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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · 4d

Fantastic recovery of one of this year’s Chough nestlings. Ringed at Ballybranigan, East Cork, ‘SIT’ was seen yesterday 72km east near Tramore in Waterford. The furthest east one of our birds have ventured, but also the biggest juvenile dispersal @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · 5d

Another good session today at Clogheen Marsh. 146 birds of 17 species in great conditions. Highlight was 2 Redpoll and a Siskin and Garden Warbler (both 2nd for the site). c30 Crossbill around and large numbers of Wigeon and Lapwing on flooded marsh @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · 11d

First Clogheen Marsh wader mist netting session of the autumn was not as successful as hoped with 2 Mallard, 3 Snipe, 4 Redshank and 2 Black-tailed Godwit, but all adds to the data! @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @birdwatchireland.bsky.social 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · 13d

Irish Cuckoo Update - Cores is still in eastern Chad, where he has been for over a month, Inchi is somewhere in Africa (won’t find out where until returns next spring) and Glen has been jumping around from Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and now Hungary @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · 18d

Clogheen Marsh autumn migration monitoring. 2000 Swallows came to roost last night, caught 196 plus a Sand Martin. Today, 179 birds caught of 27 species inc 28 Blackcap, 12 Chiff, 2 Reed + 2 Sedge also 6 Mallard, 50 Chaffinch, Grey Wag + Siskin @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · 28d

First wader session of the season at Harbour View beach, Kilbrittain and caught 19 Dunlin, an adult Greenshank and a lovely Curlew Sandpiper. Also had a juvenile Manx Shearwater, seem to be lots turning up inland this year @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Aug 25

Last Clogheen CES visit yesterday produced a rather low 41 birds of 14 species. Highlights included 5 species of warbler, of the 9 Sedge Warbler, one was so heavily covered in fat for migration it was almost twice its normal weight at 18g! @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Aug 20

Last time I know they bred there was in 2016 if memory serves….

Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Aug 6

Few gull sightings. 534:C and 02U:C were nestlings from West Cork in 2021 and 2024 respectively and in Faro and Cadiz. Whilst 2 rehabs from Wildlife Rescue Cork - 18U:C was in Portugal for winter and now in Limerick and 28H:C already in Kinsale from Cork City 3 weeks ago @btobirds.bsky.social 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Aug 1

Cork boys have different plans. Inchy quickly moved from very hot central Spain to north coast, on 24th departed to Africa via Murcia. Glen in contrast did direct route to Croatia and likely to depart any day. Once leave we won’t know where they have been until back in Europe 2/2 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Aug 1

Irish Cuckoo Update - after spending a number of weeks on the French/Italian border Cores has now jumped the Mediterranean and Sahara and on the Sudan/Chad border. Living up to the tradition of migrating furthest east of @btobirds.bsky.social. @npwsireland.bsky.social 1/2 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 29

Great opportunity to catch and ring a juvenile Little Grebe at Native Species weekend @fotawildlife.bsky.social and share its amazing features with visitors. A common species with almost nothing known about their movements or longevity in Ireland! @btobirds.bsky.social @npwsireland.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 26

Another successful Storm Petrel catching session at Galley Head, Cork. 286 in total including 4 controls over 3 1/2 hours. Never tire of these wonderful little birds about the size of a Robin but live out on the open sea! @btobirds.bsky.social @npwsireland.bsky.social @theseabirdgroup.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 24

First Swallow roost catch of the year at Clogheen Marsh last night. About 300 birds came into roost and we caught 114 inc a retrap adult from last year plus 2 Sand Martin. Surprised to get so many this early, but migration seems early @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 14

Great weekend at @ccbowarden.bsky.social for the Lavender Festival. Ringing Demo with a good mix of passerines, 163 Stormies caught at night inc 3 controls (1 we caught at Galley Head on Wednesday night) and 20 Rock Doves for RAS project inc 9 new! @btobirds.bsky.social @willjsmith.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 11

A rather quiet Clogheen CES 8 with virtually no bird song. Felt rather like some adult birds have already left! Still managed to catch 49 birds. Highlights were two very contrasting male Swallow, 3 juvenile Bullfinch, a Mallard and a Water Rail @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 9

Great clear full moon night at Galley Head catching Storm Petrels with a good team. 264 caught including 3 controls from elsewhere in 3 hours @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 4

Rather quiet Killarney NP CES 7 yesterday with just 25 birds from 13 species. Although adult female and a very dark juv G-s Woodpecker and a juv Reed Bunting can’t be sniffed at. Also did the two Barn Owl nest sites with broods of 4 and 3 chicks @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 2

Lesser Black-backed Gull project work today in Roaringwater Bay. 204 colour ringed from 3 islands including @ccbowarden.bsky.social and 14 Herring Gull. Seems to be a productive season here and a fabulous day to be island hopping! @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jul 1

CES 7 at Clogheen Marsh was steady with 54 birds of 15 species. Highlight was the first bird of the morning - a retrap Long-eared Owl from last November. Over 2/3 of the rest was warblers including the first juvenile Sedge @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jun 27

Wonderful day giving budding Canadian ringer Adam Ross a flavour of some Cork projects. Firstly, Rook ringing as part of a RAS, ringing 99 Common Tern chicks as part of @portofcork.bsky.social project and lastly a nest of 3 Buzzard chicks @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jun 24

Our last Peregrine nest site of the year, followed by our first few West Cork Barn Owl nest sites checked this week. Seems to be a decent year with a good number of healthy chicks, also a pair of Stock Dove chicks @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @birdwatchireland.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jun 24

CES 6 at Clogheen Marsh was only just manageable between the various weather fronts, but a decent session with 61 birds of 15 species. Lots of fledglings including the first juvenile Reed Warbler @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jun 21

Our second new Cuckoo is ‘Cuach Inchi’, a 2nd year male that was tagged at Inchi More above Ballingeary on 2nd June. Inchi has already moved over 1600km firstly to Pembrokeshire in Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿, then through France 🇫🇷 before arriving east of Madrid, Spain 🇪🇸 on Wednesday @npwsireland.bsky.social 3/3 🪶

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Sam Bayley @sambayley.bsky.social · Jun 21

The first new Cuckoo is ‘Cuach Glen’, an adult male who was tagged in the hills above Glengarriff on 23rd May. Glen has already started his migration and by Sunday was at Rame Head near Plymouth, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 @npwsireland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social 2/3 🪶

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