Common Crane

There had been sightings of a Common Crane last week over at Rogerstown Estuary and as far North as Drogheda, it was presumed to be the same bird as it was never in the two places at once.  The crane is a scarce visitor to Ireland with most records in the Autumn or Winter months.  The birds that do make it here are thought to be from the Northern and Central European populations.

I was due a trip over to Rogerstown, so with the Crane in mind I headed over Sunday morning.  I took up position in the South Hide where GF was on warden duty for the day and waited.  It wasn't too long of a wait to be honest, less than an hour and out on the main channel, almost in front of the North hide the Crane appeared literally out of nowhere.

It was most likely roosting in one of the smaller side channels that feed into the main one, because it most certainly didn't come in to land, I mean who could miss something that big!  Instead it just seemed to stroll out into view and just stood there, never moving more than a couple of feet.  I took some record shots, but the quality is poor as the bird was easily half a kilometer away from me the whole time.  I waited about another hour in the hope it would move closer to the South hide, it didn't so I took myself off to the Bull and set up for the impending high tide.

Changing seasons

Today was a windy, showery day throughout Ireland, the first such day for quite some time, and the first day with that real Autumnal feel to it.  The temperature has dropped a few degrees over the last couple of weeks and the trees are beginning to shed their leaves.

 

The Starlings have begun the transition from their glossy blue/green summer plumage to their equally striking winter coats complete with white spots.  These photos were all taken in the last few days.

 

 

Song Thrush

As late in the year as it is there's still a bit around to see and hear before the Autumn influx of migrants arrives.  I was out local this morning and came across this little beauty belting out its song like we were back in April and not heading for mid September.

The unmistakable sound of one of our best song birds filled the air and it didn't take long to locate the source.  Sitting proud on the upper branches of a dead tree belting out its song like it was Springtime all over again was this beautiful Song thrush.