Page 10 - Out Birding Spring 2024

spectacular vistas as the sky filled with thousands more Brent Geese, constantly communica􏰀ng with each other, but what about? Wind speed, flight paths, grazing opportuni􏰀es, aching arthri􏰀c wings? In one skein we noted two small white geese, possibly leucis􏰀c Brent Geese.
Looking landward, in addi􏰀on to the joy of seeing two hares boxing, we added Pheasant, Goldfinch, Starling, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch and Wren, bringing the total to 32 species, but many, many thousand birds.
Following a very sa􏰀sfying and companionable day, we arrived back at the car park dry but cold. Thanks to Kath, Norma, Greg, John, Gavin, Helen, Lyndsay for their camaraderie and to Mar􏰀n for organising and leading a very special day’s birding. Peter
A Little Bit of News From the Irish Corner
September was a very exci􏰀ng month for what has come to be “my patch”. I am down on the very south coast. As some of you may have seen if you get the BirdGuides weekly report, Brownstown Head in Co. Waterford was very fortunate to have 2 Irish rari􏰀es found within 20 minutes of each other in the same field and in the same ditch! A great group of birders keep a great eye out on this spot as it frequently turns up something unusual. On this occasion it was a Black-headed Bun􏰀ng and a Paddyfield Warbler. I failed to connect with the warbler but I did catch up with the bun􏰀ng. These turned out to be two County firsts for Waterford. The Paddyfield Warbler is only the 6th Irish record with the last record being 13 years ago in Co. Clare and the Black-headed Bun􏰀ng had just 10 past recordings na􏰀onally with the last recording in 2009 in Co. Cork. The Paddyfield Warbler was quite elusive; however, the bun􏰀ng was more co-opera􏰀ve and gave be􏰁er views.
Almost a week later Dungarvan Town, (also in Co. Waterford) a lovely White-winged Black Tern was spo􏰁ed on the water near the town centre. I was brave enough to venture out during Storm Agnes in the hope of seeing
it before it might move on but alas, the tern had more
sense and I couldn’t locate it. I did catch up with it the next day on the 28th (Sept.) and it is really a lovely bird. The tern never se􏰁led, it was flying constantly and feeding so as it moved around the small area it was in, in
between two li􏰁le town bridges, there was ample 􏰀me for viewing and taking it all in.
Dorothy Heaphy
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White-winged Black Tern: Dorothy