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'CONALL' FOUND POISONED ON TRUSKMORE MOUNTAIN
Conall
 

Image  © Lorcán O'Toole 2010

2nd March 2010: Golden Eagle 'Conall' found poisoned on the Sligo/Leitrim border.

Confirmation came today that 'Conall', the wild Irish-bred Golden Eagle that spent the past few months in the Glencar valley was found dead on Truskmore Mountain on the 18th of February - see photo above with Sligo & Sligo Bay in the background.

The 10 month old eagle chick was born and reared in a Donegal eyrie in 2009. The bird had spent the last four months wandering the beautiful mountains above Glencar Waterfall, Lough Gill and Gleniff. This male eagle was named Conall after "Tír Conall" - the Irish name for Donegal. Local people and children in Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim had been watching and following its regular movements on the project website (www.goldeneagle.ie).

Lorcán O Toole from the Golden Eagle Trust said, "This issue is about the illegal use of poison within Irish farming. We believe the few hundred farmers using poison illegally are at variance with the huge environmental advances Irish farming has undergone over the last ten years. We have always fully acknowledged the support and co-operation of the sheep farming community in the Northwest and continue to do so. But unfortunately the poisoning this Golden Eagle, undermines the image of Irish food and weakens the potential for local tourism and damages the fragile rural economy in the Northwest, we believe."

Gardaí in Sligo Town have begun their investigation.

The Golden Eagle Trust press release is here

The RTE news item, with farmer reaction is here.

 

 

     
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Watch out for Great Spotted Woodpecker in Sligo's woodlands

In view of several unconfirmed reports of Great Spotted Woodpeckers in Sligo last spring, and another possible sighting near Ballintrillick in mid-January reported to us this week (courtesy of Lar Thermes), please remember that any reports of this newest Irish breeding species are welcomed at this website. All reported sightings will be followed up.

Great Spotted Woodpeckers are now breeding in several Irish counties on the east coast, and will probably spread here eventually. Please try to obtain photos to confirm the identity, but only if you can do so without disturbing the bird, especially if there is any suspicion that the bird is breeding.

 

Please send any reports to sightings @sligobirding.com

The photos show a female (left) and male (right) Great Spotted Woodpecker at their nest hole in Co. Wicklow. These photos were taken by Dick Coombes of BirdWatch Ireland under special licence.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
Image © Dick Coombes 2009 Image © Dick Coombes 2009
Ringed Herring Gull

Ring-reading news

The BTO have confirmed that a ringed Herring Gull (GF09646) seen in Sligo Harbour on 14th March 2009 and again on 5th October 2009 was ringed by Chris Reynolds as a nestling at Mointeach Airinis, Isle of Lewis, in the Scottish Western Isles on the 23rd June 2003. This gull was one of a large number attracted into the harbour last March by spillage from the export of a shipment of fishmea from the Deepwater Quayl. Its reappearance in October suggests that it may be yet another regular wintering gull in Sligo from gull colonies in the northern half of the UK.

Together with ringing evidence for movements of Storm Petrels and Barnacle Geese, these gull movements show how closely the western coast of Ireland is connected with Scotland's islands in terms of bird movements.

Click on photos for full size image

Ringed Herring Gull
Image © Mícheál Casey 2009 Image © Mícheál Casey 2009

 

 

Recent Sligo Sightings

Please send any sightings of interest to sightings@sligobirding.com

Red text is used to signify records of particular significance for Co. Sligo

Date

Species

Photo

Number

Site

Observer

Remarks

             
             

09 March 2010

Ring-necked Duck


1 Lough Bo

Séamus Feeney

Male, possibly returning bird. Near the pumphouse, only duck on lake.

09 March 2010

Whooper Swan


21 Bunduff Lough,
Mullaghmore

Mícheál Casey

Large Lake, plus one long-stayer on marshy lake

08 March 2010

Merlin


1 Carrigeens,
Ballinfull

Declan Feeney

Observer remarks: Adult female. Seems she has taken to our garden bird feeder - second visit in 10 days. Straight around the house at eye level, over the hedge to the feeder, an explosion of small birds and silence for 15 minutes. Brilliant!

08 March 2010

Cormorant


1 Doorly Park,
Sligo Town

Val Robus

In full breeding plumage, a very well marked individual

08 March 2010

Common Buzzard


1 Templeboy

Mervyn Gawley

On way home, having seen two more between Omagh, Co. Tyrone and Belleek, Co. Fermanagh!

08 March 2010

Common Buzzard


1 near Inishcrone

Mervyn Gawley

Still present daily

08 March 2010

Goosander


1 Ballysadare Estuary

Séamus Feeney

 

08 March 2010

Glaucous Gull


1 Pollnadivva Harbour,
Easky

Séamus Feeney

First winter bird still present

08 March 2010

Cackling Goose


2 Ballintemple

Will Soar, Craig Holden, et al via Derek Charles

Seen by visiting group of UK birders with 700 Barnacle Geese at 9am. No Common Eider seen this morning

08 March 2010

Canada Goose


1 Ballyconnell

Will Soar, Craig Holden, et al via Derek Charles

07 March 2010

Peregrine Falcon


1 Ardtermon Strand,
Raghly

Martin Enright

Flew entire length of Ardtermon Strand, quite low, causing uproar among the waders

07 March 2010

Whooper Swan


28 Lissadell

Don Cotton

Skein flying north

07 March 2010

Whooper Swan


30 Cloonagh Lough,
Ballyconnell

Don Cotton

 

07 March 2010

Light-bellied Brent


90 Strandhill Beach

Tom Murray

 

06 March 2010

Tree Sparrow


1 Easkey

Robin Burnhams

Reappeared in village garden where seen before - first sighting for a long time

08 March 2010

Goldeneye


2 near The Holy Well,
Lough Gill

Declan Feeney

Pair of Goldeneye seen, also Great Crested Grebe

06 March 2010

Ruddy Shelduck


1

Gibraltar Point,
Cummeen Strand
,
Sligo Harbour

Paul Keogh

 

06 March 2010

Merlin


1 Culleenamore,
Strandhill

Séamus Feeney

Perched in a tree

06 March 2010

Goosander


1 Ballysadare Estuary

Mark Carmody, Martin Enright

From Silver Falls Car Park

06 March 2010

Brent sp.


1 Ballygilgan Strand,
Lissadell

Séamus Feeney

A Brent goose on the strand near the Goose Field showed features of Gray Brant/Grey-bellied Brent, a race of brent goose that breeds on some of Canada's arctic islands, esp Melville Island

05 March 2010

Red Grouse


1 Ox Mountains

Mícheál Casey

Near Lough Easkey

03 March 2010

Common Buzzard


1 near Inishcrone

Mervyn Gawley

Feeding on frogs for the past week

01 March 2010

Common Eider


8 Streedagh Point

Robin Burnhams

Four pairs

01 March 2010

Black-tailed Godwit


12 Streedagh Point

Robin Burnhams

 

01 March 2010

Hen Harrier


1 near Ballinamore,
Co Leitrim

John Davis

Female Hen Harrier hunting over rough ground just south of Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim on March 1st

01 March 2010

Greenshank


1 Finned,
Ballysadare Bay

John Foss

 
             
March 2010            

28 February 2010

Pink-footed Goose


6 Rathscanlon,
Tubbercurry

Mícheál Casey

Six seen close to dusk, flying rapidly and low, callling, looked as though they had been flushed close by. Flew south-east over broad-leaved forestry, calling constantly, then four split off and flew south, passing low overhead.

25 February 2010

Purple Sandpiper


14 Easky

Séamus Feeney & Joe Donaldson

 

25 February 2010

Common Eider


c. 20 Pollaheeney Harbour,
Easky

Séamus Feeney & Joe Donaldson

 

28 February 2010

Glaucous Gull


1 Pollnadivva Harbour,
Easky

Séamus Feeney & Joe Donaldson

First winter

28 February 2010

Tree Sparrow


Min. 13 Aughris Village

Séamus Feeney & Joe Donaldson

The highest number of Tree Sparrows seen in Co. Sligo for a very, very, long time......

27 February 2010

Whooper Swan


1 Bunduff Lough,
Mullaghmore

Séamus Feeney & Joe Donaldson

Single bird swimming towards observers, possibly the long-staying non-flying bird.

27 February 2010

Long-tailed Duck


2 Mermaid's Cove,
Mullaghmore

Séamus Feeney & Joe Donaldson

 

27 February 2010

Ruddy Shelduck


1 Gibraltar Point,
Cummeen Strand

Séamus Feeney & Joe Donaldson

Still present

27 February 2010

Goosander


1 Ballysadare Estuary

Séamus Feeney & Joe Donaldson

Seen from Silver Falls Car Park, still present

25 February 2010

Mediterranean Gull


1 Bunduff Strand,
Mullaghmore

Don Cotton & Mícheál Casey

Adult, almost in full summer plumage

25 February 2010

Lesser Black-backed Gull


1 Ballysadare Estuary

Séamus Feeney

First returning Lesser Black-backed Gull of Spring 2010.

Seen from Silver Falls Car Park,

24 February 2010

Goosander


1 Silver Falls Car Park,
Ballysadare Estuary

Séamus Feeney, Michael Bell

Still present

23 February 2010

Ringed Plover


1 Inishcrone Harbour,

John Foss

Colour-ringed bird, no details on origins yet available. Photo on February Gallery page here.

Also see John Foss's amazing collection of images of Leitrim and Sligo wildlife in his online gallery page here.

23 February 2010

Barn Owl


1 Drum,
Ballygawley

Kevin, Nicole, and Mark Gallagher, Rachel Hennessy

Flew into a sand paddock where horses were being exercised, dropped into a drain where it may have caught something, and then flew off, giving amazingly close views to the observers.

22 February 2010

Kingfisher


1 Quay St,
Sligo

Declan Skehan

Flew up river, calling, at dusk

22 February 2010

Carrion Crow


1 Ballyconnell

Mícheál Casey

Seen briefly in the roadside fields that run down to Yellow Strand

21 February 2010

Lesser Redpoll


30

Templehouse Bog,
Ballymote

John Davis

Adult male

21 February 2010

Hen Harrier


1 Near Ballinagare, Co. Roscommon

Michael Bell

Adult male

21 February 2010

Golden Plover


120 Easkey

Robin Burnhams

 

21 February 2010

Hen Harrier


1 Ballyconnell

Andrew Tweedie via Derek Charles

"Ringtail" i.e. juvenile/female.

21 February 2010

Cackling Goose


1 Ballyconnell

Brad Robson, also Andrew Tweedie via Derek Charles

21 February 2010

Twite


3 Raghly

Brad Robson, Mícheál Casey

In usual place at harbour

21 February 2010

Tree Sparrow


1 Raghly

Brad Robson

Heard, in garden near the causeway

20 February 2010

Grey Plover


1 Dunmoran Strand

Robin Burnhams

 

20 February 2010

Golden Plover


40 Raghly

Denis Weir, Derek Charles, Wilton Farrelly

 

20 February 2010

Golden Plover


30 Yellow Strand

Denis Weir, Derek Charles, Wilton Farrelly

 

20 February 2010

Twite


1 Raghly

Michael Bell

In usual place at harbour

20 February 2010

Carrion Crow


1 Ballyconnell Strand

Denis Weir, Derek Charles, Wilton Farrelly, Michael Bell

Possibly the first county record. At the northern (caravan) end of the strand, initially. Seen later at around 3 pm at the Knocklane end of the strand (M. Bell).

Ussher reported possible Carrion Crow sighting in Sligo in 1897 (per Don Cotton).


Other sources of bird news if you are visiting Sligo this summer:

Other sources of information on bird sightings in County Sligo:

- Joe Doolan's Irish bird news website:  www.irishbirding.com

- The Irish page on Birdforum: www.birdforum.net

Please continue to report Sligo sightings as usual to this site, and rarities can also be notified to Joe Doolan on 087 234 7296 by email to sightings@irishbirding.com

Spéir
SPÉIR:  Stop Poisoning Eagles In Ireland

Click here to add your voice to the thousands of other people worldwide calling for an immediate end to the use of indiscriminate poisoned meat baits which are poisoning endangered Irish Eagles.

Or click here to view the signatures.