19th September

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The weather did not look too promising for my trip. An american wader was probably my best bet but it never materialised. A few scarce birds did show including two island ticks.

Bunbeg Harbour

Passing Bloody Foreland

North Westerlies seem to produce the best birds at Bloody Foreland. There had been a good passage of seabirds the day before, so I was hopeful of Leach's Petrel or Grey Phalarope and a few skuas.

Manx Shearwater. One of just 2 birds seen.

Juv. Arctic Skua. One of two birds seen.

In addition to the usual suspects there were 7 Great Skua and 6 Leach's Petrel seen from the ferry.

White Wagtail

The beach held very few waders and no smalls.... A few White Wagtails and 20 or so Northern Wheatear were obvious migrants. After checking suitable areas, I located 6 flighty Lapland Bunting and a Snow Bunting (Tory tick) with an increasing number of Meadow Pipits.

Lapland Bunting

I found a dead Manx Shearwater at the lake, a victim of the recent storms.

Manx Shearwater

I put some feeders up in west town in preperation for the autumn rush!

Very quiet out east with a single Willow Warbler the best. West Town had a Robin (present for a month) and another Willow Warbler. On the BOP front a Kestrel  and a Buzzard were also on the island.

Anton Meenan rang to say he had another Snow Bunting on the hill behind his house.

Only 5 Snipe seen, but I flushed a Jack Snipe(Tory tick) from the east end.

Eamonn Meenan reported a large Redpoll in his garden today. I just got the news as I boarded the ferry.............