Brian and Josh chat about the Bridges of Ross, Ireland's premier seawatching destination, and reflect on Brian's birding efforts at the site this year.

Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla).  An overcast day a slight E breeze. Inside the compound highlights included some of the 35 Blackbirds on site today, 5 Firecrest, 1 Woodcock and a Chiffchaff. Out on the reserve: 5 Rock Pipit, 2 Turnstone, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Snow Bunting and some 20 Pied Wagtails by late evening.   Passerine movement: South: 5 Chaffinch, 3 Skylark, 1 Reed Bunting North: 2 Skylark.  Seawatching:  North: 59 Common Scoter, 26 Brent Goose, 1 Gannet, 1 Shelduck South: 55 Shelduck, 34 Common Scoter, 4 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron and a Red-throated Diver.   Out of the river then north: 3 Greylag Goose.  Feeding offshore/on: 34 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull and a Red-throated Diver.  87 Cormorant out and 2 back in the river.  Moth trapping: 12 moth species between our 3 traps.  Bird ringing: 16 Blackbird, 6 Wren, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Meadow Pipit, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Robin.  

Turnstone (Arenaria interpres).  A slight NW wind, only brightening up by midday. 3 Firecrest within the compound, later being seen near the customs house. 3 Greenfinch, 1 Snow Bunting, a Purple Sandpiper and 2 Turnstone on the reserve and a Short-eared Owl early morning.  Passerine/overhead movement South: 90 Starling, 14 Skylark and 2 Redpoll.  In: 80 Starling.  Seawatching:  South: 6 Brent Goose, 5 Shelduck, 3 Cormorant, 2 Egyptian Goose, 1 Kittiwake.    North: 5 Brent Goose, 2 Little Egret, 1 Common Scoter and 1 Oystercatcher.  East: 25 Cormorant.  East then North: 3 Mute Swan.  West: 22 Cormorant.  Moth trapping: 14 moth species between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning goes to the Chestnut, which is a fairly common winter flying moth that we only rarely get down here.  The Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii).  Bird ringing: 6 Blackbird, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Robin, 2 Song Thrush.  

A moderate north-easterly blew throughout the day bringing scattered cloud cover and a maximum temperature of 11°C. It was another day that brought a quality bird to the headland, this time a Hume’s W...

A moderate north-north-easterly pegged the temperature to a maximum of 12°C on a mostly sunny day. The highlights of the seawatching session included a Little Auk, single Arctic and Great Skuas, three...

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola).  Overcast with a S wind, fine drizzle then showers late morning. Inside the compound 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap and a Firecrest. On the nature reserve: 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Skylark, 1 Stonechat and 1 Wheatear.  Overhead migration: 25 Meadow Pipit, 24 Siskin, 10 Linnet 8 Goldfinch, 5 Woodpigeon, 4 Pied Wagtail, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Swallow, all south. 826 Starling off the sea then West.  Seawatching:  South: 30 Wigeon, 17 Shelduck, 8 Cormorant, 6 Little Gull, 3 Grey Plover, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Brent Goose and a Common Gull.   North: 2 Common Gull, 2 Gannet, 1 Arctic Skua and a Red-throated Diver. East: 1 Cormorant and an Oystercatcher West: 1 Cormorant.  Feeding offshore: 4 Common Scoter, 2 Kittiwake, 1 Mediterranean Gull Moth trapping: 5 moth species between our 3 traps.  Bird ringing: 2 Robin, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Wood Pigeon.

YouTube video by John Walters