Tuesday 4 September 2012

25 August to 3 September 2012 Bridges of Ross, Co. Clare

25th August to 3rd September 2012 Daily summaries of the Bridge of Ross, Co. Clare areas:
All records relate to birds moving Southwest.








Views taken from Bridge of Ross

25th August, 2012:
Cloudy, cool with showers, becoming sunny later. NW6 decreasing to 4.
Sea-watch times: 07.00-10.00, 11.30-13.20 and 15.15-19.00. Total of 8.5 hrs.

Gannet c200
Fulmar c300
Sandwich Tern 6
Manx Shearwater c300
Balearic Shearwater 1
Arctic Tern 6
Puffin 3
Razorbill 12
Guillemot 60
Bonxie 9
Pomarine Skua 2
Arctic Skua 20
Kittiwake 200
Common Scoter 1
Shag 20

26th August, 2012:
Clear and sunny,becoming overcast with showers. S-SE 1-3.
Sea-watch times: 07.00-10.00, 15.00-15.40 and 18.50-19.50. Total of 4.5 hrs.

Gannet far fewer moving today
Fulmar fewer moving today
Manx Shearwater 100
Sooty Shearwater 1
Bonxie 6
Arctic Skua 2
Kittiwake far fewer moving today
Common Scoter 7
Sandwich Tern 8
Arctic Tern 2
Raxorbill 6
Guillemot c20
Purple Sandpiper 6
Dunlin 5
Rionged Plover 1
Common Snipe 10 in
Chough 2

Bottlenose Dolphin 10+

Doonbeg Harbour

1 adult Ring Billed Gull


 




Adult Ring Billed Gull in Doonbeg Harbour
1 Black Tailed Godwit
40 Dunlin
20 Ringed Plover
10 Sandwich Terns

27th August, 2012:
Overcast, mild becoming fine and sunny. SW 2-3
Sea-watch times: 07.00-09.45 and 14.00-19.00. Total hours 8

Good numbers of Fulmars, Gannets & Kittiwakes
Manx Shearwater 1,000+
Sooty Shearwater 2
Bonxie 4
Arctic Skua 5
Storm Petrel 5
Wigeon 3
Teal 10
Common Scoter 5
Sandwich Tern 1
Arctic Tern 8
Greenshank 2
Razorbill 20
Rock Dove 5

Common Dolphin 8+

28th August, 2012
Part cloudy and cool with the odd showers. SW3
Sea-watch times: 07-10.00, 11.10-12.30, 14.15-15.00 and 17.00-18.00. Total hours 6

Gannet c500
Fulmar c500
Manx Shearwater 2,000
Sooty Shearwater 22
Bonxie 6
Arctic Skua 9
Storm Petrel 5
Sabines Gull 1 near adult
Common Scoter 4
Sandwich Tern 12
Arctic Tern 6

During the first hour, virtually all the sea-birds moved through it then became very slow!!

29th August, 2012
Overcast with heavy rain during the morning, sunny with showers in the afternoon. SW4-5  to NW 7-8.
Sea-watch times: 06.50-07.50 and 13.40-19.15. Total hours 6.5 hrs.

Gannet c1,000
Fulmar c1,400
Manx Shearwater 3,000
Sooty Shearwater 55
Balearic Shearwater 1
Great Shearwater 1
Bonxie 6
Arctic Skua 6
Pomarine Skua 1 sub-adult
Storm Petrel 4
Leaches Petrel 5
Sabines Gull 5 all adults one with a black hood.
Puffin 4
Razorbill c50
Sandwich Tern 11
Arctic Tern 8
Brent Goose 2
Rock Dove 15

30thAugust, 2012
Fine sunny & clear. NW8 decreasing 3-4 and then W 2-3.
Sea-watch times: 06.30-09.20 and 13.55- 18.30 Total hours 8.5

Trickle of Gannets, Fulmars and Razorbills
Manx Shearwater 300
Sooty Shearwater 3
Balearic Shearwater 1
Bonxie 5
Arctic Skua 4
Shag 50
Arctic Tern 1
Brent Geese 13
Teal 20
Chough 1



Chough
Rock Dove 7

Kilbaha Gardens
Willow Warbler 1
Redpoll 1

31st August, 2012
Overcast, mild with afternoon mist and very grey. S 2-3
Sea-watch times: 06.40-08.20, 11.45-12.40 and 16.35-17.35 Total hours 5.5

Very small numbers of Gannets, Fulmars and Auks.
Manx Shearwater 100
Sooty Shearwater 9
Bonxie 8
Arctic Skua 2
Pomarine Skua 1 adult very close excellent long views, superb.
Peregrine 1

Bottle Nosed Dolphin 2

1st September, 2012
Overcast and mild becoming wet and misty in afternoon. SW3-5
Sea-watch times: 06.30-09.30, 10.45-12.45 and 14.40-16.00. Total hours 6

Gannets hundreds moving
Fulmars & Kittiwakes Small numbers only
Manx Shearwater 700
Sooty Shearwater 73
Storm Petrel 2
Bonxie 5
Pomarine Skua 1
Sabines Gull 2
Common Scoter 1
Arctic Tern 18
Shag c30
Small numbers of Razorbills & Guillemots
Rock Dove 7
Chough 12

2nd September, 2012
Overcast with early mist and drizzle clearing to a fine day. WSW 3 decreasing to 1
Sea-watch times: 06.40-09.30, 10.30-13.00 and 14.30-19.30. Total hours 10.5 hrs.

Gannet 1,000+
Fulmar & Kittiwakes small numbers
Red Throated Diver 1 s/p
Manx Shearwater 1,500
Sooty Shearwater 380+
Bonxie 22
Arctic Skua 2
Pomarine Skua 2
Storm Petrel 8
Leaches Petrel 1
Sandwich Tern 108
Arctic Tern 1
Shag 40
Razorbill 30
Guillemot 10
Chough 4

Common Dolphin 2

3rd September, 2012
Fine & clear. SE 1-2 Sea-watch hours: 06.30-09.30 Total hours 3.

Manx Shearwater 150
Sooty Shearwater 58
Balearic Shearwater 1
Black Throated Diver 1 w/p
Bonxie 1
Arctic Skua 2
Common Scoter 3
Sandwich Tern 24
Arctic Tern 2
Black Guillemot 1 in w/p
Golden Plover 2
Buff  Breasted Sandpiper 1 Juv.

2 Common Dolphins
2 Bottle Nosed Dolphins

Kilbaha Gardens
2 Willow Warblers
Speckled Wood




Black Guillemot in winter plumage on the sea.







 






Juvenile Buff Breasted Sandpiper


Buff Breasted Sandpiper with Golden Plover


 

Golden Plover


Dolphins


Speckled Wood


Sunset at the Bridge