Portstewart Strand 10th October

John and I squeezed in a quick visit before work today (10th) with the lure of some nice birds about in the south and west of Ireland. It rained throughout the night and stopped around 6am leaving a damp and dull morning. The rain started again as we were packing up around 10am so we really made the most of the short window.

It was much the same as in recent visits with a slow start and more activity in the open saltmarsh. The catch was also very similar but it did produce another new species to be ringed at the site - a Yellowhammer. This is only the second time I have seen Yellowhammers along the dunes following a sighting of two birds back on the 17th of October 2015.

Yellowhammer

Portstewart Strand 10/10/2017                            
                             New         Retrap
Blackbird               3                1
Blue Tit                  1
Bullfinch                1
Chaffinch               2
Goldcrest               3                2
Linnet                     1
Meadow Pipit        14
Robin                      1            
Song Thrush          2
Stonechat                                 1
Yellowhammer      1
Wren                       1

Totals                    30                4      

The Yellowhammer is also a new species for my 2017 patch list and one that I had missed last year. I can find them easily (ish) a little outside the patch but my old spot in the hedgerows around Kilcranny doesn't produce the goods anymore. I'm only three species behind my 2016 total and have equalled last years score with very achievable Redwing and Kingfisher to come.

Yellowhammer