Weekends That Were - March 2020

3.3.20

Butterflies and stuff at Minnippi

Mr P had contacted me over the weekend describing a bush he had found near the carpark at Minnippi that had attracted a wide range of butterflies. Previous commitments had prevented me getting there any earlier, but I was on site just after 7am. He had suggested that PM was probably the best time, but that wouldn’t be possible for a couple of days and I thought the visitors may be more inclined to sit in the slightly cooler morning before they got all fired up on sugar and heat.

There were a number of butterflies feeding on the flowers and over the next 40 minutes or so I recorded one or two Blue Triangles, several Blue Tigers (they seem to have had a big emergence lately as I’ve seen them all over the SEQ area), Monarchs floated around showing off, heaps of Common Crows, a couple of Varied Eggflys, one or two White-banded Planes, several Yellow Albatrosses and one unidentified Skipper sp. There were also a couple of Australian Hornets Abispa ephippium and at least one Great Carpenter Bee Xylocopa aruana - maybe the only native Australian bee of its genus?

As I had photographs of most of these species already I concentrated on the Skipper, which would be a lifer, but remains unidentified, and the other insects. I couldn’t resist though taking some of the others..

Australian Hornet Abispa ephippium

Blue Tiger Tirumala harnata 

Unidentified Skipper sp

Great Carpenter Bee Xylocopa arcana 

Yellow Albatross Appias paulina

White-banded Plane Phaedyma shepherd

7.3.20

Oxley

An average morning at Oxley with large numbers of butterflies being the stand out item. The birds were much the same as usual, but we did find a tree along the track which appeared to be the same species as the one I had visited at Minnippi, covered in butterflies. Impressive numbers of Common Crows, Blue Tigers and Varied Eggflys with a similar bush nearby being more attractive to Monarchs. There weren’t any new species, although I did take photos of a Skipper which remains, once again, unidentified.

An Oriental Dollarbird did perch up well for photos, but really apart from that it was pretty average.

Common Grass Blue Zizinia labradus

Oriental Dollarbird

Unidentified Skipper, poss Lyell's Swift Pelopidas lyelli

Mr D and I had breakfast as usual at Café Europa in Sherwood.

EUROPEAN TRIP 2020

Day 1 Thursday 12.3.20

The original plan for me was to fly to Ireland on 24^th March. 

Tickets booked, insurance activated, interested parties notified, packing started – or at least the laying out of stuff-to-go had begun - and plans formulated.

Mr H and I had communicated over the previous months and reached agreement on likely destinations - Mallorca and Turkey.

Mallorca for stuff like Elanora’s Falcon and Balearic Warbler. Turkey for a range of species including things like Black-headed Bunting, Kruper’s Nuthatch and so on.

We had been pretty relaxed about Mallorca – in fact Mr H had gone ahead and booked the flights and Air BnB accommodation for the last two weeks of April. While we were 'sitting' on Turkey, watching the developing fracas with Syria, when everything changed for the first time…

Corvid 19 arrived.

No need to go into details here as I’m sure anyone who reads this will know all about it – and possibly a lot more by the time of reading - but it immediately put a different aspect on international travel for everyone.

We continued to sit on Turkey – little information coming out regarding it’s coronavirus status – and monitored the expanding situation world-wide as first Japan, then South Korea, followed by Italy succumbed to the spreading plague.

It was a bit difficult to be sure if it was as serious as it sounded. Was it media hype? Were the WHO understating or over-stating the crisis? Were governments reacting appropriately and telling us everything or hiding facts and truths? It seemed to me that everyone in officialdom was trying to maintain calm and reduce panic. Not always a good thing as, in some of those people, it showed through, I thought, and not knowing for a lot of us is more scary than knowing the facts.

Then the second thing-to-change-everything happened.

On Sunday 8^th March, (coincidentally, my birthday), my 94 year old Mum was taken into the cardiac unit in St Vincent's hospital in Dublin with a very low pulse and within 24 hours had a pacemaker installed.

In itself, not a major drama, and she appeared to be in relatively good health afterwards so far as that goes for a 94 year old, but in her continuing situation after she recovered she would need support and some changes would need to be considered, so I decided to travel earlier than planned.

That involved contacting the travel agent I had been directed to through Skyscanner when I had booked my flights back in January – Aunt Betty.

Due to the impending doom-day like spread of the coronavirus, everyone else, it seemed, was also trying to change their travelling plans and it took 3 hours on the phone, an email request and extra payment of $410 to bring my flight forward from 24^th March to 12^th.

Hence my early departure.

Mr D, accompanied by Ms D, dropped me at the airport at about 18.30 for the 21.00 flight.

The check-in took all of 5 minutes – no queue and apparently the planes on both legs of my journey are only half full – or half empty, depending on your point of view. I got a window seat as requested and, as it turned out, three seats to myself. Most people at my end of the A380 were in similar situations – everyone was able to lie down and sleep. The airport itself was very quiet and staff numbers in Duty Free subsequently reduced. I bought a pair of Oakley sunglasses for $160 in anticipation of the planned Antarctic trip later in the year – hoping I wasn’t wasting my money.

Day 2 Friday 13.3.20

Arrived in Dubai on time at 5am local. I wore a facemask through the terminal. I’d estimate about 10% of travellers and 90% of ground staff were wearing masks – the staff were all wearing gloves too. I haven’t transited through Dubai for a long time so was not familiar with how busy it might be, however, it was much easier moving through the concourse, via two lifts and a train ride, to get to the departure gate, without the normal hordes of Chinese and (South) Koreans one normally sees in all international airports. I don’t mean that as a criticism of anyone, but simply an observation. Even Middle Eastern, basically local traveller, numbers were lower than I would have expected.

The flight took off in a heavy ground mist pretty close to on-time. A smaller aircraft, there were a few spare seats – but not many that I could see. Definitely closer to a full compliment of travellers on this leg. I had an aisle seat, as I had requested in the absence of any available window seats, with an empty seat beside me and, as a result, didn't sleep much on the 7 and a half hour flight.

The first bird I saw in Ireland was a European Starling – while I waited an hour for my sister to collect me from the airport. It was ‘7 degrees, feels like 3’ so I opened my bag to get my Gortex jacket to supplement my t-shirt. 

We agreed I would stay at Dale Rd (Mum’s place) and I immediately organised insurance so I could drive her car. After a very much needed coffee, and discussion regarding options for Mum’s future care, Misses L and A headed home to Wicklow. Mum is actually in a rehabilitation/nursing home within 5 minutes of my sister’s place, but the home is in lock down, thanks to the virus, so I can’t get in to see her anyway. I went to Dundrum to get credit for my phone based on the number I used last year. I checked the supermarket there and noted the vast array of empty shelves where panic buying had cleared most of the fresh food and all the bread.

I went home again and spent the afternoon and early evening struggling to stay awake – and failing intermittently as I nodded off in front of the TV. I finally gave up at 19.30 and went to bed to have a restless night ending at 2.30 after which I just lay and read till daybreak.

Day 3 Saturday 14.3.20

I had some breakfast then debated what to do with myself. It was a grey, cloudy, damp morning and rain was predicted for later so I decided to go birding anyway, thinking it might be better down Wicklow way.

I got to Kilcoole at 8.30 and it was better – actually sunny and bright, but a southwesterly kept the temperature down to about 7 degrees and I wished I’d brought my beanie to keep my head warm.

However, I set off down the beach picking up stuff, renewing old acquaintances as I went. Dunnocks, Hooded Crows, Eurasian Wrens, European Robin, Eurasian Collared Dove, Rooks, Eurasian Blue Tits, Common Reed Buntings and the like. Nothing at all spectacular but I always enjoy seeing these birds again. Standing at a small bridge overlooking an overgrown stream a small mammal bounded across the wet grass and disappeared under the brambles. From size and shape I believe it may have been a Stoat but difficult to confirm with such a fleeting view.

Further down the beach, overlooking the actual Kilcoole estuary/wetland area I was surprised to see about 40 Whooper Swans feeding in a field in the background. I had thought they would have departed before now for their Arctic breeding grounds. I also had ~300 Brent Geese, 60 or so Grey Lag Geese, Northern Lapwings, European Golden Plover, Common Redshanks and Greenshanks, Meadow Pipits and Eurasian Skylarks, half a dozen Eurasian Teal, one Common Shelduck and a few Little Egrets. One Common Guillemot standing, unusually, on the beach, appeared to be partly oiled on his belly.

I got to a couple of hundred meters before The Breaches – the outlet from the march into the Irish Sea – and started scanning the waders on the mud. Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit…… Redshank…… Godwit….Common Ringed Plover……. Dowitcher……..Red…oops – Long-billed Dowitcher!  I had known it was there – a long staying bird present since around New Year. It had been reported as being seen in the ‘roost’ at The Breaches and as it was currently very low tide, I’d been a bit pessimistic about finding it. But here it was, admittedly 200 meters away, but out in the open, alone, feeding vigorously. Nicely marked bird – apparently in first winter plumage, but what would I know. The only Long-billed Dowitcher I had seen in Ireland was way back in the hazy ‘70s so this bird was not even an Irish tick, but it was good to see one again.

I met an older birder and we chatted for a few minutes about the Dowitcher and coronavirus – as one does.

I headed back to the car, it was cold and my eyes were watering from the wind, but it didn’t seem to stop a number of people out walking dogs and one hard dude even swimming….

I had planned to go on a few kms to Newcastle for a couple of other semi-vagrants but my sister called and told me she was heading for Dale Rd with her builder friend so I, too, headed home and met them on site to discuss the changes we planned for the bathroom.

Site list:

1	Great Cormorant	6
2	Little Egret	4
3	Brent Goose	300
4	Grey Lag Goose	30
5	Mute Swan	6
6	Whooper Swan	40
7	Common Shelduck	1
8	Northern Mallard	4
9	European Teal	6
10	Common Pheasant	1
11	Eurasian Oystercatcher	2
12	Common Ringed Plover	20
13	European Golden Plover	30
14	Northern Lapwing	30
15	Dunlin	1
16	Long-billed Dowitcher	1
17	Common Redshank	15
18	Common Greenshank	6
19	Black-tailed Godwit	15
20	Eurasian Curlew	30
21	Black-headed Gull	10
22	European Herring Gull	10
23	Great Black-backed Gull	2
24	Common Guillemot	1
25	Common Wood Pigeon	10
26	Eurasian Collared Dove	6
27	Eurasian Skylark	10
28	Meadow Pipit	15
29	Eurasian Wren	5
30	Dunnock	6
31	Eurasian Stonechat	2
32	European Robin	2
33	Common Blackbird	10
34	Eurasian Blue Tit	2
35	Common Reed Bunting	4
36	Common Linnet	2
37	Common Starling	20
38	Eurasian Magpie	4
39	Western Jackdaw	6
40	Rook	20
41	Hooded Crow	5

Trip List: 42                  Ireland: 42

Day 4 Sunday 15.3.20

I slept a bit better, not really waking up till 4.30am. I got up at 7, had breakfast and then headed off on a bright, sunny (!), windy morning, back down to Co Wicklow and the ECNR at Newcastle – that’s East Coast Nature Reserve. 

I wandered round there for 40 minutes or so. It's not very big, but the hides are excellent, overlooking some shallow ponds and flooded fields. Saw all 4 species of Tits – Blue, Great, Coal and, briefly, Long-tailed – almost always reliable at this site. A few Eurasian Teal and distant Eurasian Wigeon, my first Song Thrush of the trip and a few other bits and pieces.

Coal Tit - not the best, shooting into the sun

View from one of the hides.

My main targets however, were further down the road - Green-winged Teal and American Wigeon - at least one of each had been reported from more extensive flooded ponds/fields bordering the railway track. I think they are still part of the ECNR, but not accessible from the main walking area.

I parked up at the end of the road and flushed my first Pied Wagtail of the trip, then walked along beside the railway track at the back of the beach and scanned the water for the vagrants. 

There were approx 100 Eurasian Teal and maybe 60 Eurasian Wigeon along with a smaller number of Northern Shoveler, but I dipped on both vagrants. Several of the Teal in particular were huddled down in the grass and reed beds out of the rather cold southwesterly wind so I’m assuming the targets were hidden away somewhere as they’ve both been here for some time, have been reported in the last few days and I definitely did not miss them among the birds that were clearly visible at 100-150 meters range.

Anyway, I’ll have plenty of time to come back and check again!

ECNR, Newcastle, Co Wicklow
1	Little Egret	2
2	Common Shelduck	5
3	Northern Mallard	4
4	European Teal	120
5	Eurasian Wigeon	60
6	Northern Shoveler	20
7	Northern Lapwing	1
8	Common Snipe	1
9	Black-headed Gull	20
10	European Herring Gull	10
11	Common Wood Pigeon	20
12	Eurasian Collared Dove	2
13	Pied Wagtail	1
14	Eurasian Wren	2
15	Dunnock	4
16	Eurasian Stonechat	2
17	European Robin	2
18	Common Blackbird	20
19	Song Thrush	1
20	Long-tailed Tit	2
21	Coal Tit	2
22	Eurasian Blue Tit	6
23	Great Tit	2
24	Common Chaffinch	2
25	European Goldfinch	10
26	Common Starling	2
27	Eurasian Magpie	5
28	Western Jackdaw	5
29	Rook	20
30	Hooded Crow	4

(Not particularly exciting and much the same as Kilcoole, but it just gives an overview of the birding situation)

I decided to head down to my sister’s place, 20 minutes away, just south of Wicklow town and bum a free cup of coffee before heading home.

I stopped at Tesco’s and bought a bit more food, then at Aldi cause I forgot to get potatoes, carrots and mince at the first stop……not panic buying! I’m obviously going to be staying in Dublin, more or less alone, for the foreseeable future and Mum only has frozen meals which I am reluctant to eat, unless necessary, so I needed some supplies.

In the afternoon I rang the nursing home to speak to Mum. They said they'd ring me back when they 'found' her. I waited an hour or so then rang back and asked if she'd escaped? Maybe someone had forgotten to call me back or she was hard to find cause she was up and walking around on a walker thing. However, they did manage to catch her, I spoke to her for more than 30 minutes and she sounded great. She seemed relatively happy where she was, so maybe we can convince her to stay there a bit longer - I believe she's safer there than out in public at the moment.

Covid 19 Fallout: So, now Australia has decreed that all international travellers need to self isolate for 14 days on return. Not a problem for me, even if it is still in place when I get back in June – assuming, of course, I CAN still get back….. Ireland is still low key, no major outbreaks, seems to be contained so far.

Spoke to Mr H in Belfast last night and, at this stage, we are still sitting on things and waiting to see what develops, however, it is looking more than likely that we will have to cancel our Mallorca trip (scheduled for 16 - 30th April) at least. 

Time – and Corvid 19 – will tell.

                                                  Trip List: 53                  Ireland: 53

Day 5 Monday 16.3.20

I woke to a bright, sunny, apparently windless morning. I took my time getting breakfast and spent some time on the phone with home to check on the kids.

I finally headed out at 10, reluctant to waste the day as it appeared so lovely – and that doesn’t always last in Ireland.

I drove down to the West Pier in Dun Laoghaire, a favourite walk. I didn’t expect to see much. The West Pier is at its bird-best in Winter with the occasional incoming or outgoing summer visitor landing on its walls during migration periods. Currently its kind of between times so I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t see much on the water and even less on the pier itself, but a Great Northern Diver was a nice surprise, along with half a dozen Northern Gannets diving in the bay.

I drove north along the coast to Booterstown, where a small shallow, muddy, wetland survives between the sea wall/railway and the main road. It is almost a dumping ground for rubbish and when the tide is low dead prams and shopping trolleys and other unidentifiable junk appears sticking out of the mud and along the banks of the narrow creek that drains out to sea. It’s a real shame actually. I don’t know why Birds Ireland don’t do something to 1. Preserve it and 2. Provide some sort of hide or platform to view the birds from. It is difficult to get access to set up a scope. The only spot I know is in a corner of the railway station car park where a battered gap in the trees and brambles allows limited, unsteady access.

The birds deserve it. There were approx 120 Red Knot – an internationally endangered species – at least 60 Dunlin, 65 Common Redshanks, a few Common Greenshanks and a few other bits and pieces.  

West Pier, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin
1	Great Northern Diver	1
2	Northern Gannet	6
3	Great Cormorant	2
4	European Shag	1
5	Ruddy Turnstone	6
6	Dunlin	5
7	Black-headed Gull	20
8	European Herring Gull	10
9	Great Black-backed Gull	4
10	Black-legged Kittiwake	1
11	Common Guillemot	3
12	Pied Wagtail	1
13	Eurasian Magpie	2
14	Hooded Crow	2
Booterstown Marsh, Co Dublin
1	Little Egret	1
2	Grey Heron	1
3	European Teal	6
4	Common Moorhen	5
5	Dunlin	80
6	Red Knot	120
7	Common Redshank	65
8	Common Greenshank	4
9	Black-tailed Godwit	5
10	Eurasian Curlew	1

I headed home as, despite the occasional sunny breaks, the cloud cover had increased and the persistent south westerly wind was quite cold – 7 degrees feels like 4.  Not a super exciting morning, but a few more trip ticks.

Total 61            Ireland 61

Day 6 Tuesday 17.3.20

St Patrick’s Day!

And what a St Patrick’s Day. All the pubs and restaurants in Ireland are in lockdown. 

No parade. No public gatherings. No celebrations. 

As a result 140,000 people signed on for the dole (unemployment benefit) yesterday.

Certainly St Patrick’s Day 2020 will be remembered for a long time.

I think its 40 years since I was in Ireland for the 17^th March – I can’t remember being here anyway – and now…………..can’t even get a pint of Guinness.

My sister had suggested I come down for a sleepover, so after some breakfast and a tidy up I left Dale Rd at 10 and headed south for the 40 minute drive to Wicklow. Along the way I stopped off at Newcastle to try for those American vagrants again. Dipped again, although they had been reported on Sunday and yesterday, obviously after I left or maybe not exactly where I had been?

Anyway I didn’t find them – again, although I did have my first raptor of the trip – a Eurasian Kestrel. Other than that there were much the same birds around the ECNR area as the other day.

Continued on to L’s place and settled in for the afternoon, marveling at the latest Covid 19 updates – 

·       Australia advising all travelling citizens to come home as soon as possible.
        Malaysia and Thailand going into complete lockdown. 

·       Spain, France, Germany closing borders and restricting travel both internal and external. 

·       The USA playing catch-up with everyone else after their disastrous decisions – or lack thereof – a few weeks ago. 

·       Airlines cancelling hundreds of flights worldwide.

·       Stock markets crashing in every financial capital.

·       Empty toilet paper shelves in supermarkets all over the world…..

Jesus Christ.

Incidentally Ireland has 223 cars and 2 deaths to date.

I did see a very opportune message on a Facebook page that basically said:

‘Next time you judge boat people, refugees or migrants fleeing war and famine…remember, we fought over toilet paper’

But will we remember or admit to it?

I doubt it - selfish people always find an excuse for their behaviour.

Total 62            Ireland 62

Day 7 Wednesday 18.3.20

I left my sister’s place at 10, after breakfast, and headed north towards Dale Rd. I stopped off once again at Newcastle, to try again for the two American vagrants.

As I approached the end of the road I met Niall Keogh, a well known local birder whom I have met every time I’ve visited Dublin. He assured me the Teal was still there, but there had been no sign of the Wigeon. He was walking back to the reserve itself to see if it was there.

I walked south along the track again, stopping to scan the ducks on the flooded fields. Eventually, further down than I had walked before, I spotted the Green-winged Teal, picking it out easily from about 300 meters. Moving further along I got to a spot approx 150 meters as the closest point. 

(Out of interest I wondered how I might get an accurate distance – I thought it might be a little over 100 meters. I focused in on the bird with the scope at max X50, then swung the scope back to look along the track I would walk and found the focus point on the track. I then counted my strides back to that point and found it to be approx 150 meters. Maybe a pointless kind of exercise but interesting all the same – to me anyway!)

The view over part of the wetlands - the GWT is somewhere in the middle

Green-winged Teal

I started to head back to the car and met Niall again coming back from an unsuccessful search in the reserve. He was going to have another look.

I continued on my way then stopped to scan the offshore and found half a dozen Great Northern Divers and a few Common Guillemots sitting far out on the very calm water. As I was finishing with the scan I heard a shout and, looking up, saw Niall waving frantically.

Sure enough, back I went and he put me onto the American Wigeon. About 200 meters away, feeding happily out in the open.

American Wigeon

I took some photos then headed on home, back to Dale Rd to find the workmen knee deep reconstructing Mum’s bathroom. On the way I stopped off at the local Aldi to pick up some milk, butter and whatever else I thought important. There was plenty of food, including all the things people elsewhere seemed to be fighting over, except toilet paper – pasta, meat, chicken, fresh vegies, bread, milk – everything you could possibly need. Obviously at this point anyway, there’s no need for panic, buying or otherwise.

Covid 19 update –

The previous night the Irish Prime Minister, the Taoisceach (T-shock) Leo Varadkar spoke to the nation and outlined his expectations for the Irish people. Personal distance maintenance, unnecessary travel, banning of large group meetings, personal hygiene, government financial support. He advised we were in the calm before the storm and it was going to get a lot worse before it got better. But, at this stage, there would be no lockdowns, no major closures or bans.

Now - Australia has banned, more or less, any international travel. My only, at this point relatively minor, concern is how I’ll get back in June? The word seems to be that this will go on for several months. I imagine that some airlines will collapse and fail to rise from the ashes. How that will affect my return to Australia, remains a bit of a mystery. I guess I’ll deal with that in June.

ECNR, Newcastle, Co Wicklow
1	Great Northern Diver	6
2	Great Cormorant	3
3	European Shag	2
4	Little Egret	4
5	Northern Mallard	4
6	European Teal	150
7	Green-winged Teal	1
8	Eurasian Wigeon	60
9	American Wigeon	1
10	Northern Shoveler	20
11	Common Buzzard	2
12	Ruddy Turnstone	10
13	Black-tailed Godwit	20
14	Black-headed Gull	40
15	Common Guillemot	3
16	Meadow Pipit	2
17	Pied Wagtail	2
18	Common Reed Bunting	6
	White-tailed Bumblebee	1

Total 65            Ireland 65

Day 8 Thursday 19.3.20

Having in mind a possible lockdown which may restrict my movements in the near future, I decided to have a day in Co Wexford.

I left home just after 7 and arrived at Tachumsin at 8.45. The motorway has been extended since last year and I sat on 120 k/hr for most of the way. I suspect this work has been pushed through with Brexit in mind as the motorway services Rosslare the primary southern port direct to Europe, bypassing the UK entirely. It used to wind through Enniscorthy, a narrow streeted, bridged town – now bypassed completely.

The weather was clear and bright – and freaking cold. The wind from the northwest was bitter – 6 degrees feels like 2 – it felt like minus 10…. Hundreds of swans and ducks were immediately apparent, mostly Mute Swans with only 2 Whoppers, approx 400 Eurasian Wigeon, 200 Eurasian Teal, 100 Northern Shoveler, 6 Northern Pintail and 1 female Long-tailed Duck which I was very happy with.

Waders dominated the far bank – ~1,000 Black-tailed Godwits, a solid flock of approx 300 European Golden Plover, numerous Common Redshanks and Greenshanks, a flock of approx 150 Sanderling, scattered groups of Dunlin, Common Ringed Plovers and the odd Red Knot here and there. There could have been anything else among them but, for me, they were too far away to pick out with confidence.

I spent about an hour at the first location, meeting another birder, maintaining social distancing while he looked for a Spotted Redshank, previously reported. 

I headed a bit further along to the High carpark and scanned for the previously reported Long-billed Dowitcher. I failed to find it and decided not to bother donning the wellies and wading out  - which is the only way to get closer to the waders. I did, however, walk left to a reedbed, used a bit of playback and saw my first-in-Ireland-in-50-years Bearded Reedling – 1 male popped up briefly but disappeared out of the cold wind. I did the same and retreated to the car. 

Tachumsin, Co Wexford
1	Red-throated Diver	1
2	Great Cormorant	5
3	Little Egret	8
4	Grey Heron	3
5	Brent Goose	30
6	Mute Swan	200
7	Whooper Swan	2
8	Common Shelduck	100
9	Northern Mallard	6
10	European Teal	200
11	Eurasian Wigeon	400
12	Northern Pintail	6
13	Northern Shoveler	100
14	Long-tailed Duck	1
15	Common Buzzard	1
16	Common Kestrel	1
17	Common Pheasant	1
18	Eurasian Oystercatcher	2
19	Common Ringed Plover	20
20	European Golden Plover	300
21	Northern Lapwing	20
22	Ruddy Turnstone	1
23	Dunlin	50
24	Sanderling	150
25	Common Redshank	50
26	Common Greenshank	30
27	Black-tailed Godwit	1000
28	Black-headed Gull	300
29	Lesser Black-backed Gull	3
30	European Herring Gull	100
31	Great Black-backed Gull	2
32	Eurasian Wren	1
33	Dunnock	2
34	Eurasian Stonechat	2
35	Common Blackbird	50
36	Bearded Reedling	1
37	Eurasian Blue Tit	2
38	Common Linnet	1
39	Western Jackdaw	20
40	Rook	100
41	Hooded Crow	6

I drove the 20 minutes to Carnsore Pt and found a sheltered spot to settle in for a seawatch. I was disappointed. For the first time Carnsore let me down. There were no shearwaters (usually heaps of Manx), very few Auks and they were miles away and only a handful of lackadaisical Northern Gannets  and 3 passing Red-throated Divers, another of which sat a few hundred meters offshore. Two Grey Seals loafed around just off the rocks, but little else of interest.

Carnsore Pt, Co Wexford
1	Red-throated Diver (<3, 1 sitting)	4
2	Northern Gannet <	15
3	Great Cormorant	6
4	Eurasian Oystercatcher	2
5	European Herring Gull	40
6	Common Guillemot >	5
7	Eurasian Skylark	2
8	Meadow Pipit	2
9	Eurasian Rock Pipit	1
10	Auk sp >	30
11	Grey Seal	2

I quit after 30 minutes or so and headed back to Lady Island Lake village for a coffee and pastry. While I sat a breeding plumage Black-headed Gull sat nearby on the grass – couldn’t help myself… 

 

Black-headed Gull

Next stop – Kilmore Quay. A small village, 30 minutes west, a small harbour full of trawlers and gulls, several thatched cottages (probably more for tourism, than genuine Irish-ness) and my target – Bonaparte’s Gull. Which I found immediately at the back of the west pier and which showed brilliantly. I have seen a BG in the UK and in the USA of course, but not in Ireland before, so that added a bit of extra incentive.

Kilmore Quay harbour

Kilmore Quay 

West Pier and beach, Kilmore Quay

Rock Pipit

Bonaparte's Gull

Video of Bonaparte's Gull

                 https://youtu.be/rWfO9MNUMH4               

So, my fourth American vagrant in a week! I was pretty happy with the day and headed off for the 90 minute drive home.

Covid 19 – Ireland’s casualties tonight – 634 cases, 4 deaths.

Italy now surpasses China in the number of dead - 3,400.

Australia: 709, 6 deaths.

No further restrictions in place at the moment – just continued encouragement to practice social distancing and hygiene. No groups larger than 10 and major shops are closing – Brown Thomas and Pennys to name two. All oral exams cancelled – May being the end of school year here and major exams, such as the Leaving are of huge importance to final year students. They are hoping to still conduct written exams in June.

I was thinking – as I do. I wonder if this whole thing could have a positive benefit on wildlife? If there are no hunters moving around in Europe and less traffic, less disturbance in the wild – could we see an increase in successful breeding, especially among song birds? I don’t see why not, although I guess the insect populations are much the same. It’s an interesting thought though, I thought?

Total: 75                      

Day 9 Friday 20.3.20

I woke to a cold morning. A frost covered the grass and the cars - at 1C. It was a beautiful sunny, bright, blue-sky day, but the wind was bitter.
I didn't venture out until after 10 when I went down to Stillorgan shopping centre, possibly foolishly, to try to get some photos of the grandsons printed for Mum. Most shops were closed, very few people around and the pharmacy where I had planned to get the printing done was only open for 'essential business' and the photographic section closed - I couldn't even go in. It was probably stupid of me to think I could get it done, but I was impressed with the seriousness people were taking this issue.
I got a coffee at Starbucks - along with the 4 or 5 people sitting well apart inside - and went home again, spending the day watching Netflix, reading, ironing, sorting my mother's paper files and catching up on the world news on Aljazeera.
I ordered the photos online.

Covid 19 - Ireland's total cases approaching 700 with still only 4 deaths (for the island as a whole).

Total: 75

Day 10 Saturday 21.3.20

We had an ‘appointment’ at 10.30 to see Mum through a window in the nursing home so I left home at 7 and stopped at Kilcoole on the way. 

It was a grey, cloudy morning with a bitter onshore wind dropping the temperature from 6 to 2 degrees. I was glad I’d put my thermals on.

I walked down the beach track to the Breaches and back. It was a relatively futile trip. The birds were almost non-existent, everything still sheltering from the cold wind, maybe, or possibly it was a bit early to go birding? 

It was full tide and I saw no sign of the Dowitcher. I had heard it was roosting with the Redshanks, but I couldn’t see any roosting birds, again, possibly they were hunkered down out of sight, waiting for the tide to drop.

Passerines included a couple of Eurasian Stonechats, a Pied Wagtail and a scatter of crows. Virtually nothing else. Waders – a very few Common Redshanks, 4 Eurasian Oystercatchers, ~40 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Northern Lapwings. Ducks – one or two Northern Mallard and 2 Common Shelducks. Swans – 6 Mute and 21 Whooper Swans. Nothing showed offshore and the sea was a lot rougher and chopped up than on my previous visit. A couple of Little Egrets, a few Gulls and a Grey Heron made up the rest of the list.

I trudged back to the car and drove on to L’s, spending half an hour or so shouting to Mum through the window. She looked well and seemed content.

I spent some time at L’s afterwards, having lunch, then headed back home to my ‘solitary’ existence.

Total: 75    

Day 11 Sunday 22.3.20

Another Sunday, another Mother’s Day, another appointment at the ‘window’ to shout to Mum.

Once again I stopped off on my way down to my sister’s to do a bit of birding. It was a beautiful morning, sunny, clear and warm out of the wind – an amazing day weather-wise actually.

The ECNR at Newcastle again. It might sound a bit repetitive and boring, but its another location that fits in well with the drive from Dale Rd to Wicklow and you never know what might turn up.

Nothing did, in fact, much the same stuff I saw on previous visits over the last week. I did get an OK view of a Common Buzzard, but it was all too brief.

Down at L’s place I had a shower – due to the renovations at Dale Rd there has been no shower for the last four days. Then we spent half an hour or so yelling at Mum, and trying to understand what she was saying in response, through the nursing home window.

Mum on Mother's Day 2020

Back at L’s we decided to go for a walk. So we drove up to the Devil’s Glen, picking up Tony on the way, and walked along a couple of tracks with some steep sections for about two hours with a lot of other people. With it being Sunday, Mother’s Day and the Virus hanging over all our heads the place was heaving – although everyone was practicing the now common ‘social distancing’ between their own family groups. 

John, Aisling, Lorraine & Tony

Me

I must say I have been very impressed with the way the Irish people I have seen have accepted the new normal and behaved appropriately  - in contrast to what I am hearing from Australia, where a lot of people seem to have their brains in their arse.

Tony, John (Aisling's boyfriend) and I picked up the old bath that had been in Dale Rd from Tony’s yard and put it in L’s garden – she intends making it into a fernery I think. It was bloody heavy.

After a late lunch/early dinner I headed home again to Dale Rd.   

Total: 77    

Day 12 Monday 23.3.20

Another beautiful day – clue skies, sunny, bright, calm.

There was a small breeze at the West Pier at Dun Laoghaire when I started out at 9.00, it was cold, but the day was beautiful.

Scanning north from the wall over the calm bay I counted approx 20 Great Crested Grebes, 3 pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers and 3 Red-throated Divers – most distantly.

A lovely summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull swooped briefly over the harbour before being chased off by a local European Herring Gull.

I was hoping for migrant Wheatears but found none – the only passerines being a single Pied Wagtail, a single Eurasian Rock Pipit and a very pale Meadow Pipit – at least I think that’s what it was.

Meadow Pipit - very pale

A Grey Heron sat out the incoming tide quietly out of sight behind the wall.

Grey Heron

Towards the end I found 3 Purple Sandpipers feeding, as usual, along the weedy rocks with a few Ruddy Turnstones. 

I sat at the end and scanned out to sea, but only a few Common Guillemots, European Shags, Great Cormorants a distant Common Shelduck crossing the bay and another Red-throated Diver. A Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus stuck its head up just off the pier while it tore a fish apart.

Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus

On the way home I stopped off at Woodies hardware store and bought some more bird food for the back garden – maintaining the 2 meter distance from other customers via the marks on the floor throughout the store and at the cash registers. Then Aldi where everyone moved around carefully avoiding everyone else and, again, the queues for the cash registers split up by the 2 meter stickers on the floor. There was plenty of everything including toilet paper!

Covid 19

Ireland – 906 and still only 4 deaths = 0.4% (of the people infected have died.)

Australia – 1,717 and 7 deaths = 0.5%

USA – 35,075 and 1,529 deaths = 4.4%

UK – 5,683 and 289 deaths = 5%

Italy – 59,138 and 5,476 dead. 9.25% - this is what happens when it gets out of control and the health system fails.

Spain – 33,089 and 2,206 dead = 6.7%

Turkey – 1,236 and 30 dead = 2.4%

Ect.

The Australian government appears finally to be getting the message and closing pubs, bars and cafes – but the schools remain open.
The lack of clear leadership is astonishing - or rather, very worrying. For Sco Mo its all about the money. Money is not much use if you're burying thousands of dead.

I suspect it's too late already to limit the damage.

Look out for yourself - I really believe everyone needs to take this really seriously or the outcome will not be pretty.

Total: 81      

Day 13 Tuesday 24.3.20

I didn’t do much. Stayed indoors while the boys worked on the bathroom - it was just about finished by the end of the day. Went to Woodies hardware again and got sandpaper and brush cleaner to work at L’s and 4 frames for the photos I ordered last week which I expect to arrive in the next day or two.

On the evening news the Taoiseach (T-shock) announced extended restrictions to try to contain the virus. All non-essential shops to shut leaving only food, chemists and service stations open. Maximum of 4 non-family group people together, exercise alone acceptable.

It’s pretty much the way I’ve been living so doesn’t affect me too much. I reckon I can still go birding as far as Wicklow – for ‘exercise’ – and I’m always alone anyway. Probably won’t go as far as Wexford – which is a bit disappointing, but it is what it is. With Mum in the nursing home, I don’t think I’ll have any issue going that far – at this stage anyway, of course, it may become more restrictive in the future.

Australia - 2,144 and 8 dead.

Ireland - 1,125 and 6 dead.

Total: 81     

Day 14 Wednesday 25.3.20

I hung around after breakfast for a while, not sure if I had to be on site to let the plumber in, but in the end, headed south, once again, to my sister’s place. Once again I stopped off at Kilcoole, once again, because it was ‘handy’ to my journey and with the new virus controls, I’m not too sure how far I can reasonably go for ‘exercise’. I suspect it doesn’t really matter – especially if you’re alone, however, this suited my purpose.

There wasn’t anything outstanding during the walk, but it was a lovely morning – blue skies, warm sunshine, small southeasterly breeze with a bit of a chill in it, but I didn’t wear my warm jacket or need gloves or beanie so it was all good.

Once again the tide was high and as a result I didn’t stand much chance of seeing the Dowitcher or, in fact, many waders. I didn’t see anything new for the trip at all, until I got back to the car and had a pair of European Greenfinches perched up on the wires. A couple of flocks of Brent Geese flew in totalling about 350 birds and there were also about 250 European Golden Plover half-hidden in the rough grass.

Brent Geese

I headed on down to L’s and then spent half an hour yelling through the window to my mother who was looking good – almost back to normal really. She’s a tough old bitch – and I mean that in the nicest way.

I spent the rest of the day sanding, then painting, the outside of L’s conservatory woodwork, something I had volunteered to do the previous week. 

Covid-19

Australia - 2,431 and 9 dead.

Ireland - 1,564 and also 9 dead.

UK - 8,264 and 435 dead - so much for the herd immunity theory......

25,000 cases in New York and the USA looks like its losing it. Trump wants to re-open businesses at Easter - in 2 weeks. Is the man in touch with any sort of reality? 

Sco Mo in Australia is still focused on the economy, never mind the potential danger to the health system and, ultimately, people's lives, its the money that counts.......

Total: 82   

Day 15 Wednesday 26.3.20

I stayed at L’s overnight and spent some time on the phone with home.

Then I painted another coat on the woodwork I started yesterday. Later I put a third and final coat on and, basically, hung around all day. Saw Mum through the window for half an hour or so – she was well and almost back to normal.

Covid-19

 (Details taken from - worldometers.info)

Over 500,000 cases worldwide with 24,000 dead.

Australia – 2,806 cases and 13 dead. Finally, finally, schools in Queensland are going to close to all but essential services children from Monday.

Ireland – 1,564 and 9 dead. (Seems strange this figure hasn't changed from yesterday?)

UK – 11,658 and 578 dead.

USA – 79,082 and 1,143.

Italy (worst hit country) - 80,589 and 8,215 dead.

Not really much more to say, just ….. wait for it.

Total: 82

Day 16 Friday 27.3.20

I didn’t do any birding as such, but I did see a European Sparrowhawk (Trip tick 83) over L’s house above the Rooks calling in the small rookery, the Common Blackbird singing nearby and the European Robins and Blue Tits flicking around.

After breakfast I spent 10 minutes trying to talk to Mum behind her window, but a nearby crane was so noisy we gave up. So I headed home towards Dale Rd. However, first I went to scope out the potential Long-eared Owl habitat in Blackhill, 10 minutes from L’s, for a future night-time excursion. I found the probable access track and then headed on to Ashford where I spent 30 minutes or so driving around trying, unsuccessfully, to find the Vikings movie set I had seen from Tony’s van a few days ago. While in that area I checked the Varty River at a couple of bridges for Dipper or Grey Wagtail, but didn’t see any, though I did see a nice cock Common Pheasant beside the road and a couple of Common Buzzards overhead.

Back home at Dale Rd, I unpacked and settled in for the afternoon. Not much else to do really.

Been here two weeks now and, effectively, have survived the 14 day period when I might have shown symptoms.

Covid-19

Australia: 3,180 and 13 – all incoming travellers to be forcibly quarantined in hotels for 2 weeks, resident/citizen or not.

Ireland: 2,121 and 21 (Republic only) – Irish PM states ICU will be at maximum capability within a few days. Apparently the original projection was that there would 10,000 cases in Ireland by today - obviously this hasn't happened, so hopefully people's behaviour is helping to contain the spread.

UK: 14,543 and 759 – Boris Johnson is the first world leader to test positive.

USA: 93,329 and 1,384 – now the epicenter of the virus and the most cases than any other country since the pandemic started. 44,000+ in New York City alone.

The shit is heading towards the fan.

LATEST IRISH UPDATE at 9pm 27.3.20

From midnight tonight until at least Easter Sunday (2 weeks)

           Can't move more than 2kms from home.

           Only go out to shop for food, medical supplies or for work.

           Exercise BRIEFLY  within 2 kms of home.

Well...........guess I won't be doing much birding then.

The shit has reached the fan................

Total: 83

Day 17 Saturday 28.3.20

First day of the new restrictions.

I didn’t do much. I only went out to Aldi to pick up a few essentials, but the queue was so long I drove away and picked up milk and bread at a corner store close to home.

Apart from that I did nothing, obeying the government directive to ‘Stay at home’, watching TV and RTE 1 (which is like SBS on Demand) and reading. It was another nice day out, but a northeasterly wind blowing directly down from the Arctic made it very cold out of shelter. Predicted to be a frost tonight with a high of 8 degrees tomorrow….

Tonight we 'lose' an hour as the clocks go forward to summer time......

Covid-19

             Australia: 3,635 and 14.

             Ireland – 2,415 and 36.

              UK – 17,089 and 1,019.

              USA – 116,910 and 1,945.

Italy had the biggest ever 24 hour death rate – 889 - to bring their total cases to 92,472 and 10,023 dead.

Total: 83

Day 18 Sunday 29.3.20

Once again I did nothing. After spending time on the phone with folk at home, I did start painting the bathroom. The first trial of paint had produced a problem, the old (very old) wallpaper paste had caused the paint to run. The answer apparently was to paint the wall with a poly-filler type thing, diluted in water, which, it is claimed, will seal the wall and allow paint to ‘stick’. It was like painting the wall with milk, but I persevered and left it to dry.

I spent the rest of the day on the couch watching Netflix and reading again. I had planned to go for a walk, but it was so cold – 1C – and windy, I decided against it.

Covid-19

Australia: 3,980 and 16 deaths.

Ireland: 2,615 and 46 deaths. Aer Lingus flew out yesterday and flew back in today with PPE supplies from China. Apparently 10 flights in total will be made to bring vital supplies into the country.

Jesus – fly to China to get PPE?? What’s the world come to.

Including Northern Ireland there are 3,025 cases and have been 67 deaths on the island of Ireland.

UK: 19,522 and 1,228 deaths – an additional 209 overnight. The country is now in a State of Emergency.

USA: 133,094 and 2,363 deaths – over 700 in New York alone.

Italy again hit the news with 756 deaths overnight and Spain with 624.

And they are talking a 6 month period of restrictions…….

My sister rang tonight from her place in Wicklow. She had gone down to Wexford, near Kilmore Quay, on Friday and been 'trapped' down there as it were, until she drove home today. On the 120km drive they saw about 3 cars. That's how seriously people are taking the situation.

Total: 83

Day 19 Monday 30.3.20

I got up at 8 and after breakfast went to Aldi at opening time at 9. I got straight in, got what I needed and got straight out again, taking the necessary cleaning actions afterwards.

Later in the morning I walked the 1.1 km up to Deerpark in Mt Merrion. 

It’s called Deerpark but I don’t think there have been any deer seen there in any living memory, including mine. As a young lad I had a couple of friends who lived on the fringes and we spent days building huts and hideaways and climbing trees and doing all the usual stuff young lads get up to. Then it seemed like a wild, untamed woodland. Now its an area with open space including a couple of sports fields, well worn mud and bitumen tracks through a smallish woodland used by the local population for walking, jogging and, I’m sure, other nefarious pursuits. There was hardly any undergrowth – though I remembered a thick understory perfect for hiding in. 

I hadn’t expected any great things and the morning being cold – 4 degrees, feels like -1 – didn’t encourage much activity. The trees were all still bare of leaves and it was a grey, cloudy, cold morning.

However I wandered around for 45 minutes or so and watched a Eurasian Magpie nest building, saw a few European Blue and Great Tits, a single Common Chaffinch, Common Blackbirds, Eurasian Wrens and Robins. I did eventually see a single Mistle Thrush and a Goldcrest– both trip ticks – and a Grey Squirrel put in a confiding presence, also a trip tick.

I was hoping for a Treecreeper or maybe even a Woodpecker – and maybe I’ll get lucky in the next couple of weeks as this will be my ‘patch’ now for the immediate future.

Put a first coat of paint on the bathroom wall - seems to be sticking, fingers crossed.

Covid-19

Australia: 4,245 and 18.

Ireland: 2,910 and 54.

UK: 22,141 and 1,408.

USA: 156,303 and 2,864.

Italy: 101,739 and 11,591.

Total: 85

Day 20 Tuesday 31.3.20

Another day, mostly at home.

I walked up to Deerpark again just after 8, thinking an early morning visit might prove more profitable. But it was a grey, bleak, cloudy morning, while, although not quite as cold as the previous day, was still only 5 degrees, with no wind.

I saw much the same birds, without the Mistle Thrush and Goldcrest, and added Rook and European Goldfinch to the site list. Not a great achievement, but one has to take what one can get these days and celebrate any success!

Back home and another coat of paint on the bathroom walls went well – starting to look like the finished product now.

Spent the rest of the day basically doing what I do best – lying on the couch.

Threw some seed and stale bread in the back garden at one point and had Collared Doves, Dunnocks, European Robins, Common Blackbirds, Western Jackdaws, House Sparrows, Common Starlings, Common Wood Pigeons and several Eurasian Magpies and one European Goldfinch put in a brief appearance.

Covid-19

Australia: 4,561 and still only 19 deaths – doing well?

Ireland: 3,235 and 71 dead.

UK: 25,150 and 1,789 dead.

USA: 185,270 and 3,780 dead.

None of these countries have reached the predicted peak yet.

Total: 85