Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Today (2/9/2016) was my first opportunity to make the long trip down to west Cork for the Rose-breasted Grosbeak found at Garinish last Thursday by Tony Lancaster.  I was a bit concerned setting out that the bird might have departed into Staurday night's clear sky and the absence of any updates on the bird while I travelling wasn't helping matters. However the first birders I encountered on arrival at the site were already on the bird so my concerns were immediately dispelled. The bird was a little distant at first but it eventually moved back to the garden where it was originally found and gave us some very good views while it fed on honeysuckle berries.

Pied Flycatcher

I took a trip to Garinish on the Beara Penninsula in Co. Cork last Friday in search of  migrants. I got to see the long staying Western Bonelli's Warbler but did not manage to get any satisfactory shots of it. I did find a newly arrived Pied Flycatcher that seemed to be quite flighty and not very approachable.

Pied Flycatcher ©Tom Tarpey

The site has been a mecca for autumn migrants in the past few weeks and it had a good range of species on the day. Turtle Dove, Whinchat (2 birds), Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were also present in addition to the two previously mentioned species.

Turtle Dove ©Tom Tarpey

Whinchats ©Tom Tarpey