⏰ Just 2 months to go until the submission deadline for the next issue of Irish Birds 📅 31 March 2026 We welcome papers, short notes and reviews on birds in Ireland. Contributions from field ornithologists, recorders and practitioners are especially welcome — queries encouraged!

Went to see this interesting gull found in Cork city yesterday by Alex Lynch. It seems most likely to be an adult Black-headed x Bonaparte's Gull, a very rare pairing and not conclusively proven anywhere as yet, as far as I can see, but with two strong candidates from Spain and France.

Really, really stuck for the last minute gift…… Birds of County Cork @waterstones.bsky.social

Soon it will be beginning to smell a lot like Christmas. #Speirgorm #Corkmas

The refurbished Bishop Lucey Park, Cork - definitely an Old Red Sandstone Brutalist vibe slightly transitioning to Cork white limestone at Grand Parade. Not a green spot, summer may change that. Glad the stagnant water is gone.

Successful trip to Donegal with the Harlequin showing well and then got the two Taiga in the Geese fields at Dooey. #irishrarebirds

Recently got a Hawke phone adapter for the scope from @birdwatchireland.bsky.social great value at €25. Many years of using a jam jar lid glued to phone case behind me…..cheap🤷🏻‍♂️

High tide on the Lee at Shaky Bridge, Cork

The view from Seven Heads, Cork. Sadly I messed up the digiscoping effort for the Soft plumaged Petrel past Seven Heads, Cork at 10.52 this morning but thrilled the lads on Galley Head got it nearly an hour later. Persistence pays off for seawatching

Welcome to Seven Heads

1/3 We had another great volunteer morning on the reserve yesterday. The weather gods were kind to us and we got a lot done, including replacing one of our wetland access gates and cutting back some encroaching gorse on the nature trail.

Clearing out old Sand Martin nests from the nesting wall at @harpersisland.bsky.social

Old Head of Kinsale 12.5 km away as seen from Seven Heads. Gannets diving. 169 Sootys, 32 Great Shearwater, 7 Arctic, 1 Pom 1 Bonxi

Recent visit or the Irish Butter museum in Cork. Made some butter and glad to see a butter wrapper from the family shop, O’Donovan’s Princes Street, in the collection. Butter on the shelves last shot

Golden hour Cork

Ireland’s third Isabelline Wheatear was showing very well over the border in Dungarvan this morning. Hopefully have something more colourful to post tomorrow from west Cork.

Currently looking at research on Woodpigeons in Ireland. They are the most commonly struck (by aircraft) large bird at Dublin Airport. Strikes generally occur in the evening and hit the starboard engine mostly. An interesting added complexity to consider when choosing your flight and seat.

Flap - Michael Quane piece looking fantastic with autumn Virginia Creeper

Recently got on the solar train, 9 panels and 5kw battery, the later powering us through till dawn usually. Have in recent days been exporting up five times as much energy as imported from grid. Wet cloudy days production is about same as imported. We are not heavy electric users.

Just watched a Peregrine chase a flock of Pink-footed Geese and then take one down! Seem to to remember reading about previous records of hunting geese (Barnacle?) in the Derek Ratcliffe book but never witnessed it! 🤯

25 Buzzards moving SW in an hour, in hills west of Dungarvan. Gained height from Dungarvan and moved rapidly SW @watbirds.bsky.social

Visiting Copeland bird observatory warden Adam Ringland was delighted to ring one of two adult Choughs that surprisingly ventured into our mist nets this morning.

Grand day at Galley Head 10.45-16.00 very heavy Great Shearwater passage, up to 8,500 per hour at times. Total app 20,000, second highest day count for the species in Ireland. 250 Cory’s, 4 long tailed, 21 Bonxi, 5 Arctic skua, 1 Pom, 1 Sabines, 2 Wilson’s, 4 grey phalarope #seabirds

Graffitiish from recent trip to Cape Clear @ccbowarden.bsky.social

Above Dungarvan with Hook Head and Saltee Islands in background, flyby ringtail, Swallows and House Martins moving through…

www.rte.ie/news/environ... @jamierohu.bsky.social straight on peat?

Green Sandpiper and Kingfisher recently from @harpersisland.bsky.social ebird.org/checklist/S2... ebird.org/checklist/S2...

First-very modest-fig harvest nearly ready

Etain Hickey ceramic added to the bird wall - tiny flock of Curlew and a Hare in spring flowers. Beautiful work

"What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions, are not beyond all conjecture"

Detections for late June- late July @harpersisland.bsky.social LRP recorded on 5 dates. Not 100% sure of Barn Owl. Analysis of 124 hours or recording took 40 minutes using @chirpity-nocmig.bsky.social on the computer plus another 40 mins for me so delete errors. Recorded 4 hours per night

Evening aperitif on the banks of the Lee

Company at VP, 429 ft. Stock Dove and now common Great Spotted Woodpecker. Noticeable lack of Kestrel

Good news, possibly www.thejournal.ie/sprat-fishin...

Tomato season - Corcaigh abu - let’s do this

Some great video of this bird by Michael McKee. The tension building before it appears in frame about 1.5 mins in… #rarebirdsUK michaelmckee.co.uk/videos/video...

@harpersisland.bsky.social juvenile Med Gulls at Harpers Island, about 120 birds in total. Probably near peak for the year

This verified report of two sturgeon in Irish waters is pretty incredible considering the species is critically endangered & considered functionally extinct in Ireland due to no evidence of breeding. share.google/jyn5MHKpQHjT...

Satellite maps of a farming area in east Cork in 2009, predominantly arable. By 2024 most of this was in solar farm, final shot shows previously arable now solar. Arable area probably reduced before solar went in. Still some Yellowhammer in the area, however probably depends on solar farm management

Song Sparrow showing well on Tory this morning #irishrarebirds

With mixed fortunes, our Sand Martins at no 19 successfully fledged two chicks about a week ago, and now after a very short break, they have started their second family. Laying started yesterday and full time incubating will start when the last egg has been laid.

Thanks for sharing Gemma. Now is a great time to see Sand Martins at Harper's. You can see the nest bank from the Borrow Dyke (1st) Hide. Many of the chicks, including those in Burrow 19 have fledged. We are watching closely to see if we will get a second clutch here over the next week or two.

Images from Princes Street, Cork circa 1983.

@harpersisland.bsky.social a few from February 1992, before Road built— view from Slatty towards Brown and Harpers; from Slatty; level crossing cottage at Harpers prior to demolition and bridge to Harpers before damaged by heavy machinery

Here is a link to our live camera stream from one of the nesting burrows at our Sand Martin nest bank. There are five chicks growing fast in this burrow - we think they are about a week away from fledging. You can the action here 👉https://www.youtube.com/live/mHFmGRzpA9s?si=HAmbf5gCpj6mOGO_

@harpersisland.bsky.social a few shots pre reserve— 2004

Yesterday our amazing volunteers made & installed a bird roosting raft on the Borrow Dyke. We hope that this will be used by as a safe place for our wetland birds to rest up. We used oyster cages with insulation board inserts topped with artificial grass and mud.🤞 it will get the seal of approval.

Found my third Bonaparte’s Gull, a first summer at Harper’s Island. Previous at Ballydehob and south of France

Birds of Donegal, second county avifauna from Cork University Press…….only about 30 to go…. @robertvaughani.bsky.social

The island was littered with Manx Shearwater corpses, Otters being the main culprit.