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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · 1d

Cattle Egret at Mullaghglass, Tully Cross from 14th October. Still rare in Galway.

Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · 1d

Buff-bellied Pipit on Inishmore from 16th October. Second island record and the fourth or fifth county record. The only American passerine for the Autumn in Galway. Just one White-rumped Sandpiper and two American Golden Plovers for the whole Autumn.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · 1d

A few pictures of two "North-Western" Redpolls from Inishbofin on 7th October. One of the birds (first two pics) was a paler bird and possibly closer to an islandica type, while the other was a more classic looking rostrata type. Both were exceptionally tame.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · 20d

The discount rate (SHOP70) doesn't seem to apply to your book when I look at the website Alex.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · 24d

The domesticated form is one in the same as the "wild" one. Goat as a species is not going to go extinct anytime soon!

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · 27d

Niall Keogh found county Galway's first Marsh Warbler at Renvyle Head yesterday. Typically, for an Acrocephalus warbler, it proved very challenging to get good prolonged views but after about 5 hours, we eventually did thankfully. Makes up for the complete lack of good waders here so far.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · 27d

Nice day out on the islands of Derryclare Lough on Tuesday. We were out to collect Yew berries & cuttings for propagation for further planting locally. We were also hoping to collect some Rock Whitebeam berries as well but didn't find any unfortunately. Quite a rare species away from Killarney.

Aspen, restricted to just two islands on the lough. Haven't recorded it on any other lough islands but occurs very sparingly on some mainland coastal cliff sites.

Rock Whitebeam with Derryclare conifer plantation and hill in the background. The species seems to favour the western, more exposed sides of islands. Probably doesn't tolerate too much shading from bigger trees but as a result is often quite wind-burnt and stunted.

Mature Yew tree. Red Deer are starting to have a negative effect on vegetation structure and tree regeneration. They happily swim out to these little oasises for shelter and productive feeding.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Sep 21

Adult Bonaparte's Gull back at Ballyconneely Strand yesterday for its third winter now. I wonder where it disappears to during the summers?

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Sep 15

Random picture upload from the last month or so.

Local birding fans at Rahasane Turlough.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 23

"Bonsaied" Juniper due to sheep browsing.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 23

A few sights from Currywongaun, Twelve Bens Mts, NW of Kylemore today. This was the location for Marconi's radio receiving station as part of the first transatlantic wireless telegraphy back in 1913. Worrying a lot of Rhodo spreading throughout the hill, at least 1km north of the Kylemore estate.

Lough Touther in the foreground with Doughruagh hill in the background.

Cave formed by a jumble of huge boulders.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 23

This is what appears on Bluesky ever time you post using the same thread.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 23

Rather early for Yellow-browed Warblers..

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 21

In my experience roads/tracks built through peatland cause permanent damage. Even with good intentioned restoration works, the habitat is never the same again. Once Humpty is broken it's impossible to put him back together again I'm afraid.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 9

You mean controlling the real grazing issue 🐏🐑😬

Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 9

Noticed that too Alan, deer mentioned three tiles but no mention of the white plague whatsoever.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 8

This Loggerhead Turtle was found by a tourist on Lettergesh beach, Rinvyle today. I collected her & brought her half the way down to Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium who specialise in the rehabilitation of sea turtles. 7th Loggerhead to be found in Ireland this year.🤞for a successful recovery.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 7

When are ye planning on heading out again Cian? There's a bit of Western Hemlock in there as well from memory which can resemble Yew when it's young but those look like Yew alright. May be worth putting some chicken wire around them to stop deer from munching on them who find them very tasty.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 2

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 2

There are old reports of Dense-flowered Orchid and Pugsley's Marsh Orchid in this area but I've yet to encounter these.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · Jul 2

Nice selection of orchids on display at the moment. I've had all these in the last few days in the environs of Ballyconneely. Green-winged, Early Purple, Irish Marsh & Early Marsh Orchids have been and gone by now and Autumn Ladies Tresses are yet to appear. I've seen about 14 species in total here.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · May 30

This Eagle didn't die from eating a poisoned mouse or rat...

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · May 25

It's Peregrine ringing season again. Numbers a bit down this year. We've ringed six nests so far here in county Galway. Most of the pairs in Connemara are missing this year.

Irene O'Brien ringing a Peregrine chick.

Peregrine chicks back on the ledge after being ringed.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · May 24

Large fire along the Western Way at Derryherbert & Cappanlaurabaun beside Lough Corrib from last Saturday. Thanks to the help of a helicopter it probably would have kept going through the tinder dry tree farm. A good amount of trees on the ground due to Storm Éowyn which contributed to the fire.

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Dermot Breen @dermotbreen.bsky.social · May 19

Irish/Western Marsh Orchid. The taxonomy varies quite a bit at the moment but they're all the same here. You rarely get a few examples of Northern Marsh Orchid.

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