Mediterranean Gulls in Limerick

Mediterranean Gulls are scarce in Limerick City; typically occurring in very small numbers in autumn and occasionally in winter.  Being a coastal species they are more regular further down the Shannon Estuary and can generally be found in most months at Tarbert Bay on the Limerick-Kerry boarder.

Adult winter at Limerick

1st winter at Tarbert on 31/8/2020

Adult winter at Tarbert on 31/8/2020

Autumn Waders

Most of my wader watching this Autumn was in the Seafield, Quilty and Lahinch areas in Co. Clare.

Curlew Sandpipers, which breed in the Siberian Arctic, were the first of the scarcer waders to arrive at Seafield beach in early September. These two juvenile birds were present on 5/9/2020.

The first Little Stints, which breed in northern most extremities of Scandinavia and Russia, arrived later in the month. This bird was one of three present on 18/9/2020.

This lone juvenile Knot below was also in the wader flock on 18/9/2020 along with the Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Sanderling and one remaining Curlew Sandpiper.

Juvenile Dunlin

Adult Turnstone with juvenile Knot 

Juvenile Sanderling

The Loop Head peninsula also provided some wader watching opportunities. It usually holds a flock of Golden Plover in the Autumn.  While counting the flock of 35 birds on 14/9/21 I came across these two Buff-breasted Sandpipers.  These transatlantic vagrants are usually fairly approachable, but unfortunately not in the company of the nervy Goldies.

Ruff is another scarce wader in West Clare and I spotted this one on the 17th fairway at Lahinch Golf Club as I was driving past it on 6/9/2020.