Recent birding

 Bearded Reedlings

It was a quite day in Wexford on Saturday, but only 2 juv reedlings showed well despite the great weather. A few waders had returned, 12 dunlin and 8 ringed plover, no juvs yet but nice to see autumn migration starting.

   

 This sanderling was one of over 200 on the beach at Pilmore in east cork last week. I spent the evening there, 24 hours before Irelands first Mongolian plover dropped in!

 Juvenile Dunlin from Pilmore last week. About 150 dunlin were on the beach with the sanderling, this was the only juv, the silver ring on it's right leg was unfortunately illegable.

 With the Mongolian plover on Pilmore I worked up a field sketch from China in May, have a few more sketches I'll hopefully get back to work on soon.

Sparrowhawks

 

Juvenile sparrowhawk

In the last 2 weeks, 2 families of sparrowhawks have fledged in my local parks. The juvenile above must have only just left the nest, it was on of atleast 3 that were very vocal and easy to find in the tree tops. 

The birds stayed in the tree tops for the whole evening but gave great pro longed views.

 Fratillary

 Four spotted chaser

 Orange tip

 Painted lady

 Whinchat

Was up in Coronation Plantation in Wicklow recently hoping to find crossbills, groppers and whinchats, in the end I had to settle for just 2 family parties of whinchats. The juvs were pretty skittish, remaining low down in ferns for most of my time there.

 Juv Whinchat

 White tailed eagle

I spent 2 days in Mountshannon hoping to see the young eagles before they fledged. The weather was pretty miserable the whole time I was there, thick fog and drizzling rain meant that the island was barely visible at times! During a few brief clear spells, good views of the male could be had with the 60x.

Bearded tit

The bearded tits seem to be doing well this year, had great views of atleast 4 males and several juveniles at one site in the south east recently. I spent the whole day there and didn't see an adult female, hopefully they are on nests working on the next brood.

 Male reedling

Immature female