, alowing the wave action to scour the bottom.




	Images © Joe Geraty 2009
31 October 2009: Cackling Goose (left foreground) and Canada Goose (right foreground) at Lissadell today.

$Black Brant\$

1st November 2009:

Black Brant at the Lower Rosses, Drumcliff Bay

This Black Brant is the subspecies of Brent goose that normally winters on the Pacific coast of the USA. A Black Brant has been seen with Light-bellied Brent in this area in recent years in autumn.

1 November 2009:

Black-headed Gull in full summer plumage, beside a winter-plumaged bird.

1 November 2009:

Flock of Common Eider at Mermaid's Cove

1 November 2009:

Small group of Barnacles passing Mermaid's Cove, Mullaghmore

1 November 2009:

Barnacles in flight at Lissadell.