Icelandic Redwing

I was back at Seafield, Quilty on the 8th January where the fields adjacent to the shore were full of Redwings and Song Thrushes, all along the coastline. While I was watching a first-winter Little Gull and some Tree Sparrows in a field where horses were feeding, I noticed this dark Redwing.  Within minutes of viewing it through the bins I was confident that it was an Icelandic Redwing Turdus iliacus coburni. It was only last year that I had a big discussion with fellow ornithologist, that I could not believe we had never fully identified this sub species in the county before.  I am sure that they have turned up here in the past, but this was the first confirmed record of the Icelandic race in the county. Note the overall darkness of the bird the clean white patch on the upper breast and the dark under-tail coverts. Apologies for the poor quality images but the bird was distant and the light poor.

 

Icelandic Redwing at Seafield John N Murphy

Little Stint

I have travelled back and forth to Seafield in Quilty over the past week in search of the Baird's Sandpiper found there a week ago or so, and also to seek out the summer plumaged Banaparte's Gull found last Monday morning.  I have obviously not seen either of the two birds, but managed to shoot off a set of photos of Little Stints, Dunlin and Curlew Sandpipers.

 

 Little Stints John N Murphy

 Curlew Sandpiper with a very short bill John N Murphy

Dunlin on Seafield Beach John N Murphy

Purple Sandpipers

I was back at Seafield, Quilty yesterday in west Clare.  There were 50 Purple Sandpipers on the rising tide picking amongst the rising seaweed with lots of other waders.  There was also on first-winter Ring-billed gull and a couple of Wheatears.

 

 

Purple Sandpipers at Seafield John N Murphy

 Turnstones John N Murphy

First-winter Ring-billed Gull John N Murphy

Skylarks Gather

I was at Seafield, Quilty on and off over the last few weeks and noticed that Skylarks were gathering in rough grass within the sand dunes on approach to the pier.  Numbers varied depending on weather conditions and soon birds will be pairing off and males singing over fields holding territory.

 

Skylark at Seafield John N Murphy

Northern Wheatear

This really warm looking Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe was at Seafield Beach, Quilty this evening.  When taking these shots I noticed what appeared to be tar stuck to lower belly feathers on the birds right side.  There are still small numbers of Wheatear lingering all along the Irish west coast. There were no real numbers of waders at Seafield but plenty of gulls feeding the high tide shoreline.

 Northern Wheatear at Seafield Beach © John N Murphy

Great Northern Diver

I got a chance to go back to Seafield, Quilty during the week.  I was searching for migrating seabirds like Skuas and petrels during a good North West blow.  Unfortunately there were few birds of interest on the sea bar 15 Great Northern Divers.  All in full summer coats awaiting to depart for breeding grounds in Iceland or Arctic Canada.  A couple came close to the pier at Seafield allowing the shots you see below. Magnificent birds in breeding plumage.

Great Northern Diver in summer plumage at Seafield, Quilty © John N Murphy