Seatrack Update: mid Sept 2012

This coming weekend (Sat 15^th/Sun 16^th Sept) sees the fifth Seatrack survey of the season taking place, with a start time of 08:00am. If you would like to take part then get in touch with Niall Keogh at seatrack@birdwatchireland.ie for details.

The previous early September survey revealed the beginnings of both diver & tern migration along with a good passage of Sooty Shearwaters. Small numbers of Great Northern & Red-throated Divers were reported right around the coast along with the second project record of Black-throated Diver which was seen passing Annagh Head. Furthermore, six species of tern were recorded, most notably 10 Black Terns from Carnsore Point and vast numbers of Sterna terns off Clogher Head.

Weather patterns over the next few days are likely to suit Atlantic coasts best as strong SW, W & NW winds prevail, calming for the weekend with SE winds predominating along the South coast on Sunday.

Best of luck to all this weekend,

Niall Keogh

Seatrack co-ordinator 

Some early September Seatrack sightings as follows: (E = East, W = West, S = South, N = North & M = Milling)

Saturday 1st September 2012

Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal (Ralph Sheppard & Chris Ingram)
6 S & 6 N Manx Shearwater, 5 S Sooty Shearwater, 1 S Common Scoter, 1 S Great Northern Diver, 2 S Red-throated Diver, 1 S Great Skua (Bonxie), 1 N Skua sp (Arctic/Long-tailed), 1 S Black Guillemot, 12 S Whimbrel & 12 S Bottlenose Dolphin.

Annagh Head, Co. Mayo (Dave Suddaby)
1 S Balearic Shearwater, 12 S Sooty Shearwater, 2 S Great Northern Diver, 1 S summer plumaged Black-throated Diver, 5 S Great Skua (Bonxie) & 4 S Arctic Skua.

Bridges of Ross, Co. Clare (Niall T. Keogh)
1,056 W Manx Shearwater, 113 W Sooty Shearwater, 300 W Fulmar, 26 W Storm Petrel, 2 W Common Scoter, 6 W Great Skua (Bonxie), 1 W Pomarine Skua, 1 W Arctic Skua, 3 W juv. Sabine’s Gull, 7 W Puffin & 1 Lapland Bunting.

Galley Head, Co. Cork (Colin Barton)
711 W Manx Shearwater, 5 W Sooty Shearwater, 1 W ‘Blue’ Fulmar, 5 W Great Skua (Bonxie), 1 W Pomarine Skua, 2 W Arctic Skua, 562 Auk sp (Guillemot/Razorbill) & 32 W Puffin.

Ram Head, Co. Waterford (Andrew Malcolm)
94 W Manx Shearwater, 1 W Arctic Skua & 36 W Sandwich Tern.

Brownstown Head, Co. Waterford (Paul M. Walsh & Jonathan Bulfin)
6 E & 45 W Manx Shearwater, 6 E Common Scoter, 2 E Great Skua (Bonxie), 1 W Arctic Skua, 2 E & 24 W Sandwich Tern & 8 W 'Commic' Tern.

Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford (Kieran Grace)
340 E & 285 W Manx Shearwater, 1 W Red-throated Diver, 1 W Great Skua (Bonxie), 1 E Arctic Skua, 4 W & 1 M Black Tern, c.150 M Roseate Tern, c.20 W & C.200 M ‘Commic’ Tern & 3 W Whimbrel.

Wicklow Head, Co. Wicklow (Steve Newton)
80 N Manx Shearwater, 8 N & 8 S Common Scoter, 3 S Great Skua (Bonxie), 1 S Arctic Skua & 56 S Sandwich Tern.

Coliemore Harbour, Dalkey, Co. Dublin (Brian Porter & Katherine Keogan)
2 S Manx Shearwater, 1 N & 1 S Great Northern Diver, 2 N Light-bellied Brent Goose & 4 M Harbour Porpoise.

Clogher Head, Co. Louth (Brendan Sheils & Ger Murray)
500+ S Manx Shearwater, 10 S & 19 M Common Scoter, 1 S Great Northern Diver, 1 N Great Skua (Bonxie), 1 N & 3 S Arctic Skua, 2 N Little Tern, 32 N & 5 S Sandwich Tern, 1 N Roseate Tern, 84 S Common Tern, c.500 M Arctic Tern, 100+ S ‘Commic’ Tern, 1 N Black Guillemot, 2 S Puffin, 8 S Light-bellied Brent Goose & 5 M Harbour Porpoise.

Sunday 2nd September 2012

Bridges of Ross, Co. Clare (Niall T. Keogh, Chris Jones & Rob Innes)

3 W Balearic Shearwater, 627 W Sooty Shearwater, 1 W Leach’s Petrel, c.30 W Storm Petrel, 18 W Great Skua (Bonxie), 1 W Pomarine Skua, 7 W Arctic Skua, 109 W Sandwich Tern & 7 W Puffin.

Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford (Noel Keogh & Brian Porter)
1,370 W Manx Shearwater, 2 W Great Skua (Bonxie), 2 W Arctic Skua, 1 W juv. Long-tailed Skua & 10 W Black Tern.

Clogher Head, Co. Louth (Brendan Sheils)
4 S Balearic Shearwater, 5,000+ S Manx Shearwater, 1 S Sooty Shearwater, 1,500+ S Gannet, 1 N Arctic Skua, 10 S Skua sp. (prob. Arctic), 29 S Sandwich Tern, 1,000+ S Common Tern, c.200 S Arctic Tern & 3 M Bottlenose Dolphin. 

Bridges of Ross 9th Sept 2012

Time: 07:20-09:00 & 16:40-19:45

Weather: F2-3 S-SW, overcast, mist & rain, poor vis (am). F3-4 W-SW, sunny, dry & clear (pm).

Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh, Noel Keogh, Kris de Rouck & Wout de Rouck.

Balearic Shearwater: 1

Sooty Shearwater: 136

Manx Shearwater: 233 (pm)

Storm Petrel: 14

Leach’s Petrel: 3

Light-bellied Brent Goose: 4

Red-throated Diver: 2 summer plumage

Great Skua (Bonxie): 16

Pomarine Skua: 1

Arctic Skua: 3

Arctic Tern: 7

Whimbrel: 31

Bar-tailed Godwit: 8

Dunlin: 14

Ocean Sunfish: 1

Absolutely dead this morning but picked up nicely in the late afternoon. As seems to be the case this year, low numbers of Manx but a good spread of other species. Lovely views of the Sooties in particular today, some in excellent light.

Bridges of Ross 8th Sept 2012

Time: 07:15-10:25 & 12:00-18:35

Weather: F2-3 SW, overcast, bright, clear & dry (am). F2-3 W, sunny, dry, hazy & warm (pm).

Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh, John ‘Brick’ Dempsey, ‘Er’ Neill Hunt, Barry ‘Bazzo’ McCarthy, Paul ‘Tropical’ Thomason, Noel Keogh & Joe Adamson.

Balearic Shearwater: 2

Sooty Shearwater: 59

Manx Shearwater: c.240

Fulmar: 350+

Storm Petrel: 3

Leach’s Petrel: 6

Red-throated Diver: 6 summer plumage

Great Skua (Bonxie): 17

Pomarine Skua: 1 pale subadult

Arctic Skua: 6

Kittiwake: c.140

Arctic Tern: 2

Sandwich Tern: 67

Puffin: 4

Black Guillemot: 2

Teal: 8
Common Gull: 8 juv./1^st-w
Chough: 10
Merlin: 1
Peregrine: 1

Bottlenose Dolphin: c.8 present throughout the day, showing very well.
Ocean Sunfish: 3

On such a calm, warm & hazy afternoon, it felt like we were in with a chance of a Cory’s. Instead we got a most unexpected run of Leach’s Petrels! Weird.

A trip up to the Fodry this afternoon in search of American waders proved fruitless on that front but a flyover, calling Lapland Bunting and a juv. Sabine's Gull following a trawler offshore made it all worthwhile.

Bottlenose Dolphin (video grab) © Niall Keogh

Bridges of Ross 7th Sept 2012

Time: 07:30-10:30 & 12:00-19:00

Weather: F2-3 W-SW later F3 W, sea mist at first then clear, bright & dry (am). F2-3 W, sunny, dry & good vis (pm).

Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh, John ‘Brick’ Dempsey, ‘Er’ Neill Hunt, Barry ‘Bazzo’ McCarthy & Paul ‘Tropical’ Thomason.

Balearic Shearwater: 1

Sooty Shearwater: 114

Manx Shearwater: 322 (am)

Fulmar: 97 (am)

Storm Petrel: 1

Leach’s Petrel: 2

Common Scoter: 2 (male & female)

Light-bellied Brent Goose: 26

Red-throated Diver: 4 summer plumage

Great Skua (Bonxie): 16

Pomarine Skua: 1 dark subadult

Arctic Skua: 4

Sabine’s Gull: 1 juv.

Kittiwake: 55 incl. 32 juvs.

Arctic Tern: 7

Sandwich Tern: 74

Puffin: 1

Knot: 1

Chough: 2

Merlin: 1

Common Dolphin: up to 25 in the morning.
Bottlenose Dolphin: 5+ in the afternoon.

A nice spread of species today but painfully slow passage wise this afternoon. Good rush of Sooties in the first hour and a few bits of interest (close juv Sab’s in particular) in the eve.

Bonxie © Niall Keogh

Comfort is a high priority on the headland! © Niall Keogh

Cutting edge birding as ever from John  © Niall Keogh

Seatrack volunteer, Andrew Malcolm was down at his local watch site at Ram Head in Co. Waterford this afternoon. Very little seabird or cetacean action but he did have a nice Osprey fly over!

Osprey  © Andrew Malcolm

First Grey Phals @ Bridges of Ross 6th Sept 2012

Time: 07:00-16:50

Weather: F3-4 SW, clear, bright, dry & cool (am). F4-5 SW, sunny, dry, hazy & warm (pm).

Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh, John ‘Brick’ Dempsey, ‘er’ Neill Hunt, Barry ‘Bazzo’ McCarthy & Paul ‘Tropical’ Thomason.

Balearic Shearwater: 2

Sooty Shearwater: 82

Manx Shearwater: c.400

Fulmar: c.500

Storm Petrel: 2

Common Scoter: 7 males

Red-breasted Merganser: 4

Light-bellied Brent Goose: 10

Red-throated Diver: 2 summer plumage

Grey Phalarope: 4

Great Skua (Bonxie): 12

Pomarine Skua: 2 pale adults

Arctic Skua: 8

Sabine’s Gull: 2 adults & 1 juv.

Kittiwake: 53 incl. 28 juvs.

Common Gull: 4 juv./1st-w

Black Tern: 2

Arctic Tern: 35

Sandwich Tern: 9

Puffin: 1

Whimbrel: 14

Dunlin: 4

Sanderling: 14

Greenshank: 1

Chough: 2

Merlin: 1

Kestrel: 1

Common Dolphin: 2+ in the morning.

Bottlenose Dolphin: 7 in the afternoon.

Slow passage but a nice variety of scarce species today (Pom, Balearic, Sab's, Black Tern etc). The Grey Phalaropes were the long awaited first of the season (first sightings in 2011 were as early as 24th August).

Grey Phalarope © Jerry Cassidy

Bridges of Ross 5th Sept 2012

Time: 07:00-10:00
Weather: F2-3 N-NE, sunny, dry, spray (am)

Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh

Great Shearwater: 1 @ 07:18 (a nice surprise given the weather!)

Sooty Shearwater: 56

Manx Shearwater: 118

Fulmar: 144

Common Scoter: 2 males

Great Skua (Bonxie): 5

Arctic Skua: 3

Kittiwake: 13 incl. 3 juvs.

Chough: 38 flew West towards Loop Head (high site count)

Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 1 juvenile still present, near the pool.

Clare birder, John Murphy, who should otherwise be seawatching from The Bridges has been at Kilcummin Head, Co. Mayo & reports the following there this eve (17:30-18:30 F3 W-NW): 10 Sooty Shears, 150 Manxies, 5 Bonxies, 7 Arctic Skuas, 1 Red-throated Diver, 26 Sandwich Terns, 3 Arctic Terns, 200 Gannets & 5 Turnstones.

Dawn at The Bridges of Ross © Niall Keogh

Juv. Buff-breasted Sandpiper, showing well today © Niall Keogh

Bridges of Ross pool, where the Buff-B is hanging out. Mega piece of vagrant habitat! © Niall Keogh 

Sooty Shear passage @ Bridges of Ross 4th Sept 2012

Time: 07:20-12:20 & 15:50-19:20

Weather: F3-4 (gusting 5) NW, overcast, dull & dry (am). F3-4 NW, sunny, warm, dry, hazy & spray (pm).

Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh

Great Shearwater: 2

Balearic Shearwater: 1

Sooty Shearwater: c.2,300

Manx Shearwater: 2,250+

Fulmar: 660+

Storm Petrel: 1

Gannet: 1,500+ (am)

Common Scoter: 10 (9 males + 1 female)

Great Skua (Bonxie): 7

Pomarine Skua: 5 pale phase subadults

Arctic Skua: 4

Skua sp: 1 pale phase immature (probably Arctic)

Kittiwake: 70 incl. 40 juvs.

Arctic Tern: 9

Common Tern: 1

Sandwich Tern: 7

Puffin: 6

Razorbill/Guillemot: 500+ (am)

Chough: 3

Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 1 juvenile still present in the horse field behind the watchpoint.

Common Dolphin: 10+ heading West in the morning.

Minke Whale: 1 seen surfacing twice at 11:45am.

Nearly 3 weeks of seawatching almost took its toll this morning as it was a struggle to get out of bed! But I’m glad I did. The forecast for the week puts a dreaded high pressure over the west coast tomorrow followed by unsuitable South Westerlies for the next few days, most likely quelling any chance of decent passage but the light-moderate North Westerlies which were predicted for today at least gave hope of some worthwhile seawatching before the lull sets in.

Arriving on site about half an hour later than normal, it was instantly apparent that the first big Sooty passage of the Autumn was taking place. Close to 900 birds were clicked in the first hour alone and for much of the morning they outnumbered Manx, streaming past in loose flocks of up to 10 birds at times. A fantastic sight! Hourly rates decreased as the morning progressed and by noon my stomach had got the better of me. Returning in the afternoon, a couple hundred more we logged before fizzling out towards the evening. I'm sure this passage continued throughout the afternoon & in the first half hour of light when I wasn't around so the overall day tally may well have been around 3,000 birds.

The majority of today’s shearwaters were passing at mid or far range so my scope was fixated there for most of the day. As such, it is likely that I missed out on many close skuas, petrels, Kittiwakes & Fulmars but the chance of picking out some large shears or a sneaky Pterodroma amongst the Sooties & Manx was too strong to resist!

Sooty & Manx Shearwaters, Bridges of Ross, Sept 2011 © Kris de Rouck