Redhead

The female Redhead that was identified on 25/1/2026 on Lough Yganavan, Cromane, Co. Kerry was my first new tick in quite awhile. It seems likely that the bird had been present since the previous October without being recognised as a rarity, Ireland's second record of the species.  Its an American diving duck and as with most female ducks, its plumage features are fairly muted.  While the males are similar in colouration to Pochard, the females are more reminiscent of a Ring-necked Duck, another more frequent trans-atlantic vagrant.  As it happened, there was a flock of six Ring-neck Ducks, four females and two males, on the lake as well.  The Redhead had been seen loosely associating with them on some previous occasions, however it was very on it's own when I got to see it on the evening of 28/1/2026.

Birding in Clare

I made a trip to Clare with a fellow birder on 19/1/2026 to catch up with some of the scarcer winter visitors and long staying vagrants in the County.

First stop was Seafield where we quickly picked up the long staying Semipalmated Sandpiper. It was in the company of a large but jittery mixed wader flock, including Dunlin, Purple Sandpiper, Sanderling and Ringed Plover on the beach beside the pier.  The large stockpile of rotting seaweed at the top of the beach was attracting a lot of birds including a pair of wintering Snow Buntings and a few Chough. We also took the opportunity to see some of the last few Tree Sparrows remaining in the County, at the usual haunt in the 'Horse Fields' just south of Seafield.

Snow Buntings

Chough

Next stop was Lough Atedaun at Corofin, a really good site for wintering wildfowl and waders and usually a reliable site for one or two White-tailed Eagles as well.  Our final stop of the day was at Ballyvaughan for the wintering 1st winter male American Wigeon.

1st winter male American Wigeon

American Wigeon with Eurasian Wigeon