Page 12 - Out Birding Issue 111 Summer 2023

A Corner of Ireland Report
A First County record for County Waterford on December 16th (2022) when news went out that a Greater Yellowlegs was spo􏰀ed on the banks of the river Bride in a li􏰀le village called Tallow. Only about 15 miles from me, what luck! This was going to be a first for me and as it turned out a ‘First’ for County Waterford too. In the company of two Green Sandpipers, the Yellowlegs waded up and down the mud beside a li􏰀le stone bridge, taking no no􏰁ce of the huge lorries and large vol- ume of cars that never stopped passing by. Oh! and the large number of scopes, cameras and binoculars trained on it also.
The Greater Yellowlegs is an extremely rare visitor to Ireland, it breeds in central Canada and southAlaska and winters in southern North America & Central Ameri- ca. The bird occasionally flew off downstream but a􏰂er a couple of hours it would return to its favourite spot by the bridge, some􏰁mes going under it and coming out on the mud downriver of it I was unlucky in 2021 as about 20 miles (32km) away from me was a Lesser Yellowlegs. Covid and travel restric􏰁ons of 10 and 20 km meant I had to bide my 􏰁me before I could travel to see it.... but by the 􏰁me I got to its loca􏰁on it had flown and I missed it. I had no inten􏰁on of missing the Greater Yellowlegs! A nice way to end the 2022 year.
January and 2023 got off to a flying start as four of us carpooled to travel over four hours to Achill Island, County Mayo to see the American White-winged Sco- ter. This bird had for some weeks been seen just off Valley Pier, Achill Island, on the extreme west of Ireland. It was a li􏰀le windy on the day which made ge􏰃ng a be􏰀er photo impossible. We had good views and plenty of company as birdwatch- ers from around the country showed up to start their year off with a rarity.
A li􏰀le further on in Carrowmore, (also in County Mayo) our fingers were crossed that we would get to see the Hooded Merganser that had made Carrowmore its home for the previous couple of months. With a falling 􏰁de the bird was falling back with it and once again tested the zoom lens on the camera with a distant shot. All in all, a very successful day with our two birds ‘in the bag’ so to speak and 􏰁me for the soup and sandwiches to come out of the bag! Another 4 hours home but all happy.
Dorothy
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