Today was the best birding day of my life, guaranteed. My dad and I drove to Mizen Head and met our guide, Dan Ballard. That day we saw a whopping 62 species! Dan hopped in our car and my dad drove us to Goleen Harbour. My dad told him about a time where we went to River Ilen and saw an electric blue bird, and Dan confirmed the ID for us. He said it was a kingfisher. Life bird 222! We arrived at the harbor where we saw only a few species such as MUTE SWAN and MEW GULL! The Mew Gull was life bird 223! We also saw this GREY HERON, which my dad photographed (see below).
After the harbor we headed to a body of water filled with shorebirds. Some of the life birds there were SANDWICH TERN, EURASIAN CURLEW, EURASIAN LINNET, etc. One bird that I really wanted to see that day was a Ring Necked Pheasant, which is a common species in Ireland, but alas it eluded us.
Then, Dan got a text from another birder about a rare sighting for Ireland of a bird called a Wryneck, a type of woodpecker. I wanted to go and see it, so we hopped in the car and drove to the spot where it was seen. We found this rare WRYNECK in someone's backyard!!! Life bird!!!
Next we headed for a garden that is in Dan's friends front yard, the southernmost garden spot in all of Ireland. Oddly, this was one of the best spots of the day. We did find many good birds. I spotted a nice DUNNOCK in the bushes and Dan also spotted a few SONG THRUSHES, which quickly flew in and out. In the area, Dan also spotted SKY LARK, BLACKCAP, and GREATER WHITETHROAT. After that we stopped for a quick lunch at Mizen Head Café than drove back up the road where I spotted movement in the bushes. We found a few birds such as this EUROPEN STONECHAT.
Then, Dan got a text from another birder about a rare sighting for Ireland of a bird called a Wryneck, a type of woodpecker. I wanted to go and see it, so we hopped in the car and drove to the spot where it was seen. We found this rare WRYNECK in someone's backyard!!! Life bird!!!
Next we headed for a garden that is in Dan's friends front yard, the southernmost garden spot in all of Ireland. Oddly, this was one of the best spots of the day. We did find many good birds. I spotted a nice DUNNOCK in the bushes and Dan also spotted a few SONG THRUSHES, which quickly flew in and out. In the area, Dan also spotted SKY LARK, BLACKCAP, and GREATER WHITETHROAT. After that we stopped for a quick lunch at Mizen Head Café than drove back up the road where I spotted movement in the bushes. We found a few birds such as this EUROPEN STONECHAT.
And this SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (below), which seems like he is in a good spot to catch his lunch (bugs).
Next stop was a valley near 3 Castle Head, which is a peninsula where there are 3 castles along 1 trail. We did spot a few nice species here, such as GRAY WAGTAIL, WHINCHAT, and PIED FLYCATCHER which are all very good finds.
The best spot -- and also the last spot -- was around a nearby lake. We drove in and Dan spotted a very rare WATER RAIL! He mentioned that a friend of his had been birding for 12 years before spotting one. We parked and started our walk through the wetlands. Suddenly a bird darted in front of us and landed across the body of water we were closest to. It was a PECTORAL SANDPIPER!!! This is a bird from America that must have flow over the Atlantic into Ireland! So rare! Here is a photo of this very rare Pectoral Sandpiper.
The best spot -- and also the last spot -- was around a nearby lake. We drove in and Dan spotted a very rare WATER RAIL! He mentioned that a friend of his had been birding for 12 years before spotting one. We parked and started our walk through the wetlands. Suddenly a bird darted in front of us and landed across the body of water we were closest to. It was a PECTORAL SANDPIPER!!! This is a bird from America that must have flow over the Atlantic into Ireland! So rare! Here is a photo of this very rare Pectoral Sandpiper.
Here is a photo of Dan and I birding.
After the lake we drove back to the place we met Dan and that concluded our trip. This was the best birding day of my life. I also got 24 life birds and together we got a fantastic 62 species! The most I have ever seen in 1 spot! Please remember that I did not mention all life birds (see list below for all life birds and all species seen today). Also, since I did not see a Pheasant, it is now my nemesis bird.
Life List 246 (24 life birds today) + Kingfisher (seen recently)
Bird List For That Day
Mute Swan 2
Mallard 3
Northern Gannet X
Great Cormorant 3
Grey Heron 2
Little Egret 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1 (additional species seen by Dan and my dad)
Water Rail 1 Life Bird!
Eurasian Oystercatcher 5
Northern Lapwing 1
Common Ringed Plover X
Common Greenshank 3 Life Bird!
Common Redshank 3
Eurasian Curlew 12 Life Bird!
Ruff 1 (additional species seen by Dan)
Curlew Sandpiper 1 Life Bird!
Dunlin 4 Life Bird!
Pectoral Sandpiper 1 Life Bird!
Black Headed Gull 2
Mew Gull 1 Life Bird!
Herring Gull 15
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
Great Black Backed Gull 2 Life Bird!
Sandwich Tern 2 Life Bird!
Common Wood Pigeon 1
Eurasian Wryneck 1 Life Bird!
Eurasian Kestrel 6
Peregrine Falcon 2
Eurasian Magpie 2
Red Billed Chough 4
Eurasian Jackdaw 1
Rook 5
Hooded Crow X
Common Raven 4
Sky Lark 4 Life Bird!
Barn Swallow 15
Great Tit 1
Eurasian Blue Tit 4
Goldcrest X
Willow Warbler 1 (additional species seen by Dan)
Common Chiffchaff 4 Life Bird!
Sedge Warbler 1 Life Bird!
Blackcap X (additional species seen by Dan)
Greater Whitethroat 1 Life Bird!
Spotted Flycatcher 3 Life Bird!
European Robin 10
European Pied Flycatcher 2 Life Bird!
Whinchat 1 Life Bird!
European Stonechat 10 Life Bird!
Northern Wheatear 4
Eurasian Blackbird 2
Song Thrush 2 Life Bird!
Dunnock 3 Life Bird!
Gray Wagtail 1 Life Bird!
White Wagtail 5
Meadow Pipit 3 Life Bird!
Rock Pipit X
Common Chaffinch X
European Goldfinch X
Eurasian Linnet 50 Life Bird!
House Sparrow 1
Life List 246 (24 life birds today) + Kingfisher (seen recently)
Bird List For That Day
Mute Swan 2
Mallard 3
Northern Gannet X
Great Cormorant 3
Grey Heron 2
Little Egret 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1 (additional species seen by Dan and my dad)
Water Rail 1 Life Bird!
Eurasian Oystercatcher 5
Northern Lapwing 1
Common Ringed Plover X
Common Greenshank 3 Life Bird!
Common Redshank 3
Eurasian Curlew 12 Life Bird!
Ruff 1 (additional species seen by Dan)
Curlew Sandpiper 1 Life Bird!
Dunlin 4 Life Bird!
Pectoral Sandpiper 1 Life Bird!
Black Headed Gull 2
Mew Gull 1 Life Bird!
Herring Gull 15
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
Great Black Backed Gull 2 Life Bird!
Sandwich Tern 2 Life Bird!
Common Wood Pigeon 1
Eurasian Wryneck 1 Life Bird!
Eurasian Kestrel 6
Peregrine Falcon 2
Eurasian Magpie 2
Red Billed Chough 4
Eurasian Jackdaw 1
Rook 5
Hooded Crow X
Common Raven 4
Sky Lark 4 Life Bird!
Barn Swallow 15
Great Tit 1
Eurasian Blue Tit 4
Goldcrest X
Willow Warbler 1 (additional species seen by Dan)
Common Chiffchaff 4 Life Bird!
Sedge Warbler 1 Life Bird!
Blackcap X (additional species seen by Dan)
Greater Whitethroat 1 Life Bird!
Spotted Flycatcher 3 Life Bird!
European Robin 10
European Pied Flycatcher 2 Life Bird!
Whinchat 1 Life Bird!
European Stonechat 10 Life Bird!
Northern Wheatear 4
Eurasian Blackbird 2
Song Thrush 2 Life Bird!
Dunnock 3 Life Bird!
Gray Wagtail 1 Life Bird!
White Wagtail 5
Meadow Pipit 3 Life Bird!
Rock Pipit X
Common Chaffinch X
European Goldfinch X
Eurasian Linnet 50 Life Bird!
House Sparrow 1
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