Sam Bayley
@SamBayley2
@NPWSIreland Conservation Ranger. SouthWest Ireland RG bird ringer, moth-er, general naturalist + ecologist. Ex-Warden of Cape Clear Bird Observatory 2016/17.
Lesser Black-backed Gull project work today in Roaringwater Bay. 204 colour ringed from 3 islands including @CCBOIE and 14 Herring Gull. Seems to be a productive season here and a fabulous day to be island hopping! @NPWSIreland @_BTO @BirdWatchIE



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 @_BTO @BirdWatchIE



Great weekend at @CCBOIE for the Lavender Festival. Ringing Demo on Saturday 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! @_BTO @BirdWatchIE @oileanchleire




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 @_BTO @BirdWatchIE


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 @_BTO @BirdWatchIE @GlengarriffWood


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 @_BTO @BirdWatchIE




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 @_BTO @BirdWatchIE



Port of Cork’s Common Tern Breeding Project is in full swing! 🐣 Hatching began at the start of June, and during a recent bird-ringing event on 26th June, our team counted over 100 chicks across the three pontoons. Each chick was fitted with a unique PVC identification ring.…
Wonderful day giving budding Canadian ringer Adam Ross a flavour of some of the projects in Cork. Firstly, Rook ringing as part of a RAS, then ringing 99 Common Tern chicks as part of @PortofCork project with @bomah and lastly a nest of 3 Buzzard chicks @NPWSIreland @_BTO




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 @_BTO @BirdWatchIE @AlanMc_23 @GlengarriffWood




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 @_BTO @BirdWatchIE

CES session 5 @LakeHotel Killarney NP was quiet, but a couple of notable individuals amongst the 22 birds. Our first ever juvenile Reed Bunting, seem to get flooded out most years and a retrap Reed Bunting originally ringed in 2022! @NPWSIreland @_BTO @BirdWatchIE @KerryBirdNews

Irish Cuckoo Tagging Project Update - after just over 6 weeks on breeding grounds in Killarney NP, Cores is on migration! Brief stop on Kerry side of Beara peninsula on 10th before quick departure to SW Wales 🏴 BIG NEWS NEXT WEEK! @NPWSIreland @_BTO @BirdWatchIE @KerryBirdNews


Great day out doing raptor nests. Another 2 Peregrines sites ringed in Cork as well as a Kestrel nest right in Cork City! But the most amazing find was amongst mostly corvid remains was the remains of a HOOPOE in one of the Peregrine nests!! @NPWSIreland @_BTO @BirdWatchIE




Clogheen Marsh CES session 4 produced the first 5 juveniles of the year in amongst the 54 birds of 18 species. A good mix including our first Kingfisher of the year, a retrap adult from 2024, also a side catch of 3 Mallard and a Moorhen @NPWSIreland @_BTO @BirdWatchIE




CES session 4 @LakeHotel Killarney NP produced 53 birds of 13 species. It was heavily dominated by juvenile birds in particular Blue Tits and Long-tailed Tits, but also Treecreeper and 2 Kingfisher @NPWSIreland @_BTO @BirdWatchIE @AlanMc_23 @Thalie__K 🪶



