FAME seabird talk & Dingle Peninsula Bird Report launch

An exciting event to launch the Dingle Peninsula Bird Report 2011-13, by Michael O' Clery has been organised by the BirdWatch Ireland Corca Dhuibhne (West Kerry) Branch. It will be held on Sunday 27th April in Dingle (see event poster below for details).

Highlights of the report include articles on Wilson's Phalarope in Ireland, Little Egrets in Kerry and the White-Tailed Sea Eagle Project.

In addition to the launch of the bird report, the branch is delighted to welcome Dr. Steve Newton (BirdWatch Ireland) to give a talk on seabirds. Dr Newton's talk will focus on the FAME project, entitled "Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean". Furthermore there will be a BBQ & live traditional music later that evening as part of the days festivities.

The afternoon start time offers plenty of scope for pre-event birding at local hot spots (Ventry Harbour, Baile an Reannaig, Dingle Harbour, Ferriters Cove and Riasc Wetland).

Spring Seabird Talks

Continuing on from a series of seabird talks which ran over the course of the winter, another set of presentations featuring the work being undertaken by BirdWatch Ireland & Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment (FAME) will be given at BirdWatch Ireland local branch indoor meetings throughout March & April.

Each event is free & all are welcome to attend. 

Co. Louth

• "Oceanic Wonders & Migration on the Edge! - seawatching & the Seatrack project" - a talk by Niall Keogh.
• The Spirit Store (upstairs), Dundalk, Monday 3rd March at 7:30pm

Co. Mayo

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• Castlebar, Thursday 6th March (further details will be posted soon).

Co. Donegal

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• County Museum, High Road, Letterkenny, Thursday 13th March at 8:00pm.

Co. Roscommon

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• Hannon's Hotel, Roscommon Town, Thursday 20th March at 8:00pm.

Co. Laois

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• Parish Centre, Portlaoise, Tuesday 25th March at 8:00pm.

Co. Tipperary

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• Cabragh Wetlands, Thurles, Thursday 27th March at 8:00pm.

Co. Cork

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• SMA Hall, Wilton, Cork City, Wednesday 2nd April at 8:00pm.

Co. Dublin

• "Oceanic Wonders & Migration on the Edge! - seawatching & the Seatrack project" - a talk by Niall Keogh.
• Botanic Gardens (main auditorium), Glasnevin, Thursday 17th April at 8:00pm. 

Co. Kerry

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• The Díseart, Green Street, Dingle, Sunday 27th April at 2:30pm (talk will feature as part of all day festivities to celebrate the launch of the Dingle Peninsula Bird Report 2011-13. See here for more details).

Puffins © Clive Timmons

FAME Seabird talks on tour

A series of seabird talks featuring the work being undertaken by BirdWatch Ireland & Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment (FAME) will be held over the coming weeks during BirdWatch Ireland local branch indoor meetings.

Each event is free & all are welcome to attend. 

Co. Westmeath

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• Bloomfield House Hotel, near Mullingar, Thursday 14th November 2013 at 8pm.
• Full details on event page here

Co. Dublin

• "Oceanic Wonders & Migration on the Edge! - seabird migration & the Seatrack project" - a talk by Niall Keogh.
• Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Tuesday 3rd December 2013 at 8pm.
• Details of South Dublin Branch events can be found here.

Co. Carlow

• "Oceanic Wonders & Migration on the Edge! - seabird migration & the Seatrack project" - a talk by Niall Keogh.
• Lord Bagenal Inn, Leighlinbridge, Thursday 12th December 2013 at 8pm.
• Details of Carlow Branch events can be found here.

Co. Wicklow

• “Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment – safeguarding Irish seabirds in a rapidly changing ocean” - a talk by Dr. Steve Newton.
• Glenview Hotel, near Delgany, Tuesday 21st January 2014 at 8pm.
• Details of Wicklow Branch events can be found here.

Kittiwake © Laura Glenister

“MedFest” – Enjoying Ireland’s wintering seabirds

The Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment (FAME) & BirdWatch Ireland

Free Outdoor Event

Date: Saturday 9^th November 2013

Time: 10:00am – 16:00pm

Location: Newtownsmith promenade, along the seafront between Dun Laoghaire & Sandycove. Look for our marquee on the green-space beside the seafront car park on Windsor Terrace (adjacent to the old baths).

About: Ireland is renowned for its seabirds. Our coastal cliffs & islands are home to significant populations of nesting Puffins, Manx Shearwaters, Storm Petrel & Gannets. On the East coast, rare breeding Roseate & Little Terns seek refuge at wardened sites such as Rockabill, Kilcoole & Baltray

But what do our seabirds do in winter? Where do they go when they leave the breeding colonies?

BirdWatch Ireland’s seabird experts will be on hand to answer all your questions & guide a series of short walks along the seafront promenade to view some of Ireland's wintering seabirds such as Razorbill, Shag & particularly, Mediterranean Gull.

Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus):
A rough translation of the scientific name would be ‘black-capped gull’ but given that we already have a Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) which actually has a brown head in the summer months then it can all become very confusing! Furthermore, the English name raises questions as to why we also have them in Ireland!

Okay, wind the clock back 20 years and yes, Mediterranean Gulls were generally seen in more southern parts of Europe – most of them breeding in southern France, Italy, Greece and around the Black Sea. In winter they would disperse over the Mediterranean Sea and out into the Iberian Atlantic. Then another ‘sub-population’ commenced breeding in the Low Countries and northern France. Instead of an expected southerly autumn migration, these gulls fly northwest to Ireland & the UK!

We can identify these birds in particular by the colour rings fitted to them as chicks by European ornithologists. The number of Mediterranean Gulls begin to build at staging sites such as Sandycove from July & can be seen there until they leave for their continental nesting sites in April. Their expansion has continued & Mediterranean Gulls now breed in small numbers in Ireland (since 1996), mostly in Wexford!

So if you'd like to see these beautiful gulls in the flesh, learn how to separate them from Black-headed Gull & have a go at reading some colour rings then be sure to head down to the Dun Laoghaire-Sandycove seafront promenade on Saturday 9th November. We'll also take a look at some other seabirds groups such as Cormorant & Shag, Guillemot & Razorbill and Herring Gull & Great Black-backed Gull.

We hope to meet you there,

Steve Newton & Niall Keogh (BirdWatch Ireland Seabird Team)

Adult winter Mediterranean Gull at Sandycove fitted with a white colour ring identifying it as a bird from a breeding colony in Belgium © Niall T. Keogh

Heritage Week event @ Bridges of Ross 19th August 2012

Time: 06:30-12:00 & 15:00-18:00

Weather: F1-2 S-SE, dry, bright & warm (am). F2-3 SW-S, sunny, warm & hazy (pm).

Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh, Keith Langdon, Mikey Hoit, Dave Farrow, Reg Land, Simon Woodhouse, Dave Andrews, Dan Brown and the BirdWatch Ireland Clare & Limerick Branches.

Balearic Shearwater: 2

Sooty Shearwater: 30

Manx Shearwater: 395+ (06:30-09:55)

Fulmar: 190+ (06:30-09:55)

Storm Petrel: 142

Gannet: 450+ incl. 4 juvs (06:30-09:55)

Kittiwake: 96 incl. 34 juvs (06:30-10:30)

Common Scoter: 7 (6 males + 1 female)

Great Skua (Bonxie): 4

Pomarine Skua: 1 pale phase

Arctic Skua: 12

Black Tern: 1 juv.

Arctic Tern: 12

Razorbill: 38

Guillemot: 4

Puffin: 2

Black Guillemot: 1

Black-headed Gull: 1

Whimbrel: 9

Black-tailed Godwit: 11

Spotted Redshank: 1 flew North at 10:20

Chough: 2

Willow Warbler: a tired migrant juvenile landed on a seawatchers chair!

Bottlenose Dolphin: 8-10 in the morning.

Common Dolphin: 30+ in the morning.

Leatherback Turtle: Two sightings of (different?) individuals showing well, resting at the surface for c.1 minute at 07:33 & 09:50.

About 40 people showed up this morning at 10am for the Heritage Week seawatching event hosted by the BirdWatch Ireland Clare & Limerick Branches but unfortunately by that stage most of the morning passage had died off and any Manxies that did go by were very distant. Saying that, nice views of Gannets & Fulmars along with a few Common Scoter and a surprise flyover Spotted Redshank provided plenty of interest as did some very obliging Bottlenose Dolphins which passed by close inshore on two occasions. 

Some of us skived off up to Loop Head this afternoon for the IWDG Whale Watch event, also part of Heritage Week. Sightings from here included 1 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Sooty Shearwater,  1 Great Skua (Bonxie), 5 Whimbrel, 12-14 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Minke Whale, a distant blow from a large whale sp. & an Ocean Sunfish.

So all in all a similar days seawatching to yesterday with the majority of the passage noted in the first few hours followed up by a very dull afternoon. A surprising day total of Storm Petrel but most were mid-distant however.

‘Bird of the Day’ goes to the Leatherback Turtle! 

Bridges of Ross Heritage Week event © Niall Keogh

Leatherback Turtle, Bridges of Ross, 29th August 2010  © Mike Flanagan

Heritage Week Seawatching Event

The annual Heritage Week seawatching event at The Bridges of Ross will be held this Sunday 19th August, meeting at The Bridges of Ross car park, Loop Head, Co. Clare at 10:00am.

This event will be hosted by both the Clare & Limerick Branches of BirdWatch Ireland. It is free of charge & all are welcome to attend. Optics (binoculars or telescopes) & warm, waterproof clothing are advised.

A great opportunity to observe seabird migration in action close to shore with species such as Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Fulmar, Gannet, Great Skua & Arctic Skua all expected as well as a chance of some scarce or rare species.

The seabird event is followed up by the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group whale watch event which will be held nearby at Loop Head at 14:00pm on the same day.

Some pics from the 2011 Heritage Week seawatch event at The Bridges of Ross below...

Group shot © Andrew Power

Shag © Andrew Power

Fulmar © Andrew Power

The Bridges of Ross viewpoint © Andrew Power

South Dublin Seabird Outings

The South Dublin Branch of BirdWatch Ireland will be hosting a series of seabird events at Dalkey every Tuesday evening in July. These events are free of charge & all are welcome to attend.

Dates: Tuesdays 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st July.
Time: 18:30pm to 20:00pm
Location: Coliemore Harbour, Dalkey, Co. Dublin.
Details: Dalkey seabird viewing evenings with BirdWatch Ireland experts on hand to show visitors the breeding terns & other species of seabird such as auks, gulls & shearwaters. No walking required. These events are in conjunction with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

A pdf copy of the Dalkey Tern Project leaflet can be found on the DLRCoCo. website by following this link.

Arctic Tern © Anthony McGeehan