Bridges of Ross 8th Sept 2013

Time: 07:00-10:00 & 16:00-19:15

Weather: F3-4 NW (am) & F1-2 SE (pm), bright, dry & excellent visibility.

Observers: Niall T. Keogh, Noel Keogh, Keith Bennett, Geoff Hunt & Mike Sheehy. 

 

Sooty Shearwater: 4 

Manx Shearwater: 49 in 3 hrs (am) & 18 in 2 hrs (pm) 

Great Northern Diver: 1 (East) 

Great Skua (Bonxie): 15 

Pomarine Skua: 1  

Arctic Skua: 16 

Long-tailed Skua: 1 juvenile (Niall T. Keogh & Noel Keogh)

Arctic Tern: 3

Bar-tailed Godwit: 2

Whimbrel: 2

Knot: 2

Sparrowhawk: 1

Stonechat: 4

Chough: 2

 

Bottlenose Dolphin: 20+

Common Dolphin: 2

Common Seal: 1

The first hour this morning produced 5 Bonxies, 7 Arctic, 1 Pom & the juv Long-tailed Skua. Presumably all were simply moving past after rising from their roost sites in bays further North along the coast. The juv Long-tail came by with an adult dark phase Arctic. The size difference between the two was striking! Just about managed one Sooty during the afternoon/evening session!

Stonechats are particularly evident on the peninsula at the moment & would appear to have had a very good breeding season by the looks of things. Hard to get a definite overall number of birds present but we have recorded peak counts of 4 at The Bridges, 24(!) at Kilbaha & 11 on Loop Head.

Trudging around Loop Head over the past week finally paid off today with a Lapland Bunting at The Fodry.