February was an excellent month
all round in the Inland Ireland Minileague. Niall Keogh added no less than six
year ticks at his South Dublin local parks patch, keeping him in first place on
the comparative table with 87.6%. A #patchgold Redshank at Kilbogget Park
was his first there since 2009. Other additions included two showy Water Rails
on the wetland and two Jack Snipe with 7 Common Snipe on the waterlogged
football pitches at night! A singing Stock Dove and the first flyover Lesser
Black-backed Gull of the spring were further additions at Cabinteely Park.
Des Higgins has been embracing
the spirit of PWC in his first year of competitive scoring at UCD where some
good effort in February was rewarded with Little Egret, Teal and Treecreeper
(all nice species to see on campus). Des shifts down to third place with just
over 70% while second place is claimed by Michael John O’Mahony on 73.4% at
Upper Rathduff. Also in his first comp scoring year, Michael saw three Hen
Harriers, Merlin and Woodcock at his home patch during the month. Check out Michael's superb flickr album from his patch.
Fifth place goes to Darragh
Sinnott at Holy Cross and Carriganore where Siskin and a #fullfatpatchtick Great Black-backed Gull were new for him.
Alan Lauder steals the show
however with a whopper untagged 2nd calendar-year White-tailed Eagle over his garden! A
very welcome six pointer which starts his year off on 62.5% at Carrick Mountain
along with a regular Great Spotted Woodpecker. Presumably one of the juveniles
fledged from breeding attempts by re-introduced birds in Ireland last year, the
eagle went on a tour of Co. Wicklow during February, seen well by most of the
contestants taking part in the annual county bird race the day before it graced
the airspace above Alan’s home.
White-tailed Eagle © Alan Lauder
Both Andrew Power and Derek
Charles sit atop the Inland Ireland Points Minileague table with 68 points
apiece. Derek is one species ahead on 63 while Andrew has the higher Points Per
Bird score of 1.097 with Great Spotted Woodpecker and his first patch Great
Crested Grebe since 2012 at Kildavin.
Other highlights during the month included
Gadwall at Lough Ree (Brian Burke), Reed Bunting along the Grand Canal Way (Ian
Stevenson), a #fullfatpatchtick
Little Egret at Bushy Park for Mary Fitzgerald and a riverine duo of Common
Sandpiper and Dipper at Skibbereen for Julian Wyllie.
Great Crested Grebe © Andrew Power
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