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Field Guides Birding Tours: Ireland in Spring: Birds

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Field Guides Birding Tours: Ireland in Spring: Birds Field Guides Tour Report IRELAND IN SPRING: BIRDS, TRADITIONAL MUSIC & PUBS May 12, 2011 to May 21, 2011 Terry McEneaney A beautiful setting on the Dingle Peninsula (Photo by guide Terry McEneaney) Having traveled to Ireland a fair amount, I think it is safe to say every trip to Ireland is different. Around every corner, pasture, bally or town, sea cliff, glen, mountain, forest, city park, national park or pub there is an opportunity for adventure, conversation, or simply sheer fun. One can’t say that for many places in the world. No wonder so many people want to visit the Emerald Isle, and why it is so high on people’s travel or life bucket list. When you add in the birds, the natural beauty, the music, the culture, the pubs, and the people, Ireland is nothing less than a land of enchantment. By this we mean that it continues to hold a magical spell, a charm, like no other place on Earth. Our Field Guides Birding Plus: Ireland in Spring 2011 tour was no exception. We ended up seeing some of the most dramatic landscapes, seascapes, and skyscapes in southern Ireland, and our bird list was not too shabby for Ireland before the big hordes of people arrive for the summer. We tallied 98 species of birds and 6 species of mammals. Standout birds included the hard to see Sylviidae “Old World warblers” of the genus Phylloscopus (Leaf-Warblers) such as Willow Warbler and Common Chiffchaff, the genus Acrocephalus (Reed-Warblers and Allies) such as Sedge Warbler and Eurasian Reed-Warbler, the genus Sylvia (Old World Warblers) such as Blackcap and Garden Warbler, and of the genus Locustella (Grass-Warblers) and the Grasshopper Warbler, the gorilla or stealth fighter of the grasses. Although unfavorable weather conditions prevented us from visiting the Skellig Islands, we still got to see plenty of seabirds (Northern Gannet, Northern Fulmar, Black Guillemot, Common Murre, and Manx Shearwater). What we lost in bird quantity we gained in quality and observation. Most memorable were: the colorful Gray Wagtails feeding young with a waterfall as a backdrop; a White-throated Dipper feeding a youngster in a rapid below a beautiful arched stone bridge; Red-billed Choughs harassing Eurasian Kestrels; the amazing acrobatic flying skills of Red-billed Choughs; Red-billed Chough young being fed by adults at a rare sea-cliff nest; killer close-up views and the aerial displays of noisy kiting Sky Larks; the continuous undulating displays of a gorgeous male Hen or Northern (Eurasian) Harrier over mountain heather. But you always save the best birds for last. We were equally rewarded with wonderful views of Red Grouse in mountain heather. The cock showed his colorful red combs over the eyes, the hen by his side being slightly smaller and more yellowish or gold. Then a Northern Harrier showed up and flushed the brace or pair, allowing us the opportunity to study these same birds in flight as rain and graupel (disfigured snowflakes) came down. But birding is a moment of opportunity as well, and as luck would have it three Red Kites flew straight overhead in the Wicklow Mountains as they weaved in and Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 1 out of approaching rain clouds. One could easily see them hanging suspended in the sky and understand why they are appropriately called kites. We visited the following: several mountain ranges or slieves; a long beautiful sand spit beach called a strand; quaint isolated sand beaches; castles; round towers; Irish high crosses; the longest river in Ireland (River Shannon); Wicklow Mountains and Killarney national parks; mountain lakes; a shibin (pronounced shebeen), an unannounced private pub, for a session. Lastly, we had some outstanding experiences with the Irish people and their culture. As our group found out, the pubs are the key to experiencing the Irish culture and without question are the social center of every town. We had friends invite us into their farms and their homes, show us historic sites and settings few visitors get to see. We even got to experience a border collie working a herd of sheep, and an out-of-this world experience of traveling in a musician's van. We had people surprise us with songs and impromptu music. We even joined in on an Irish birthday party in a pub. Our traditional Irish music venues were fabulous, featuring all types of instruments ranging from Uilleann (“Elbow”) pipes, tin whistles, fiddles, and bodrans (skin drums) to accordions, banjos, flutes, and guitars, oftentimes in quaint old-style pubs. It was not your run of the mill tour of Ireland, it was an experience not to be missed and one only the likes this Birding Plus Ireland tour can successfully pull off. A special thanks to my wife Karen for helping with logistics on this tour. It is nice to have a woman’s touch. Also thanks to drivers Peter and Jeremiah. But most importantly a special thanks to the participants for allowing me the opportunity to show you Ireland. May the wind be forever at your back. And may the sun, shine warm upon you. I’m bound for home! Slan Ahaile! Safe Home! --Terry We have more information about this itinerary and future departures on our web page for Ireland in Spring: Birds, Traditional Music & Pubs. KEYS FOR THIS LIST One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant BIRDS Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl) CANADA GOOSE (Branta canadensis) – A flyover in Wicklow Mountains National Park. MUTE SWAN (Cygnus olor) – Seen everyday but one. Very common bird. COMMON SHELDUCK (Tadorna tadorna) – Many individuals, mainly seen in SE Ireland. GADWALL (Anas strepera) – One individual observed Lady's island Lake. MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos) – One of the most common waterfowl. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (Mergus serrator) – Two individuals flying Killarney National Park. Phasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies) RING-NECKED PHEASANT (Phasianus colchicus) – Excellent views of very dark rusty-plumaged cocks and accompanying hens. [I] WILLOW PTARMIGAN (RED GROUSE) (Lagopus lagopus scotica) – Super views of this magnificent galliform the color of gold-rust Ireland heather. A brace or pair comprising two individuals total. The red combs over the eyes of the cock were so obvious, as were the golden tinged plumage of the hen. A Northern Harrier flew over the hiding pair, causing them to flush affording us another viewing opportunity. [E] Podicipedidae (Grebes) LITTLE GREBE (Tachybaptus ruficollis) – Several individuals seen on two separate days. GREAT CRESTED GREBE (Podiceps cristatus) – Wonderful views of this large colorful grebe wit gigantic head crests. [N] Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 2 Procellariidae (Shearwaters and Petrels) NORTHERN FULMAR (Fulmarus glacialis) – Wonderful views of this magnificent coastal glider on three separate days. [N] MANX SHEARWATER (Puffinus puffinus) – Distant views on the ocean horizon from Slea Head of a couple individuals coming to an apex then dropping close to the water. Only a few participants were lucky enough to see this species from shore. Sulidae (Boobies and Gannets) NORTHERN GANNET (Morus bassanus) – Many outstanding views of this fabulous bird of black and white contrast. Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags) GREAT CORMORANT (ATLANTIC) (Phalacrocorax carbo carbo) – Seen the majority of the days of the tour. EUROPEAN SHAG (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) – Super views on two out of three days. Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns) GRAY HERON (Ardea cinerea) – Observed many times throughout the tour. LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) – Seen three out of four days while in SE corner of Ireland. Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) RED KITE (Milvus milvus) – It couldn't have been any better. The way they flew you could see why they are called kites suspended in the skye. Three individuals showed up not too distant overhead trying to work their way around individual rain clouds. They were low enough you could hear them calling. An experience no one will forget of this relatively large raptor. NORTHERN HARRIER (EURASIAN) (Circus cyaneus One of the three High Crosses of Clonmacnoise (ancient center of cyaneus) – Watched an extremely light-colored male Irish scholarship, literature, and art). High cross carvings tell displaying by undulating repeatedly over the heather stories. The circle on the cross represents the sun, since these ancient despite the spirts of grauple and rain. Later it flushed peoples were sun worshipers influenced by Christianity. (Photo by the two Red Grouse that were hiding in the heather. guide Terry McEneaney) EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK (Accipiter nisus) – On Days 1 and 8. Typical of accipiters the views could have been better. COMMON BUZZARD (Buteo buteo) – Seen on the first day en route and near the hotel. Both light and dark morphs observed. Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras) EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus) – Observed on 6 different days. Our best views were of a tiercel (male)and a falcon(female) messing with Red-billed Choughs on the Dingle. What an experience. Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots) COMMON MOORHEN (EURASIAN) (Gallinula chloropus chloropus) – Many seen. EURASIAN COOT (Fulica atra) – Many of these crazy birds seen. Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings) NORTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus vanellus) – Wonderfull views of these large black and white shorebirds in an Irish blanket bog. COMMON RINGED PLOVER (Charadrius hiaticula) – Only a couple individuals seen one day. Haematopodidae (Oystercatchers) EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus ostralegus) – Many seen on four separate days. Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies) COMMON REDSHANK (Tringa totanus) – Seen near Lady's Island Lake. Field Guides Birding Tours • www.fieldguides.com • 800-728-4953 3 EURASIAN CURLEW (Numenius arquata) – Surprisingly not more seen. BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa) – Seen on five different days.
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